Final Thoughts

I have been in Brighton for 6 days and until the final day it was all about listening to sessions, workshops and talks, talking to delegates, joining in with activities and writing my Blog. I have been rushing from one activity to the next as if I have been on a strange seaside merry go round. Suddenly on the final day it's as if the roundabout has stopped and the fair is leaving town. This morning when I arrived at the Brighton Centre I was saddened to see that the video interview area was nearly dismantled. I went to the British Council room for the last time to type up a report from yesterday evening. All today's reports have been written in longhand and will be typed up tomorrow morning when I get home. Then I went to the Exhibition Hall to try and visit the Internet Cafe. I logged on and heard over the intercom that the Exhibition was closing. Finally I went to Brian Patten's great plenary session and the closing speeches.

Just before leaving the Brighton Centre, I went to the British Council room for the final time to say goodbye and found it locked and everyone gone. The other Roving Reporters had also gone and were on their way to Heathrow to catch their planes to Turkey and Brazil. I am now writing up this, my final report on a train between Reading and Exeter.

My thanks go to Julian Wing and his team who were fantastic and a great support to me. Also to Elisabete and Duygu my fellow reporters for their moral support.

I would highly recommend that everyone who likes writing should enter the Roving Reporters' competition next year. I would do it again like a shot if they asked me!

Farewell Brighton 2011. Hello Glasgow in 2012.