I did a lot of travelling last year. Probably too much. You don’t have to chide me about that. I know, believe me, I know. I am trying to cut down on travel this year and in subsequent years, at least until Ice & Fire is done.
But it’s a struggle. I love travel — not the flying, but being there, seeing other parts of the world, meeting my readers. As a kid, I never went anywhere at all except in my imagination, so now, when I have the means, travel is hard to resist. It’s a big wonderful world.
Also, I am not getting any younger (some of you love to remind me of that). Travel is fun, but it can also be taxing. I am all too aware that if I don’t take some of these trips now, age and health may preclude my ever taking them. Who knows what awaits me (or you, or you, or you) five years or ten years down the road?
Some of the travel I did in 2015 was for business, or to attend conventions that I had committed to two, three, four, even five years ago. Other travel was more spontaneous. A nephew’s wedding. An invitation to the SuperBowl. The last Grateful Dead concerts. People keep making me offers I cannot refuse… and not just Don Corleone…
Anyway… I travelled, and mostly I am glad I did… I wrote a couple of pages about my various trips and conventions in the Lost Post, and included plenty of pictures. I am not going to bother redoing any of that. I fear that only a few of you are interested in my travels. Many would rather I never ever got up from my computer.
So no rehash of the rehash.
I will say that I had a great time in San Francisco at the GAME OF THRONES premiere parties, that ConQuest in KC was something special, and that my summer trip to Germany, Sweden, and Finland was one I will long remember and cherish. Stockholm is a gorgeous city that I want to see again, and I had a fantastic time in Hamburg hanging with the beautiful and talented Sibel Kekilli, her guy Andreas, and my old agent and friend Werner Fuchs. The con was fun too; Finnish fans are tops, and I look forward to Helsinki in two years.
As for worldcon… I have been going to worldcons since 1971, it is always one of the highlights of my year, and Sasquan was no different, despite the whole state seemingly being on fire, and the tensions created by the Recent Unpleasantness With Young Dogs. The Hugo Awards were… ah… a mixed bag, but I was pleased to reclaim my Hugo Losers Party. We kicked ass there, yes we did, and I’m only sorry Gardner Dozois was not with us in Spokane to be part of it.
Travel and cons. ‘Nuff said.
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