4am seems to be the waking hour of choice for this particular bout of jet lag - sigh. And there was no going back to sleep. Even listening to ABC radio (the Aussie version) didn't send me back to the land of nod. Surrender and resignation are the only remedy.

The day dawned crisp and clear, with a slight breeze- in other words a perfect autumn day. Before I ventured out I had breakfast here - perfectly satisfactory in a manufactured way, with pre-peeled boiled eggs in the fridge, and suspiciously uniform looking omelettes in the warmer. I suspect they may have gone straight from a package to a microwave to the warmer so they could keep the ramrod straight snags company. There were two kinds of cereal, yoghurt, bagels, juice, coffee. What more could the post-industrial being want?
Stepping out for my 15 minute walk to campus, I passed through the residential area. The colours of the trees, showed to perfection in the early sunlight were echoed in the scent of abundant fallen leaves in the clear morning air. When you add in the picture book Americana of the houses and yards full of autumn blooms it made for a heady experience, reminding me why (genuine)autumn is my favourite season - so full of memories of the season past, and like the squirrels, making ready for the harshness to come. (Dare I say it? Winter is coming...)

The campus. Oh the campus. Landscaped and cared for to perfection with an architectural palette that gently reminds you of the seriousness and beauty of learning - and not a poster on a wall or a line of graffiti. The gardeners' quarters are better than many of our Australian campus lecture rooms! I had a chance for a stroll before attending the morning session at which Charles found himself I at the receiving end of someone before him going over time- one of his Italian colleagues to be precise. Karma? I actually spent quite a bit of time later in the day with the Verona crew and got plenty of chance to practice my Italian. It was worse than even their worst English speaker, but it gave them a rest from English.
I needed a quick nap before the formal opening and reception during which I caught up with many colleagues from Across the States and Canada and even Scandinavia. A gentle 15 minute stroll back -& this time in the dark, so the glorious colours were hidden, although the occasional house decorated early for Halloween seemed to echo them in the Orange pumpkin lights in the window.

My presentation tomorrow morning and then I am receiving an award in the evening- a great privilege. More tomorrow.