Thoughts as I Travel Home from the Expo in Orlando

I am on my way back home from the 2012 NWFA convention in Orlando and wanted to get some thoughts online before the distraction of being back home starts. It was a lot of fun to be able to say hello to fellow bloggers Scott Avery, Wayne Lee, and Elizabeth Baldwin. But the real news is …

There was a remarkably different vibe this year. A lot of people who had recently been absent were back, and the exhibits looked very busy all day on Wednesday. A number of people commented on how great I looked (which isn't true), which I attribute to the growing optimism about the renewal going on at NWFA. Everyone I encountered was happy to be there, and the negativity that had accumulated in the past half dozen years is gone.

My thrifty travel planning was a rousing success. But I have to admit that it might have been a little nicer to have stayed at the convention hotel/center. Here is the final expense tally:

• My hotel (the Broken Arms _otel-the "H" is missing) was $270
• Air fare $350
• Rental car $110
• Misc $160

For a total = $890. I had several fellow thrifty travelers mention my previous post on this topic and even offer some additional tips on how to further economize. In fact, I was able to save $16.05 on parking Wednesday thanks to a thoughtful tip. :-) That is the first smiley face that I have ever used.

My next effort will be back to our thought experiment on cupping…