Clare's USA Adventure - 2004

I just returned from a trip to the USA. I went to Indianapolis to the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) conference for 1 week, then headed to Long Beach in LA to meet up with the AIS and Australian Olympic swim team (some of them anyway), to do some work with the athletes while in a warmer climate to help them prepare for Athens. I was lucky enough to score the trip as I have been covering servicing of the Swim squad for my boss who has been on maternity leave. On being asked to go with them, I coordinated it so I could go to the conference as well.

The conference was great, I met many 'guru's' in the area of sports nutrition and exercise physiology who are potential contacts for the future. Indianapolis was a fairly boring city, not much to see and do (although I was going to the conference everyday so didn't have too much time). The swim trip was awesome. I got to hang out with the team including Ian and Michael (that would be the Thorpedo and Klim, or Lumpy as his friends call him!).

LA was a very cool place, more influence from south America and more laid back. We took a trip to Hollywood and Beverly Hills to check out some sites and stars. The only star I met though was an Aussie - Alan someone who played 'Jim from Neighbours'. America in general was amazing - everything is so big over there. The cars are massive, the meal and drink sizes are humungous (go and see the movie "Super size me" if you want to get an idea of just how big!) which means the people are also huge. I went to burger joint called 'in and out' burgers - my first experience of a real American burger!!! I also managed to soak up some sun , in amongst the shopping, which was wonderful. I managed to get a tan, even though I can't show it off back in Canberra because it's so damn cold here!

All in all I was away for only 17 days and enjoyed it immensely. It was a fantastic experience. I want to go back for more.