Day 7 – Thu 31 Aug: Salvador

The traditional classroom day consisted of nine presentations of a high standard, with lunch in the middle.

A last dinner together before retiring to pack as we had an early start for the return to Australia journey.

Day 6 – Wed 30 Aug: Salvador

MEPS Visit Day and Dinner

We started the rather late due to the host nation staff being held up in traffic. When they finally arrived, we had three presentations, one from each of the Brazilian Air Force, Navy and Army pharmacists. It was then onto a bus to visit a local Army hospital where we were shown the two different levels of wards – a very basic one for a soldier, and then a flash one, complete with ensuite for an officer or SNCO. We also got a tour of pathology, ICU, and the pharmacy.

The afternoon was taken up by relaxing by the pool at Centro de Amaralina which is the local military resort where we could sit and chat or take a walk along the beach. Pity the wind was blowing a gale.

The MEPS dinner was held in a local restaurant, Yemanja, and we were treated to a number of traditional dishes. It was not a big night.

Military Hospital

Soldiers ward

Officer or SNCO room

Annie, Helmut, Jane, Dave & Steve

Ismail, Annie, ?, Jane

Congress venue (tall building) and hotels from the Resort

MEPS Dinner

Bill, Helmut, Zheng-yu, & one of our hosts

Régis with our hosts

Annie, Jane & Richard

Peter, Gerhard's daughter and Gerhard

Annie & Jane

Day 5 – Tue 29 Aug: Salvador

Attended a few sessions again in morning but spent the afternoon shopping for gifts to take home. The shopping trip took us to the Mercado Modelo (local market) which held some interesting artifacts.

That evening, I attended the American Reception with Jane, Régis and David Cecillon (Canadian) that was held at the Salvador Yacht Club and was even more salubrious than the MEPS Meet and Greet location. At the end of the night when it was time to go home, Regis and David decided that

because their hotel was only a five-minute walk away, they would just walk home. So, without even a “ladies, will you be alright until the next bus arrives?”, off they went!!! So, Jane and Wendy were left on their own. Fortunately, not long after they left, a man that Jane knew quite well offered us a ride in his taxi as he was going to the same hotel as Jane was staying in.

Market venue

Elevador Lacerda

Going up in the Elevador

Statue at the Market

Town Square

Jane, Dave, Wendy & Régis At the American Reception

Day 4 – Mon 28 Aug: Salvador

Attended a couple of sessions, but was still suffering from the long flight, so had a nana nap before the next round of socialising began.

The FIP Welcome Reception was held this evening, again a bus ride away at another location – an undercover car park. This was a very festive occasion, with all the local delights (food, music, dance, etc), A relatively early night was had by most.

Day 3 – Sun 27 Aug: Salvador

The Opening Ceremony started at 2pm at a venue that was a quite a drive away from the main conference venue (Pestana Hotel) so buses were employed to convey us to the destination. As usual, the MEPS Meet and Greet was held after the opening ceremony at another hotel on another side of town, was only a taxi ride away, and it was a most salubrious location, albeit at night.

This was where a new drink was discovered by a number of the members - a Caipirinha, made with limes, sugar, ice and cane spirit (white rum); you can add soda water if you want it a little less sweet. A very nice drink in low doses.

Opening Ceremony

Wendy, Régis, Steve, Dave, Jane

MEPS Meet and Greet

Guido and Jane

Dave & Jane

Régis, Wendy and Dave

Helmut, Guido & Gerhard

Day 2 – 26 Aug: Santiago to Salvador Bahia via Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro

We finally left Santiago at 1am. By this time, I had lost my sense of humour and built a lot of extra character. I slept most of the way to Sao Paulo where we stayed on the aircraft while it refuelled, and passengers got off and others got on. When we got to Rio, we had to change terminals; thankfully, we did not need to collect our luggage and re-check it though. it was quite a hike though, which probably did us good.

After only another two hours of flying we made it to Salvador. Catching a taxi was easy, trying to make our driver understand where we wanted to go was another story. However, we eventually made it. Check in at the hotel was another comedy as they wanted to put Steve and I in the same room! It was only after they handed me one key, that the error was discovered. Thankfully, a second room had been booked, and I was soon unpacking, showering, and having a nana nap, in my own room.

We had arranged to meet with Jane and the others who were staying in the hotel next door later in the afternoon and went for a short walk to the congress venue which was across the car park and not too far away. It was, however, quite warm in Salvador at that time of year and coming from winter in Canberra, it was a bit of a shock.

My room in the Mercure Salvador Bahia

Day 1 – 25 Aug: Canberra to Santiago via Sydney and Auckland

It was an early start for me, and I met Steve in Sydney. I was in the QC Business lounge and when Steve presented his boarding pass to enter, he was informed that because he was a Platinum frequent flyer, he was entitled to enter the First-Class lounge! So, he collected me and off we went. How salubrious is that lounge? You cannot even order your own drink at the bar – well you can but they ask you where you are sitting, and they bring it over. So, whilst in the First lounge, one must do as a other First-loungers do and drink champagne (not sparkling wine as it was Veuve Clicquot) for breakfast! At least I had mine with a touch of OJ which is a breakfast beverage. After a larger than required breakfast of eggs benedict and bacon, and my champagne and OJ, it was time to make our way to the other end of the terminal to our gate. My second international Business class flight 0 woohoo. When I saw the aircraft, I was a tad dubious it would get us there as it only had two engines – it was an A340. However, it did go via Auckland, so I guess it must have refuelled there. The cabin was not very busy, and the meals were very good, and the seats were fully flat when in the down position.

 
After over 16 hours flying and a short stopover in NZ, we landed in Santiago, Chile. We quickly made our way to the Admirals Club which Steve had access to with his platinum FF status. Thank goodness for Steve, because if he was not platinum, we would have been out in with the common folk for the 12 hours wait before boarding for Rio.
 
Because we had so much time to wait (and for once, this was not my stuff-up, rather QANTAS Defence bookings – they changed our flights without consultation) we took it in turns to wander the duty free shops, eat, drink and sleep. This is where I discovered the liqueur Disaronno, which is like Amaretto, only much, much smoother. I had been limiting my champagne intake with copious glasses of water in between when Steve told me I just had to try it. After a while I gave in and tried it and was hooked. Poured over ice, it is delicious!

A340

Dinner

FIP Congress 2006 – Salvador, Brazil – 25 August-3 September