World Savers Congress: A Brief Wrap-Up

There’s so much I want to say about my time at the World Saver’s Congress, including repeating the essential message of travel – that it makes us better citizens of the world, promotes understanding and empathy, teaches us about the humanity of our neighbors, and inspires us to make the planet an even more wonderful place… so much. But I need a little bit of time to digest the massive amounts of information that came at me over the 8 hour day I spent at Gotham Hall. And a little bit of time to unwind from the whirlwind adventure that was my journey to Manhattan and back.

In the meantime, check out Conde Nast blogger Beata Loyfman’s posts from the event – she sat behind me furiously competing in the speed typing race while we both attempted to capture as much of the Congress as possible while it was happening.

You can also crawl through the Twitter archives using the #WSC code. I didn’t remember to tag all my posts, I was trying to keep up, but you’ll get a peak at sound bites and postcard sized dispatches by me, Elliot from Uptake and Donna from Travel Muse. Elliot also has a short post on the Uptake Blog.

Finally, you can read Queen Rania of Jordan’s take on her visit to NYC, including her time at the WSC on Slate. I’m thinking Her Majesty doesn’t fly American.

It was hugely exciting to be in NYC for even a limited time. It’s been years since I’ve been in the Big Apple, I’d forgotten how much I liked it and how oddly at home I feel on the streets of Manhattan. My hotel room, at the still under construction The Stay, was tiny but surprisingly comfortable and in a terrific location, at 47th and Broadway – that’s just a few short blocks from Times Square. I loved seeing the bright lights. I loved chatting with the big friendly dudes that were hanging out in the deli next to the hotel late at night – “Seattle, WASHINGTON? Baby, what you doing way the hell out there?!?!” I loved the crazy street talk – “Buy my CD and I’ll give you a hug!” from an enormous guy pushing his self recorded hip hop album – and I loved the way the driver who picked me up in the morning talked just like my Grampa Jack. “You want stop for cup of tea? Is early. Is still time. Better for you get something now than give those bastards at Delta more money.” (Okay, maybe the last part wasn’t so much like Grampa Jack.)

And of course I loved Wendy Perrin for inviting me. It was great fun to hang out in the late afternoon light at Bryant Park with Elliot, Donna, and Wendy  talking travel and technology and big ideas about What To Do Next.

What an amazing trip.