I've arrived in Palm Springs (finally), to attend my first TED, and I've landed in happy land. I have never met so many excited, friendly, up-beat people (outside of NZ). This afternoon registration at Palm Springs was abuzz, even a ride in the lift has an air of excitement - EVERYBODY introduces themselves to EVERYBODY - and they're ALL excited to be here. Ok, I know that's a lot of CAPS - but I am in America. So I'm allowed, OK?

Today we got our "gift bags": American style = BIG. The irony was they included a BEAUTIFUL icebreaker top (thanks Jeremy!), and so many other things that I'll need extra baggage allowance to get it all home.  The afternoon warm-up session was fantastic - musicians who really get TED and that was followed by a function to start meeting each other - and what a friendly bunch. TED has a special algorithm that matches you with your top ten fellow TED'ers- the people you MUST meet while you're here - and watching and experiencing those "matches" first hand is hilarious.

TED starts proper tomorrow, and right now I know I must go to bed and get good rest. Everyone advises me that TED is exhausting and you want to collapse after day two, I suspect that with international travel crammed either side of the programme I could face some struggles - especially given we are seated in arm chairs with the occasionally distributed blanket!

I promise to blog, but the twitter feed from everyone is here. 

Overall the anticipation is EXACTLY (I know more CAPS crimes) like Xmas eve - I've never experienced an atmosphere like it - I'm looking out over the continuing pool party and half expecting Santa and his reindeer to touch down. (I'm in America - anything is possible!)