At the end of the last day of the Jordan ICT Forum 2006, there was a gala dinner, sponsored by the brand-new Optimiza company, preceded by a cocktail reception.

So here is how the evening unfolded..

Everyone was at the King Hussein Convention Center, but we had to be bussed to the Marriott because the Jordan Dubai Capital sponsored cocktail reception was there. Then, around an hour later, anyone who still had the energy to attend the dinner was bussed back to the convention center because, surprise, surprise, the dinner was there. AArrgh..

When you’ve been on your feet since 6:00, your nerves start to fray at 9:00 pm. I felt like a mashed potato. But I still somehow convinced myself to check out the dinner.

What kept me at the dinner was that the menu said that renowned Jordanian composer Tareq Al Nasser and his Rum ensemble were going to perform. I have never seen them live so I forced myself to stay. During dinner I had the pleasure to talking to an Italian economist who was going to speak about innovation next day. The only thing interrupting our conversation was the ‘hotel band’ that was playing latin influenced covers of all sorts of popular music, including Sinatra’s My Way.

People started leaving.. Where the heck was Rum?

Then, I think after 11 pm, they came on stage to play to a hall where less than 100 people were sitting! What a shame..

I was really furious, but tried to enjoy the show.. Here, for everyone’s benefit is a clip from it:

The show ended at around midnight. We were bussed, again, to the parking lot. Thankfully my brother was with me and he had his car with him. So we made our way to Amman! I still had to get my car from the City Terminal on the 7th Circle, as I left it there in the morning to take the shuttle bus to the conference.

I was totally out of energy when I arrived home around 1 am.

In fact, I overslept that night and missed all the morning session of the 2nd day of the forum.

What’s the point of this ramble: it’s time for more humane conference schedules. Don’t keep bussing delegates around like sheep. And if you want to give the guests a cultural program you don’t start it so late! Please!

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