Weird Austin

Aunty Jo-Jo @ the Texas State Capitol

I've just returned from the headquarters of AMD, my new employer, which is based in Austin. Being my first trip to Texas, I expected to see dusty cowboys in boots & ten-gallon hats riding through town on saddled horses. But thankfully, Austinites have kept their city delightfully "weird" and I found a pleasant green city with a fantastic music scene instead.

View of Lake Travis from the balcony of my hotel room

I spent almost a week attending a Leadership Workshop at a hotel on Lake Travis. While we were locked in windowless rooms most of the time, the scenery that surrounded us was beautiful. We went out on a dinner cruise one night and had lots of Shiner Bock (great Texas beer!) and Mexican food. Some of the mansions that dot the shores of Lake Travis belong to famous Austinites such as Michael Dell, Sandra Bullock and Andy Roddick.

Aunty Jo-Jo having fun with her new friends, Richard & Kim

I met some really funny & smart people on this trip. And I'm looking forward to working with them. It's amazing how beer always plays a major part in any bonding experience :-)

Aunty Jo-Jo with her Texas-sized mint chocolate ice-cream pie...yummy!

However, the one thing that Texas delivered on was the FOOD. I absolutely love Tex-Mex cuisine. Breakfast tacos, salsa & chips, enchilada, re-fried beans, queso catfish were some of the delights that have become my new favourites.

Now you know the *real* reason I'm looking forward to my next trip to corporate headquarters!