Having arrived in Salt Lake City a few days ago in preparation for RootsTech, my time has so far been spent wandering around the city, catching up with friends (and making new ones), and researching. Not a bad way to spend my time, eh?

Salt Lake City is gorgeous. I’ve say that each time I visit. It’s kind of like my hometown of Adelaide in South Australia in that it’s laid out in nice straight streets, so is very easy to find your way around. And while there was snow at SLC last week, and there’s still plenty on the mountains, so far there’s none here in ‘downtown’. But I did see some of the leftover snow, including piles of muddy snow, which was a new sight for me. Actually it’s been nice weather (cool but sunny) here so far, though rain is coming.

The socialising part is half the reason I come. It’s when you get to meet and actually chat to others and aren’t rushed like you are when the conference is actually on. DearMyrtle’s “Monday’s with Myrt” hangout was broadcast live from the the Family History Library, and I took part in that, as well as meeting up with others I knew there who were there to watch and take part too. Monday night was Jill Ball’s Commonwealth Dinner, and this year 28 people (29 with Louis Kessler making a late appearance), from 4 countries (Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and New Zealand) made it which was awesome. It’s an informal thing, and that is what’s so nice about it. And it seems to grow every year. During dinner I caught up with some Canadian friends from last RootsTech, and made new Canadian and UK friends. Great company and great food. You can read more (and see a heap of pics) on Jill Ball’s post here.

Of course the other reason to get to Salt Lake City a few days early was to do some research at the Family History Library. I mean how can anyone come to SLC and NOT research? I will admit that I was nowhere near as organised as I should have been with research preparation, still I have made use of the time and have added some extra names and details to my tree already.

So here’s a few pics for you from the first few days …

flying in to Los Angeles at dawn

view of snow on the mountains flying in to Salt Lake City

leftover snow on the streets of Salt Lake City, February 2017

I found a little snow

view of the Salt Palace Convention Center from my hotel

Temple Square from my hotel

myself, Helen V. Smith and DearMyrt (photo courtesy of Jill Ball)

mostly Aussie dinner friends at the Cheesecake Factory (photo courtesy of Jill Ball)

selfie with Graham Walter and Helen Smith

I had to have my pic taken with my good friends Daniel Horowitz, from MyHeritage

the all important Family History Library in Salt Lake City

one the hundreds of rows of drawers of choc full with microfilms

just one of the many, many rows of microfilm readers at the FHL

you’ll always friends at the FHL: Helen V. Smith and Kerry Farmer

all set up for some research

So it’s off to research some more today, before we setup our booth on Wednesday. And then on Thursday is REALLY begins!

A huge attraction of going to any genie event for me is meeting the people. Catching up with friends that you see only occasionally, and making new ones along the way. And that’s exactly what I did again while I was at the RootsTech/FGS Conference this year.

So here’s a photo collection of the “people I met” from RootsTech 2015 …

Click on each for a larger image. And if you choose to use any for your own use, I just ask that you acknowledge that it was mine originally. Really, it’s just plain courtesy.

Anyway, Enjoy !!

Saturday was the last day of the RootsTech, which was Day 3 for many (and Day 4 if you had attended FGS as well) – either way, the days of talks and walking the Expo Hall (or in my exhibiting), followed by social events in the evening were starting to catch up with everyone.

Day 2 of RootsTech fell on Friday the 13th, but it certainly didn’t bring any bad luck to attendees at RootsTech.

With a full day of talks that began at 8.00am and continued through until late afternoon, and the exhibit hall open from 10.00am until 7.00pm – today was the day to see, hear and do as much as you can (or as much as you feet let you)!