So, what’s on the cards? Well, I haven’t had a chance to really study the Running Order, but there are a few sessions that look quite interesting. There are also a number of WordHack sessions which look quite challenging. I’ll keep blogging about it.

I’m pumped that I’m going to manage to make it this year. I wanted to go last year, but it was in Cardiff and I just couldn’t make the travel arrangements work. Manchester is just a boat and a train ride away from here so it will be great! It’s going to be WordPress all the way, no chance to catch a show, buy nuphedragen or do any sort of shopping. It should be awesome!

July 17–18: WordCamp UK- Manchester, England, UK. The roving WordCamp UK will be in Manchester this year, and is probably the closest to BarCamp style of all the WordCamps, using a wiki to plan some speakers/sessions and organizing the rest ad-hoc on the first day of the event. I’ll be attending this one as well, and am looking forward to seeing WordPress lead developer Peter Westwood again. I’m also looking forward to meeting some core contributors for the first time in person, like Simon Wheatley and John O’Nolan. Mike Little, co-founder of WordPress, is on the organizing team of WordCamp UK. Tickets on sale now!

I’m going to see if there’s anything I can do to fit that in as it would be awesome to make it to a WordCamp finally. Maybe I can buy gold online, sell it again and use the profits to fund a WordCamp trip.. what do you think?

If you’re unfamiliar with WordCamps, here’s the skinny: the San Francisco event is the flagship, put together each year under the direction of WordPress co-founder and lead developer Matt Mullenweg, who traditionally reports on the “State of the Word” and assembles a lineup of speakers that have inspired him over the past year. This year’s lineup includes luminaries such as Richard Stallman, the father of Free Software, best-selling author Scott Berkun, and Salon.com co-founder Scott Rosenberg. As the final speaker list is finalized, the remaining speakers will be added to the WordCamp SF website, but a surprise or two is still possible.

There are also a number of other WordCamps happening all over the world. So, forget about that relaxing weekend or that blackhead treatment you had booked, and head down to meet your WordPress buddies.

WordCamp New Zealand: Wellington, New Zealand, August 8-9, 2009

WordCamp Huntsville: Huntsville, Alabama, USA, August 15–16, 2009

WordCamp Los Angeles: Los Angeles, California, USA, September 12, 2009

WordCamp Philippines: Makati City, Philippines, September 19, 2009

WordCamp Portland: Portland, Oregon, USA, September 19-20, 2009 (Last year’s PDX WordCamp was awesome, IMO.)

WordCamp Seattle: Seattle, Washington, USA, September 26, 2009

WordCamp Birmingham: Birmingham, Alabama, USA, September 26-27, 2009

WordCamp Netherlands: Utrecht, Netherlands, October 31, 2009

WordCamp NYC: New York, New York, USA, November 14-15, 2009 (Logo contest in progress!)

WordCamp Mexico: Mexico City, Mexico, November 20, 2009

Check them out and see if you can go to any of them.

So, WordCamp UK has come to an end and unfortunately I couldn’t make it this year. But I’ve got my sights set on it and hope to be able to make it next year. There were some great speakers this year, and I would have loved to meet Matt Mullenweg, but it just wasn’t going to happen this time. It’s too close to our wedding anniversary (we’re off to Paris in a couple of days), we have twins on the way and the flights were just too expensive when I went to buy tickets.

I’ll be keeping a close eye on it next year, get my tickets in nice and early. People may be saving up for their next vacation, their Medicare supplement or even their pension .. me, I’ll be saving for Word Camp UK

I was planning to go myself, but travelling from the Isle of Man is just too expensive; so I’ve had to drop out. It’s a shame really, as I really had my heart set on it; but travel and acommodation will cost at least £400 and I need to save up. No, it’s not for Mesothelioma treatment or anything like that; but we have twins on the way and well, every penny counts.

Anyway, if you get the opportunity, you should head down there. Lots to learn and some great people to meet.