My fiancee, Kiran, flew into Boston yesterday on a separate flight, with a view to spending some time out here accompanying me on my WCMT trip. For weeks we had been very nervous about this – the Trump Executive Order seemed a real threat to her travel. Being a Pakistani national with a visa didn’t do much to reassure us, but in the end, it was me that got the customary Q&A grilling at the airport!

After some fantastic sushi at at place called Umai and a quick check of the Superbowl scores (New England Patriots, the local team, losing quite badly) we decided it was time for bed – only to be woken up by a concert pianist practising loudly next door at 11pm and then by what sounded like the biggest party in town. Turns out the Patriots had pulled off probably the biggest upset in Superbowl history and come back to win in overtime.

Cue plenty of sore heads and hungover faces this morning when I popped out to get coffee and breakfast.

I kick off my interviews this afternoon – with Northeastern and then with MIT. Super excited.