Since bitcoin has some privacy issues in its ownership and owners are often targeted, if you ever visit such a conference don't reveal your forum names or anything that can link you back here.
Otherwise if you are in for some free lunch then good for you. Most of the projects that will be talked about there will turn crap in a year or two. Rarely discussion on Bitcoin occur, which can be helpful.
Don't bother going to a different country just to attend them. Rather visit them if happening in your city.
I think I will take this advice of yours to keep but I doubt I would even attain such event like such in my local area since bitcoin is pretty still seen as a bad news for the government of my nation and with what I have seen so far not much people even in my country even wants to reveal their identity in small gathering that's its not even up to the standard of what you are trying to explain.