Chasing Heaven - we reach Tibet.

Sunday, August 31, 2008 – 2:08pm

Only 6 ours left on our 36-hour cross-country ride. For the past little while, I have just been flipping through photos of my nephew, Matthew on my laptop. That kid can bring a smile to my face and make me feel close to home no matter where I am. I can’t help but sit here and wonder what adventures he will get up to in his life and where it will lead him. I wonder if there will even be train travel when it comes time for him to set out on his own...You have lots of time to think about stuff you never think about on a 36 hour train ride.
We picked up this train in Xi’an en route from Beijing. We found something out about sleeper trains. If you can, and it fits into your schedule, you want to pick up a long distance sleeper train from its point of origin. David, Ethan and I were very lucky in that we are the only three people in our four person car (the extra bed becoming a catch-all for our crap, however, when we opened the door, we were in for a treat.
You see, because the train is in motion and people are getting on and off all the time, people were using our sleeper car right before we boarded. We entered into a car that had not had garbage collected or the bedding changed, and it smelled like people had been sleeping in there overnight. But these are things you expect when travelling. We did call the attendant and get new sheets, however - there is a line people.
In the train station in Xi’an, thanks to Ethan, we also met two very nice Londoners (UK, not Ontario) named Susie and Dan. They are a couple that decided to up and leave their jobs while still young and trek around the world for a year. They have already been travelling for almost 6 months, having visited Africa, Thailand, Vietname, Japan and China to name a few. It is such a small world though! I was telling them about my friend Giulia who I go visit in London as much as I can, and as it turns out, they live a couple of stops away from her on the Jubilee line in St. Johns Wood to her Kilburn. They got a kick out of that.
The scenery has been awesome on this leg of the trip; much different from Beijing to Xi’an, which was overnight so dark the whole way. The skies have been expansive and blue, the brilliance of the stars at night almost blinding. John is officially decompressed and ready for adventure…and will stop talking in 3rd person. We have seen Yak (yaks?)), sheep, horses and a bird the size of me! It got an expletive out of my usually pristine mouth I have to admit.
David, Ethan and I have also been getting along just fine. We are all quite different, but balance each other out well I think. Should be a good group. It could be the honeymoon stage and I may go off on my own… but I don’t think so. Soon we will be meeting up with our tour guide and other friends and colleagues Myriam and Fran in Tibet. I also think that we are trying to go out to dinner with Dan and Ssie tonight once we figure anything out.
My guidebook says internet access is more restricted in Tibet compared with China… so, if you see this online anytime soon, we lucked out.

We lucked out... we are here in Tibet, safe and sound... in a pretty swank hotel actually (because there is no tourist trade anymore). Went out to dinner met a local (ex tour guide--no tourists) He sat with us and chatted all dinner. Dinner cost 80rmb for 5 of us (about 2 dollars per person...) it was delicious. We had Yak dumplings among other things... but that will be for a later post. Pics to follow - but we have to tour tomorrow and it has been an incredibly long day.

PS - Hi y'all from texas! Tried to skype tonight, but you were already out and about... I can't believe that life goes on without me!

For the love of Gladys Knight... it was the midnight train to Xi'an

Sunday, August 31, 2008 – 10:30am

Rolling hills, clear blue skies. We are truly chasing heaven. What a difference a day makes. Our adventure has officially begun. I have to say that once I got past the used bed linens, the squatting toilets that refuse to flush, and the fact that I have to wear shoes even in bed, I am really enjoying my time on this 36 hour train ride to Lhasa, Tibet. Talk about time to unwind and decompress. I will take you back a couple of days, however, to where it all began.
Much has happened since I last posted, and, as I am writing now, I truly have no idea when I will have access to post this, or upcoming entries. My heart is happy. I feel like a traveler again, I am on my own terms and I am quickly gaining a sense of freedom, cutting the proverbial strings…being able to see wide expanses of blue skies and endless terrain doesn’t hurt. I am exploding. I want to run and breathe in the air – no smog to be seen.
Let me tell you, nothing snapped me back into traveller mode quicker than approaching the Beijing West train station to catch our ride to Xi’an. Our cabbie managed to turn a three lane ramp into 4 as we dodged all the other taxis trying to get their passengers to the front. We finally made it and as soon as we opened the door, my senses were assaulted. A cacophony of yelling voices, horns, random smells, and babies cries engulfed me, rising in the air, somehow creating a symphonic rendering of my time in Beijing, perfectly summarizing in a strange musical form, my experiences up to that point. Throngs of people, call them lemmings, call them cattle, all vied for a place in the seemingly unending line to get into security screening. We strapped on our packs and got our elbows out, and shoved our way to the front using our ‘dumb westerner’ hats to get away with it. If there is one thing that I have learned here in China is that you have to do it for yourself.
The massive amounts of people were a lot to take. I was glad that I had come a few days prior to try to get the tickets and had seen what we were getting ourselves into. Ethan had a moment where he just stood awestruck, quickly got over it, and kept on trucking. We did well finding our waiting room and getting settled in…the only problem was we didn’t know where or when they would board the train. David and I took it into our own hands, walked down a hallway and found our train. Ethan took up the rear, desperately trying to decipher the strange flavour of his newly purchased purple ice cream treat. We had booked ourselves soft sleepers and were quite tired. Ethan and myself were in one and David in another. Ethan and I had two friends from Xi’an who travel back and forth to Beijing for work with us in our cabin. One was a computer engineer and the other, unfortunately, we could not figure out what he did. It was a good way to get to Xi’an and saved us a hotel night. Ethan and I chatted a bit then it was good night! We had a lot to accomplish the next day – finding our permits to Tibet was our top priority, getting train tickets to Lhasa, touring Xi’an etc. etc.
We were met at the station by our tour guide Kelly (it was great to have someone pick us up and not have to think at 8am after a grueling Olympic experience). We then went to the ticket room and fought through the masses and lined up for tickets. Thank Buddha for Kelly, she asked if we had our permit because we would need it to purchase the tickets. Off touring we went.
It was not the most beautiful of days in Xi’an – a torrential downpour actually – but we were troopers and made the most of it. The Terracotta Warriors were amazing. Indian Jones’s dream find really. They were built by an Emperor back in the day who wanted this army to accompany him into the afterlife. Don’t get me wrong – armies and concubines were actually buried alive with dead emperors to accompany him into the afterlife. I am sure they did not see that in the fine print when they signed up for the job…Also interesting was that they were not discovered until the late 70’s when a farmer (still alive and living there today) went digging a well and came across one of the greatest archeological finds in all of China, perhaps the world. It was humbling – and I was also glad there was a roof over our heads.

Following the warriors and stopping for coffee (my first decent cup in 41 days!), it was off to the city wall of Xian. It was cold, blustery, and we were almost blown off the ramparts! We cut the tour short, but not before learning all about Feng (wind) Shui (water) and rubbing the dragon horse for good fortune. Then it was on to the Wild Goose Pagoda. A less touristy temple than those in Beijing. I enjoyed it. It was calm and relaxed and with the added chatter of the rain on the rooftops, I was happy. The three of us also prayed (in a polite and respectful way) to the various Buddhas of train tickets… basically all of them because there is no one specific one for train tickets – because we still had no idea how were getting to Lhasa, Tibet!
It was then onto the hotel where our Tibetan permits were waiting for us! Some of our praying must have worked a little. We dumped our stuff in our room and headed to the train station – elbows up! Shields on! Everyone had been telling us that there was basically no way that we would get train tickets to Tibet for the next day due to the four day rule. Well, damnit, we were going to try. And try we did. We got in line at reception, showed our permits and passports and they logged us in (gotta keep track of our every step) then it was off to line up for the tickets. Somehow, we managed to pick a line that was not only short, but had an attendant that spoke good enough English that she knew we wanted 3 soft sleepers in the same compartment! WE GOT THEM!
Then it was dinner and some wandering before heading home for a much needed shower (it had been almost 2 days), and some R&R. The next morning it was off to Tibet on the 8:48 train. 36 hours to do nothing, but read, reflect, sleep, get to know each other a bit better and blog. I am glad to have experienced this.

For the love of metaphors - 10 colleagues lean on each other, climb a wall and survive.

My last full day in Beijing was amazing!  It truly was a perfect day.  I am glad it was as well, because it really helped me focus on the numerous positively amazing things and people that I have experienced and met while here.  I did not want to head out of here with a negative image of my time in Beijing (and I was very close to doing that last week!).

I woke up the morning following the party with a spring in my step and a song in my heart... I can't say the same for the rest of the people I was heading out with, who seemed a little worse for ware.  

Some of the crew returning from the first stop of the tour... McDonald's... hungover anyone?  Nothing like cheeseburgers for breakfast.

We had a private bus and guide (named Kathy), and we had the day to ourselves.  First it was off to the Jade factory - where you have to stop before going on a tour of the wall because it is a govt. run institution, then off to the wall itself.

Some of my bus mates- Nathan, Tina, Erin and Audrey

Hair of the dog?  This tour was going to be done in style....

Be careful Ethan... it is a bumpy road to the wall.

Provisions....

We drove up to the Muytanu section (please excuse my spelling, I do not have my guide book in front of me - packed.  This section is a bit more rugged and less populated than the more popular and more restored Badaling section of the wall.  Our guide was very informative on the way out, even if we were a bit rowdy and just out to enjoy each other's company and the day itself.  When the Wall was built, there were 5 million inhabitants and over 1 million people died building the wall.  Because of the sheer magnitude of fatalities, those that died were buried under and within the wall itself, making the Great Wall the world's longest cemetery.  Creepy but cool.  We finally arrived at the wall an started our ascent.

Due to an unfortunate dance floor accident the night prior, Leslie had to rent a cane at the bottom of the wall!  Who needs two hips?  We just told everyone she was training for the paralympics... go for the gold Leslie!

To get to the section of the wall you have to take a ski lift up to it.  Here are Trevor and Leslie, who were behind Erin and myself... someone had to buy the stupid hat!  In Trevor's defense, it was really hot and sunny that day - gorgeous really...and the air was almost fresh!

Sheer terror as Leslie tried to dismount the lift... I am not so sure this country will be ready for disabled athletes...

The group starts off... From left to right, back to front - Leslie, Trevor, Ethan, Jonathan, Erin, Audrey, Tina, Nathan and me... nice new shoes I am wearing eh???

Not everyone was thrilled to be getting up in the morning to do a full day of touring...Erin even fertilized the flowers at the base of the wall if you catch my drift... sorry Erin, but it was funny.  Once we got n the wall, however, it was all worth it.  We were all blown away.  The wall was ours.  There was basically nobody there!  Whereas the Badaling section was wall to wall, shoulder to shoulder during the Olympics.  It was our lucky day.

The climbing was arduous (as this was one of the steepest sections of the wall) and the sun was relentless, but it was an amazing experience nonetheless.  I am not a religious man, but I definitely always feel something at work while on the wall.  You do truly feel like you are climbing to the heavens.  The vistas are breathtaking and the surroundings, sublime.

Regardless of the sublime surroundings, I was still one sweaty mess once I reached the pinnacle. 

The gang reaches the top

Ethan, Leslie, Audrey and Trevor taking a much needed respite from the sun at the top of the wall.

It goes on forever

The way down was awesome!  We took a toboggan slide... fun times.

I had to buy a new shirt when all was said and done.  If I could win an Olympic Gold... it would definitely be for sweating... why am I still single?

I have left a lot out of this post because it was such a great and special day.  Some of it I just need to keep for myself. There are many more pics on my facebook page however.  Leslie and I were discussing it later that night upon returning to our hotel... The adventure we went on to the wall was the most fitting ending to our trip.  

What a metaphor.  I mean our time here at the Olympics has been like climbing the Great Wall - At times, it was arduous, exciting, inspiring, sweat inducing, a once-in-a-lifetime experience and most of all we could not have gotten through it without the help and support of great friends.  I can't even believe that Leslie walked the entire section, 180 degree steps and all, while hobbling with a cane.  She did not complain once! And did not hit us with it when we told people we passed that she was a paralympian.  Sure Ethan carried her backpack and I acted as a human crutch for her on the tougher sections.. but heck, she was not going to miss out on the experience and that is what friends do for each other help one another through tougher times.  We all laughed, joked and mixed in all those good times was an overlaying subtle sadness.  We all wanted to make the most of it - as we knew that this was potentially the last time we would all be together.  It was definitely the best day I have had here.  I will miss those kids.

I ended up staying home after the Wall.  I was invited out to countless goodbye parties, but to be quite honest I did not want to go chasing that 'one last good time'.  I did not want to ruin my past three perfect days.  I had spent quality time with those that I wanted too and said my goodbyes.  I had also made peace with my time here and sorted through all the crap that went on.  Packing for the next leg of the trip was really cathartic.  I put together a whole bag for charity full of things that I no longer needed - things like clothes that are now too big for me, my uniform pieces etc. etc.  I was literally lightening my load and getting rid of all the excess, keeping only what was important.  Kind of like what I did with my experience here in the last days.  A nice feeling.

Today truly is the last day.  I will be boarding a train in 6 hours.  This morning I woke up, stored the luggage I am not taking on the trip with my hotel and then I met Maarten, Julia and Audrey for breakfast before they headed to the airport.  We kept it light, nobody wanting to point out the pink elephant in the room... that is the way these things go.  I then returned my phone (no more ties to the office) and met Leslie and David at their hotel to say a quick goodbye to leslie and to get my new Chinese cell from David.  David, Ethan and I have bought cellphones to use on the remainder of our trip as we will not always be hanging out together.  I will send an email with the number in case of emergency.  I will not turn on my Canadian cell.  

I have also decided to take my laptop with me.  I am not sure that I will be able to post often as I don't know what the internet situation will be like, but I will definitely document the whole thing and keep you all posted as to my whereabouts.  

So that's it.  Chapter closed. Next one just about to open.   Stay tuned readers... who knows what will happen next... for the first time in a long time I have no idea what is next, and I like it that way.  I am now heading down the road and will find out where it takes me.... 

party like it's 1999.....wait a second????.....isn't it 2008?

>Following my night of revelry, the morning came fast and furious.  I intended to get up and attack the day and get everything done I needed to do..... the day attacked me first.  What I thought was an anvil came crashing down on my head early the next morning.... actually, it was just my cellphone ringing at 11:30am, but still.  Once again, thanks to the fried beef noodles, I was not too bad, just in desperate need of hydration and completely exhausted - but my stomach was in check. It was Leslie wanting info on my tailor as she had heard good things.  She also wanted me to come with her to the silk market to help her bargain... I think she is the only person in the history of China that has paid full price for anything at the silk market.  I needed to pick up my suits at the tailor's and I wanted to get me some hiking shoes for my trek at the silk market.  It was perfect... well, except for the fact I needed about 13 more days of sleep!  I jumped in the shower (then realized my head hurt when I jumped... so I stopped jumping), and ran out the door to meet the girls downtown (again, running - also not good... when will I ever learn).

First it was off to the silk market. I was the first to find what I was looking for, so I made Leslie sit with me and learn a thing or two about bargaining.  I found shoes I loved (grey eccos - so comfy - ok, fake eccos no doubt, but still comfy).  The girl quoted me 850 rmb.  I quoted back 80. A good rule of thumb is to drop the last number as a starting point.  She said I insulted her, I said she used a crazy pricing system - all in good humour.  We went back and forth, back and forth... she was hysterical, her english was really good and was so quick and funny.  We were haggling over 95 rmb vs. 90 rmb (12.80 vs 13.40)... I said I would only pay 90 because I needed the last five to get coffee - to which she responded... I work everyday in the silk market!  I need the coffee if anyone does!!!! She was so funny.  But I won in the end.  I got my 13 dollar shoes.  I could have got them for 10 no doubt, but she was so great I did not mind giving her the extra three dollars.  Win, win all around.

I do have to confess, however, that I committed one of my worst 'cultural exceptions' ever while at the silk market - unbeknownst to me... I looked like an evil foreigner and it was all a misunderstanding.  Leslie needed a watch, so we went to that section.  At this point I was hit with a wave of sheer exhaustion and was not really with it.  I was standing at the counter and I guess the girl was showing leslie that the face of the watch was scratch resistant.  She was doing this using a screwdriver/needle thing of sorts... then she proceeded to scratch leslie's arm with it, then Julia's.  I had not been paying attention and was in a haze (it was as if I was standing still and everything and everyone around me was screaming and rushing past me...) all of a sudden I saw this woman coming at me with this thing and wanting to scratch my arm with it.  Out of sheer instinct, I pulled my arm away and sternly said 'don't scratch me', looking annoyed... well, I guess this woman did not take it as I don't want you to scratch me with a screwdriver... she took it as "don't touch me because you are Chinese" - She was livid and started screaming.  I had no idea what was going on really, and Leslie was very uncomfortable, so we walked away... at which point we were chased down the aisle and Leslie got what was originally a 450rmb watch for 40rmb while the lady said "this is for you beautiful lady... not for him!" .  I walked away confused and a little confounded.  So, ladies and gentlemen... be careful what you say and do because it can easily be misinterpreted... as, looking back, I can now see how she would have thought that.  

On a positive note, we then went to the tailor's and my suits were SPECTACULAR.  Both Julia and Leslie commented on how nice they looked on me.  They are wool cashmere and lined with pure silk.  The ladies in the store also loved me and gave me free silk ties for the suits and did not charge me the 5% commission for me using my credit card to pay... good times.  Balance was restored in the world.  Then it was back home to nap before the final staff party. 

To be honest, the party was too many people.  It was over 900 and it was so hard to find anyone you were looking for because it was at the Cheng pui gardens which are beautiful, but are comprised of many labyrinthine rooms.  I did have a good time, danced my proverbial pants off - but found it hard to say goodbye to everyone I wanted to.  I did find my hostesses and my boss and we had a good night together.  Following the party, a bunch of us went to Lan Club to continue the celebration.  I was a good boy, however, and made it home by 2:30am (the earliest in the last week!).  The reason was, 10 of us were off to the Great Wall the next morning at 10 and I wanted to enjoy it!  We needed to do as much as possible before it was all over.

David, Leslie and Ethan

Me and Susan... so far away from our days at Sunquest!

Maarten and Audrey

Crystal and Queen get their dance on

The Audi MIP team: Amy, Crystal, me, Queen.

It was an interesting night full of mixed emotions (as all of them seem to be these days) - sadness to be leaving everyone, exhaustion, excitement to get on with my life etc. etc.  I was also really looking forward to tomorrow - and the great wall - I was heading there with some of the best people that I have met while I was here.  It was going to be a great way to end my experience in Beijing...I could just tell.

Crap... everyone hates to split....

It is now just after 1pm here on Thursday in China.  I can't believe in 8.5 hours I will be on a train heading to Xian.  I have said all of my goodbyes, turned in my phone, and have packed and am almost ready for my trip to Tibet.  Let me just finish recapping for you what transpired in the last two nights (feels like a lifetime!)

Following lunch with my local staff, it was home for yet another nap.  When I got up, I went to get my haircut and a massage and I made it back in time to host the final installment of the CCP bowling league.  I was pretty proud of us here at the CCP.  From our humble beginnings of five bowlers and one cheerleader three weeks ago, our last outing had no less than 25+ people attend ( I ran out of fingers and toes so I had to stop counting).  It just goes to show you... everyone loves to kick back, relax and slum it once in a while. Everyone was in fine, fine form.  We were all done work, all stress was off, so we had nothing to do but let loose and throw caution (and bowling balls) to the wind.  Like the game itself, however, several attendees were having a hard time dealing with the dreaded 'split'.  it is so weird how attached you can get to people when you go through hell and back together.   Here are a few pics of how it went down...

Could not even get everyone in the frame...

Miss Jo, our bowling hostess was sad to see us go in the beginning... but these two would have no idea what hit them by the end....

Vivian, Lou and Susan  - Lou and Susan were just happy to be out of the office! 

Eloisa doing a victory dance?  An interpretive dance?  Whatever it was... it worked.

Tim, the good boy scout brings 'byob' to a whole new level

Due to an unfortunate bowling accident - this was Olympic level stuff people - Vivan was down for the count and unable to vie for the title... one hospital visit and one stitch later, however she was as good as gold.

We had ping-pong (excuse me... table tennis) going too...  Paige displays the long known truth - Good Canadians can do anything while drinking a beer.

We started bowling night earlier than usual (10pm) so that we could go out after.  The party then moved to bar street and David, Joey, Paige, Simone and myself headed to Sanlitun and our beloved beer gazing while standing on the street....After a few cold ones, we hit our fave dive bars shooters and butterfly (where 4 redbull vodkas are 40 rmb = 5.5 dollars?), we then moved on to bar blu - too many stairs, not great music that night - but we did meet up with Emma and Rory there - so the bunch of us went back to Shooters then Butterfly... and finally it was off to China Doll where we ran into Scott, Dean, JF, Marie-Eve and Chantel... it was there that we finished off the night and danced till 4am.

Paige and Simone - my good Canadian girls

Simone, Paige, Joey and David in Shooters  Butterfly?  Bar blu?  They all looked the same.

Chantel and Scott showing Canada's got love (I hung with a lot of the Canadians actually).

Upon staggering back to the CCP, I ordered room service (fried rice noodles with beef = no hangover!).  But seeing as the CCP is dorm style and we all roam the halls, I found that Dean, Maarten (not Dean Martin, however) and Audrey were still up and about.  We all met in Maarten's room and chatted into the wee hours.  Another night of no sleep, but what is a boy to do?  I had things to do the next morning - 1. recover, 2. pick up my suits from the tailor and 3. get ready for the final night party....

Is that the fat lady I hear singing????

Wow, I don't even know where to begin to be honest.  As I sit here at my computer, perhaps for the last time at my beloved Chinese People's Prison... I mean Palace, I am filled with many emotions, many mixed... and no, I am not inebriated for a change, nor hungover.  I, for once in China, am content, serene, communing with my iPod,  and enjoying some much needed time alone to reflect, reminisce, and try to figure out what the heck really happened on this crazy ride I was on. Of course there are many parities, much merry making and pure shinanigans going on, but I have made my peace, said my goodbyes and spent time with the people that I needed to.  I find it hard to believe I have been away in China for 39 days already with 3.5 weeks to go. For some reason, I really need to just sit and chat (a one way chat of course) with a non-partisan, English speaking (or reading at least) uninvolved bystander.  I feel compelled to close the chapter on the Olympics and start fresh for the rest of my adventures.  So, to whoever may be reading this, thanks for entertaining my musings and ramblings as I try to piece together my experience here.   

I have decided that the best way to take you through the last three days of my insane life here in Beijing is to do it in a series of posts.  So, my last full post was the day before closing where I was certain that I would not be attending the Ceremony... but, like always in China, wait five minutes and things will change.  And I did, indeed get to attend the Closing.  What an experience.  As I sit here, I can't help but realize how lucky I am... two Olympics and I got to see the opening and closing of both...

I wasn't supposed to see the closing, so I had the morning shift, and took our clients to boxing.  Thank buddha it was boxing - I don't really like boxing, so I stayed on the coach in the parking lot and slept in the bus for an hour and a half, seeing as I had only had an hour sleep the previous night.  I really have to stop coming home at 6am!...who am I kidding?  I'll get enough sleep when I'm dead.  Went to Club Bud again, couldn't get in as it was the last saturday of the Olympics - so went to bar street to enjoy a tsing tao on the street and watch the world pass us by... ended up meeting up with some friends and having a few pops, and next thing we knew it was 5am...Ahh bar blu - a good night.  Ethan, Emily, Jen and myself just sat and chatted and laughed... it was as close to a 'pub night' as I have experienced in this country.  It was much needed... but, as a result, so was my nap during boxing.

Following boxing, it was off to the Audi presentation centre for pre-ceremony dinner and then the group would head to the Closing... it was here that I was supposed to leave my group and Amy was to  take over the night shift.  I was all right with this because at this point we did not have tickets to Lhasa or Xian and I was going to head to the train station as they were going on sale that night at 7pm.  I still can't believe that you can't buy a train ticket until 7pm 4 nights before travel.  Weird.  I was prepping for my mission, and my girls had called and spoken to every train ticket agency in the city and we were formulating a plan of attack.  Then my phone rang.  It was my friend David (one of the people travelling to Tibet with me) and he said he had an extra ticket to closing if I wanted it.  I almost did not take it because I was so stressed about getting to Lhasa and wanted to get the tickets. Thank god he talked sense into me and said that it would work out one way or another, so I took the ticket.  

It was also a plus that I was already at the green.  Flashes of the opening and my marathon of madness to get to the stadium raced through my head... hopefully this time I would not sweat through my clothes!  As I was in my uniform, I left my group, collected the ticket, watched the Ceremony then met the group again to help get them home... my work day ended up being 15 hours... and seeing as I was working on 1 hour of sleep + a nap, I was very proud of myself.  I just fed off the energy that fueled the event.  

My wonderful hostesses 

The best part of attending the ceremony was that we got to see all of our friends who were working.  We had not seen many of them since the madness began!  This is me and Leslie

My manager Amy, myself and Queen at Closing

Leslie and David relaxing in the cool breeze outside before the Ceremony

17,000 people were in Closing - not one performed twice.

the colours captivated

psychedelic symphony

last moments of the flame
Crowd goes wild
Athletes Par-tay
London 2012 baby!
Alas, the flame is extinguished....

This was our cue... game over!

Eloisa and I ran into each other, did our happy dance... WE SURVIVED!!!!

The writing was on the floor of my elevator... final day... we made it!

In pure chinese style, Closing was a phenomenal show.  The manpower was staggering and it was dramatic, stylish and sophisticated.  A great time.  Perhaps it was just the sheer euphoria we all felt, the collective sigh - that made us love the closing.  We had survived what was undoubtedly one of the most challenging and educational jobs of my life!  My hostesses Queen, Crystal and myself got our peeps on the bus and home safe and sound.  We then went to my hotel and I got Queen and Crystal a room to crash in as we had airport departures the next morning at 8am - which meant we had to leave the hotel at 7am... we were in this together until the end!  

Following departures the next morning, the drama and emotions really began.  Our team had agreed to meet at the JW Marriott at 1:30pm to head to lunch (Amy and I were taking our girls out for a thank-you).  I headed back to my hotel tired, and somewhat stressed because David had tried to get us tickets to Xian that morning - but they were all sold out!  They sell out in 30 minutes or less, and seeing as we were at closing we had no chance!  I have a ticket agency in my hotel, so it was my job to try to get tickets straight to Lhasa, Tibet... which were going on sale at 7pm that night... of course.  I went into the ticket office and immediately called Crystal so she could communicate exactly what I wanted to the agent.  Luckily, she had the where with all to ask the agent if there were tickets available to Xian - by some miracle 3 had become available!!!! I told crystal that I wanted them!  We were set!... or so I thought.... I whipped out my credit card, only to be told that they only took cash... crap-tacular, of course.  I did not have enough on me, and my per-diem bank card had run out and I had not activated my new one.  I raced to my room and tried to call to activate it and go on line at the same time just in case I could not get through.  Of course, because I was in a major rush to get the 3 remaining tics, I was put on hold for eternity with Visa and the CPP internet was not working... You all know how calm I am (not)... I was freaking out!  It was an ordeal!  I ran down to the machine and put in my personal visa, but because I never use it in machines at home I had no idea what my pin was to access my money.  I then ran to the front desk and tried to get money out against my room bill - but for some reason, they would not do that... the only HOTEL IN THE WORLD THAT WON'T I am sure!  So after doing my best impersonation of a chicken with my head cut off, I got through to activate my card, got money and got tickets to Xian!  Woot woot!  We head out at 9:24pm tomorrow night.  Only one small hitch.  The govt will not let us buy a tic from Xian to Lhasa in Beijing.  We have to wait to get to Xian to do that... so technically, we still have not made it to tibet... but we are half way there and we will see the warriors!   We are also chasing our permits - they are being posted to our hotel in Xian - I hope they get there! This is China, by some miracle, things always work out at the last possible second.

Following that ordeal, it was off to lunch where the true waterworks began.  Amy and I took our girls to Face - a delicious Chinese Thai restaurant.  The prices are comparable to western city prices... so it was astronomical for the girls and they were afraid to order because everything was so expensive to them.  It was an eye opening and humbling experience for me.  Once we got them to order whatever they wanted, we gave them thank-you gift bags.  The tears began.  It is really hard for them (and us) to say goodbye. They have never experienced anything like this, and it is not like they can travel outside of their country very easily.  We had bonded through intense circumstances and had become a family.  It was tough.... but on the upside...lunch was delicious.

Crystal, Amy, Queen... and john not realizing there was a light fixture right in the shot...

Me and my girls

mmmmmmmm

The girls enjoyed their meals obviously.

Following face, we refused to say goodbye as the staff party was scheduled for the next night.  I headed home for a much needed nap - and to get ready for what would be a perfect night.... a haircut, massage (only $12 for both together....it really is extortion sometimes), then the last meeting of the CPP bowling league (now 30+ members strong... word definitely got out!) followed by a night bar hopping on Sanlitun.  But alas, it is now late - I have to finish packing - and need rest before my big adventure starts tomorrow - I will save it for another post.  No worries though.  My friend Maarten has arranged a 6pm checkout for me, we leave on the 9:30pm train  and I  just have 2 errands to run.... the rest of the time I will blog myself up to date so I can start fresh for Tibet...

Can't wait to get to cooler climbs and fresh air!

yours, yue han.