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.