My first real post.

I hope you’re going to like hearing about my preparations and trip to see the Beijing Olympics. I’m new at blogging so please bear with me!  Any feedback is welcome.

I’m also planning to show you photos and hopefully videos if I can make time to pick up a video camera before I jump on the plane. So much to do!  I work for GE in New York and I’m stacking up the hours to finish a project before I go. Isn’t that always the way? We work extra hard to be able to go on vacation, and when we get back we have to put in all kinds of extra work just to catch up. And don’t even remind me about e-mails! A week after you’re back the vacation seems like a distant memory – but at least you’ve got pictures and maybe a tan to show for it. Until then, I’m nose down and tail up at the office and I’ve got a list of things to do at home as long as your arm. 

 

Hey, does anyone know what electric voltage they use in China?  (You’d think I’d know that kind of thing, but no – wrong union.) I’ve been told two different things – American voltage with a three pronged plug and 220 volts with two round pronged plugs.  Let me know, otherwise I’ve gotta take both!

 

The weather’s supposed to be hot and sunny in Beijing in August. A lot has been written about the smog. I’m hoping for the athletes’ sake (and mine) that the Chinese Olympic Committee is right when they say that it will be cleaned up in time for the games. I understand that there are over 3 million cars in the city of Beijing and that 1200 more a day are being licensed. Even if they to take half of them off the road like they say, that’s a lot of cars!  Maybe they’re all small.

 

To all my Facebook Friends, sorry to have been a bit slack in keeping up, but I was out in California to see my mom and her husband and then my dad and his wife for a few days (you know this ‘blended family’ thing) so I was out of touch. It sure was great to be back on the west coast, though.

 

I had some time in airports and things to start reading up on China. It’s an amazing place! There are lots of ancient sites to see like the Great Wall, the SummerPalace, Forbidden City and the terracotta soldiers. Then there’s all of the new Olympic building with the innovative architecture as well. I don’t know if I’ll fit all that in because my visa only lets me stay for 15 days.

 

I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like getting around there. Over 1.5 million people are expected to see the games. They’re not all there at the same time, of course. Since you can only get limited tickets most people will only be at the games site for a few days at a time. Can you imagine what the airport will be like? It’ll be like Thanksgiving for a month. And then there’s all the athletes and support teams from 192 countries (I’ve also read 205 but who will notice the difference?), the 15+ million Beijing-ers who’ll be around, 17,000 volunteers and 25,000+ media. It’s gonna be incredible!

 

The pile of stuff I’m planning to take is getting really big so the next job is to start taking out what I don’t absolutely need. Wish me luck getting it all into my suitcase and carry-on bag. Packing to go trekking in South America was easier because I all I could take was what I could carry.

 

I needed something to read on the plane and by coincidence picked up an advanced reading copy of a new novel when I was in LA about the Beijing Olympics and the South Pacific called Two If By Sea. It’s by an author called Patrick Paradise. It looks interesting. I’ll give you a book review as well if I get finished in time.