First few days

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Well I'm freezing cold, but after 24 hours I re-acquired the skills of putting-on and stripping layers, bought some cheap gloves, ear-warmers (negates the need for beanies! can't hear anything!) Nah it's great to be back in Beijing, some things have changed completely, others are the same...

My 18-hour transit in Hong Kong was wonderful - I stayed with an old high-school friend, and it was really great to be around close Aussie friends, while at the same time getting used to the cold (HK was 8 degrees!) and the people everywhere.

But yes, the first few days have been great so far. My first chinese dish I ate was Di-san-xian, my favourite, naturally with cheap Chinese beer; I had my second favourite food on the next night, meat-on-a-stick Yangrouchuanr (these were all completely incidental - i just followed fellow teachers who were eating and it turned out well!)

The most interesting thing so far, and easily the most brag-worthy, was my trip to the Watercube. I caught up with my old roommate Dave, who's been living in Beijing for the last 2.5 years. He mentioned that a friend of his was involved with event organising, and was involved with the latest "Good Luck Beijing" test event - the China Swimming Open at the newly finished Olympic Swimming Centre, the Watercube. I got in for free like a VIP, including our own security check lane, and saw some riveting heats of the 200 IM... The building is amazing, although I think I may have taken the whole "test-event" thing too far, as I managed to injure my right middle finger on one of the plastic chairs - it was bleeding, tho nothing a band-aid couldn't fix. So we tested some of the volunteers' English and got a band-aid.

I've actually taken 4 days to write this blog, as I'm constantly adding to it and trying to finish it, so i'll finish it now. Photos will come soon! I'm cold, i'm eating lots of chinese food and drinking cheap beer.
Until next time,

Wade

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