Not My Best Day in Beijing

Glad to see that you are still following the blog. Unfortunately, I don't have any news worth sharing about yesterday. From the lyrics of Lauren Hill's song, "Lost Ones," I just lost one day from my trip to Beijing.

Don't feel compelled to read about the rest of my day. It is filled with me moaning and groining about how my day didn't go as expected, but how it ended up working out in the end. However, when I put things into perspective, my day was still spectacular. Things could be worse. Also, if you are a part of the group and are reading this blog, don't feel bad. Nothing personal. Writing about the experience is a way for me to relieve stress.

Sorry about not having any pictures from the day, but I may be able to get you some shortly.

Recollection of the Day
6AM
The Holland House wore me out. I ended up going to bed after 6AM in the morning.

1PM
Woke up from a deep sleep and prepared for the final day of Olympic Games.

2PM
Decided to watch the basketball finals from the lounge in the hotel . Felt like American food was in order and decided to order a pizza from Pizza Hut . Pizza and Basketball go together like Love and Forever right ?! This way, I can relax, and after the game I can go shopping in one of the fabric districts before a group dinner at 7:30PM.

3PM
Watching the game. Waiting for the pizza to arrive.


4PM
Still watching the game and still waiting for the pizza to arrive. Though about calling Pizza Hut!

5PM
No longer watching the game, yet still waiting for the pizza to arrive. Decided to call Pizza Hut. Doesn't look like I am going to go shopping before dinner anymore.

6PM
By now, I am a little frustrated. I don't even want the pizza anymore because dinner is at 7:30, but I am still hungry. If I eat now, my dinner will be spoiled.

7PM
No longer hungry because the pizza arrived at 6:30, but I am looking forward to a nice sit down dinner with the travel group. We are supposed to eat at a nice restaurant and watch the closing ceremony (boy was I wrong about the closing ceremony).


8PM
At a nice Chinese dinner, but no TV in sight. I am a little anxious to leave, but we are enjoying each other's company. I am comforted by the fact that we are in the area where the fireworks are going to be on display.

9PM
For the first time on this trip, I become disappointed in the planners. I am upset because we missed watching the closing ceremony on TV and we are missing the the fireworks even though we are in the district where the fireworks are being displayed (long story).

Our group is in complete disarray. No one knows where we are going, or what is going on. The streets are crowded. Bars are crowed. I can't speak the language, therefore, I am dependent upon the group for direction and safety.

I am getting the feeling that my day was wrecked right from the beginning. So now, I plot on how I can get away from the group and actually get to a place where I can relax and have some fun.

10 PM

After deciding to remain with the group, I completely missed the fireworks show! Picture that !!! I am in Beijing during the Olympics and I missed everything associated with the closing ceremony! I didn't even get a chance to watch the closing events on television.

Now, I am ready to part from the group. I don't know the language, but I am so frustrated, that I feel that I don't need the group. My day couldn't get any worse, so why not venture off on my own!!!!!

I decide to leave and catch a cab. My friend Amy decided to roll with me too. I don't know the language, but the partying is universal. I don't need the language to find my way, all I need is a few primitive gestures and we are off.

11 PM
Finally feeling good about my decision to leave the group. Why didn't I do this earlier? We are at a local bar called "Angel" where a lot of locals hang out. Pretty cool place. Although I am having a great time, I am trying to find my exit.

Also, the locals are loving my gear! I bought a nice piece of Chinese clothing at a "very special price" and I decided to wear it out. Everyone keeps gesturing at me in the club with signs of approval.

Midnight
In the line at Club China Doll. This is the place where several of the Olympic Athletes hang out at night ( check out this article about the Olympic Athletes ). Amy and I have heard great things about this club, so we decided to go here.

1AM
Still happy about my decision to leave the group. Glad that Amy rolled along as well. I learned a lot about her career interests and passion for investing. We had a great conversation. Interesting how you spend an entire year at school with someone, and don't get a chance to really know them. However, when you spend 20 minutes seriously focused on learning more about the person's interests and ideas about life, you feel moved and like you are fortunate to have them as a friend.


2AM
We decided to leave China Doll and check out Angel once again. We are looking for a few of our classmates, but none of them are there. Amy gets in the cab to head home. I decided to walk around the club scene for a little while longer.

I don't come to China often, and it is too early for me to go home.

3AM
I see a few of our classmates on the street. We decide to go back to China Doll. This was a great call. We ended up dancing the night away and having a ball. Everyone in the group was wondering where I jetted off to from earlier in the night.

4AM
Still in the club.


5AM
Still in the club, but walking out the door!


6AM
Sleep, but I am suppose to wake up at 8AM. We have a bike riding tour of Beijing that starts at 9AM.

7AM
Still sleep.

8AM
Still sleeping.

9AM
Still sleeping. Missed the tour.


10AM
Still sleeping. Dreaming !!!

11AM
Still sleeping. No way we can find the group no even if we decided to meet up with the group.


Noon
Wiping the sleep out of my eyes! Looking for a clock and trying to figure out the time. Feeling robbed from the day before, I am determined to make the best of a botched day. Alec and I put a game plan together in order to salvage the day.

The game plan is to check out 2 major attractions in Beijing before 3PM. Wait for the next blog entry to determine whether we salvage the day. I think we do, but I'll leave it for you to decide.