Are You Ready For Some Football?
After three months of making arrangements and a few vaccine shots, I am on my way and ready for some football. I will be traveling to China to cover the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007 held in five different cities in the People’s Republic of China.
I started on Thursday, September 6 on a 5 a.m. flight from Dallas to Chicago, where I had time to convert some money and buy a book before jumping on my next flight to Shanghai. It was a 14 hour flight and I spent most of my time sleeping, eating, pondering sudoku, reading (mainly my “Say It Right in Chinese” book) and making frequent walks up and down the aisles with my ipod playing Supergrass, Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams and a little bit of Steely Dan.
I arrived in Shanghai at 2:30 p.m. local time and found it very easy to get around the airport. I leisurely made my way out of customs to pick up my checked luggage. I breathed a quick sigh of relief when my bag arrived. I then found my way to the declarations line, which was only two persons long. Dennis Sabangan, a photographer with the European Pressphoto Agency based in the Philippines was in front of me. I introduced myself but suddenly realized he was having some problems entering with his camera equipment. I breathed another sigh of relief as the declarations agent used my paper work as an example of the forms he needed to enter the country. Fortunately for Dennis, they let him in and I wasn’t far behind as they just needed to double check the serial numbers on all my cameras.
I made my way to the taxi stand and showed them a card I printed at home with a photo of my hotel on one side and the hotel name and address in traditional chinese on the back. Thank you, Google Translate.
I will spend one night here and fly out first thing in the morning to Chengdu, China, where I will cover the U.S. Women’s National Team on their quest for the World Cup.
Mingtian jian! 明天見
See you Tomorrow, Ronald
Please feel free to leave a comment below or you e-mail me at China.Ron@hotmail.com