Archive for September, 2007
on the verge
We’ve been waiting for this moment for … sixteen months. I spent most of those months being pretty adamant that we should plan to arrive in China a week or so before the tournament begins. Seemed awfully daunting, acclimating to a twelve- or thirteen-hour time difference. Now that we’ve been here for a couple of [...]
Published by stacy on September 28th, 2007 tagged Shanghai | 3 Comments »
arriving in shanghai
The flight was fourteen hours and change and completely uneventful. We breezed through customs and immigration at the airport, changed a little money and found our limo and driver. It’s a long drive from the airport to the hotel, 45 minutes or so in very light traffic, until we were about a mile away. Then, [...]
Published by stacy on September 27th, 2007 tagged Shanghai | 2 Comments »
shanghai
All things considered, it was an easy travel day. It’s 7:30a in Chicago, 8:30a on the east coast, 8:30p here in China. Amazing — I’m in China. The most foreign place I could previously have imagined. We had a little misadventure getting to the hotel today, otherwise the trip was long but [...]
Published by stacy on September 27th, 2007 tagged Shanghai, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
countdown to shanghai:1
Cheesy soundtrack. A woman nearing middle age sits drinking coffee in the flickering light of a new-agey scented candle. The label on the bottom of the glass jar reads “Calm to Your Senses,” and she is inclined to agree, two hours before the big trip. Her bags are an optimistic three-quarters full, stacked and ready [...]
Published by stacy on September 26th, 2007 tagged Bridge, Shanghai | Comment now »
countdown to shanghai: 2
Two days until we arrive in Shanghai. I’m packing this morning, some appointments this afternoon, then our last White Sox game tonight, Contreras versus Kansas City. Have embarked upon a short story that should keep me entertained inflight. Taking Amy Hempel’s collected works and a jam-packed iPod, just in case.
Once the action [...]