July 4: Our Beijing Arrival

After fourteen hours of travelling to the other side of the world we finally arrived in Beijing, jet-lagged, stuffed to the brim with plane food and minus three student bags.

Stepping outside the airport we instantly broke into sweat from the heat and humidity. The infamous thick Beijing smog blankets everything in a grey mist, it is apparently as bad for you as smoking 70 cigarettes a day, according to health experts- I’d better cut down then.

Beijing is heaving with traffic all the time, there a over 2 million cars in Beijing, and roads are three/four lanes wide the city, plus a bicycle lane.

We arrived at Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT); a huge campus village in the heart of Beijing, where we moved into our ‘international student hotel’ (halls).

Within an hour of arriving we were ushered to a welcome meeting, which introduced us to our task at the Olympics, which is to ‘flash-quote’ athletes as they finish their competition. We were loaded up with uniforms, sim cards and information packs then taken on a tour of the university campus.

Weather: Hot with heavy rain

July 5

At 8.30am 12 of us piled into taxis and went through Beijing’s rush hour to the Park Plaza hotel for a conference for the 6th Beijing 2008 Olympic cultural festival.

The hotel was a far cry from our student digs, and I was pretty overwhelmed when we walked into the conference, full of blaring theatrical Chinese music and the press photographing all the high profile academics and businessmen and women.

It was a very swish affair; a little more than we expected from our first conference, given that some students turned up in their tracksuits bottoms! From 9-5 (with a lunch break) we endured 24 lectures on Olympic theories and practices in the East, and Olympic Environment Construction and Urban Development.

Earpieces were provided to interpret the speakers, and more information packs to aid our understanding.

I was nominated along with 2 other students to give a television interview with sohu.com and a radio interview with crieasyfm.com. They luckily plucked us from the conference as we were nodding off. The TV crew made us say in cheesy unison at the camera in Chinese: “watch sohu.com!” and we all posed peace signs for a group photo.

I’m not sure why we were invited. UK government advisor, Philip Dodd, even stopped us to ask why we were there! Charming.

Weather: Heavy rain again

July 6

Intense hot sun shining through the window woke me at 7am. At last gorgeous blue skies!

The group was taken to the Official Beijing 2008 Olympics gift shop where five floors of Chinese souvenirs, ranging from jade carved mascots to silk scarves, traditional dress and woven pictures. As overwhelming the opportunity to spend money was, I managed to spend 2 Yean on my subway ticket there.

China has spent over $38 billion regenerating Beijing in preparation for the Olympics. The subway was busy, but then there are 15.2 million living in Beijing.

Our reps (who have quickly turned into friends and an extension of the group) treated us to a slap up traditional Chinese meal. Around two circular tables we were given over 15 dishes, from fungus to bean curd squares.

And from huge meatballs to fish and egg soup, they just kept coming. We tried and tested each plate until we were stuffed to the brim and it was washed down with sweet chrysanthemum tea. Finally two whole ducks were brought to each table (plus head). It was such a lovely gesture and everyone was so excited to sample some genuine Chinese cuisine.

Back at the campus we played football in the hot afternoon sun. The boys got serious and played a match against some Chinese students. (Sheffield Hallam University (3) Vs Beijing University of Chemical Technology (1).

At night we headed to Beijing’s HoHai Lake (drinking) district, where we drank our remaining day’s allowance.

As the Chinese law states that all students must return to their campus halls by 11pm, we returned to our halls (grudgingly).

July 7

Another smoggy hot day in Beijing, another adventure filled day to be had. By now the 24 students have been split into two groups of 12, as managing such a large group proved to be too much hard work.

Our group was left to fend for ourselves, without our reps today, so we treated ourselves to a late start at 12pm.

The Chinese students on BUCT tend to rise early (6-7am) for breakfast and exercise, while us typical British folk skip it for a nice lie-in.

We headed to Beihai park for a casual afternoon, touring temples and gardens around a huge manmade lake. People are singing Chinese opera and running. We brought a football but soon realised no ball games were aloud, let alone no space.

It was a fun packed day and we managed to humour ourselves by dressing up as Chinese Emporers and 3 Empresses. (See picture)

At night we headed to the bar area and defied our 11pm curfew to visit a legendary Beijing nightclub, Babyface.

Outside, the club was covered in neon lights, inside western music and expensive drinks proved for a great night.

Our cunning plan to slip back in at 5am backfired when the next morning we were given a stern warning from the university in China and England and made to sign a contract guaranteeing never to go out after 11pm again, else we would be thrown out of our international student ‘hotel.’

China is obviously very different to England. And despite having great respect for the culture, we are a large group of students, and we didn’t realise that staying out so late drinking was so rebellious. Needless to say we are banned from doing it again.

 

July 9

After a day touring local shops where clothes were cheaper than a cocktail, we went in the evening to see the Chinese acrobatics, which was a fast paced nerve racking show that didn’t disappoint.

Stilt-walkers did back flips and girls freakily twisted their bodies. Frilly dressed females on bikes sped round in circles whist standing on their handlebars, and strong, minimally dressed males balanced six high on each other.

Jazz hands were absolutely everywhere, and for the finale, two parrots and a dove were released in into the crowd. Visually, everything was so exciting, and everyone was left gob-smacked by the performance.

We finished the evening with some Chinese dumplings; a palm-sized dough encasing your choice of meat and veg filling.

Weather: Hot and sticky

July 10

Today we went to Mao’s Maosoleum on Tiananmen Square, where the preserved body of the former dictator lies in a glass box for thousands of tourists to peer at as they walk past.

It was the shortest- lived tourist attraction, and controversy has it that his pickled body may actually be wax, as a replica was made for back up. Everyone was adamant it was a waxwork but unfortunately I had forgotten my glasses, so was unable to see closer!

Weather: Smoggy and hot hot Hot!

July 11

BOCOG (Beijing Organising Committee of the Olympic Games) have laid on a three day tour for us English, two Australian, and five American university volunteers groups to sightsee Beijing.

The police escorted our seven bus convoy through the city traffic to… Beijing’s sewage works. If a little bizarre and humorous for us, the water system was impressive, and workers were obviously proud of their job.

China has ploughed millions into this operation in preparation for the Games.

We were taken on a tour around the site, from solid to clear recycled water (suitable for road cleaning and city park ponds).

Everything has been provided during the tour, including own personal guide, and masses of food and drink at lunch and dinner.

In the afternoon, the fleet of buses travelled north, to Xiang Tang village; a community chosen by BOCOG to represent rural life in China.

It was a bit of a touristy affair as 300 western students piled out to look around the local calligraphy school, temple and elderly residential homes.

Definitely a bizarre day, nothing like I anticipated our first sightseeing day of Beijing, but it was entertaining and informative. We were treated to a traditional Peking duck dinner. A whole two ducks per table, with condiments- duck skin with a sprinkling of sugar is possibly my new favourite thing!

Weather: Smoggy and Humid

July 12

Our tour took us to Badaling, at the Great Wall of China, where the President of Mexico had also decided to visit on the same day.

In the 35 degree heat we waited amongst hundreds of umbrella welding Chinese tourists, until we finally stepped foot onto the wall an hour later.

Trekking the almost vertical slopes, and dodging the umbrellas and picture- posers was hard work, but the views of the wall meandering over the rolling mountains was breathtaking and worth the hike.

Stretching over 4000 miles long, we barely walked one mile along wall, despite dripping sweat having quaking legs at the end!

After another buffet lunch, the 300 strong tour group travelled to the Ming tombs, (where 13 emperors from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) once laid before revolutionaries raided them and burnt the bodies.)

Set in beautiful grounds, the vast, cold underground tombs were the complete opposite, containing nothing more than bright red replica coffins, covered in hundred of Yuan notes, thrown by tourists.

Dinner was served in a restaurant beside the Olympic ‘Birds Nest,’ in front of a show of ‘ethnic dancers,’ who then dragged up embarrassed students to join in, much to the rest of our amusement.

Weather: Hot and Dry

July 13

A gorgeous sunny day in Beijing. We went to the Old Summer Palace, built in the 12th century and set in picturesque gardens. Destroyed by the Brits and French in the second Opium War, its ruins now have tourists crawling all over them to have their photos taken.

Us westerners are always stopped to pose in pictures. My room mate in particular, an attractive blonde with fair skin, is stopped countless times in a day by the Chinese tourists, who liken her to a doll, and ask for their picture to be taken with her. At first she found it funny, now she is considering buying black hair-dye.

We dined like kings and queens in the Summer Palace Hall, where royalty once ate, and then strolled around the ‘Gardens of Brightness and Perfection.’

Another great named place. It gets better.

A corridor runs through the gardens over one mile long, much to our dismay. After walking all day in the stifling heat, we were rewarded. All 24 of us sweaty Brits jumped into a pedalo and sped off around the huge man-made lake.

An evening of Chinese Opera was a unique theatre experience for me of loud, high-pitched singing which left my ears ringing.

Weather: Hot with clear skies

14th-20th Training- Unfortunately I am not aloud to speak about my training or venue at the Olympics.

July 20

Three of us attempted the Subway into the city. Bad move, as today BOCOG enforced the new rule to cut down on the traffic in time for the games. Only number plates ending in an even number are only aloud on the road one day, and those ending in odd numbers are only aloud the next day.

It’s a good idea, and it has worked well on the roads. As a volunteer for the Olympics, I am able to receive free transport around the city. Taxi’s are very cheap, and less than a pound for a journey usually, but taking regular methods of travel is more of a challenge, and free! The underground system is really modern and fast, although I did feel like a sardine on the tube.

Two new lines have been built in time for the games, which connects the airport to the city centre, and another that runs through all the centre stadiums.

We found our way to the Forbidden City, now known as the ‘Palace Museum,’ it was completed in 1420 and was home to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

Surrounded by a moat, and a huge red wall around, 1,000,000 square metres of the largest cluster of ancient buildings in the world hides inside.

Fantastically named gates (ie the Divine Military Genius Gate) lead to temples (ie the Hall of Supreme Harmony) which contain thrones the size of rooms.

There are courtyards within towns, in the city, where you can peer through the windows at the furniture, ornaments and bed spread of the Emperor or his minions.

The most impressive attraction in Beijing, I was overwhelmed by the good condition of buildings and sheer size of the grounds.

And of course tourists were in their thousands roaming everywhere, bundling to take photos of everything, including us, again!

The Forbidden City’s location is the actual centre of Beijing. And at the end, outside is Tiananmen Square (right) ; the world’s largest public square. Which, to look for some is just a huge square with hundreds of tourists posing left, right and centre.

But there is history behind it. Commissioned by Mao Zedong during China’s Cultural Revolution, thousands have gathered for rallies here over the communist era.

And in 1989, army tanks infamously forced pro-democracy demonstrators out of the square, meaning Tiananmen Square has long been centrally iconic to China’s political struggle.

Weather: Hot and Smoggy

 

July 26

The girls took on Silk Street market, which is a market but in a mall made up of six floors with rows and rows of jam-packed stalls selling everything you can imagine.

Each vendor tried in vain to sell their wares to you: “You want t-shirt?” “You want bag Miss?” at a higher price than what it is worth (according to our Chinese friend, Rico).

We haggled till we were blue in the face. One vendor even cried in desperation to reach a sale.

Silk Street was an exhausting experience that’ll probably leave me battered and bruised from all the manhandling from vendors. But I managed to walk away with no less than three new bags!

Weather: Mild

July 27

Having toured most of the major attractions in Beijing, we have only a few left to tick off.

Today we visited the Lama Temple; the most renowned Tibetan Buddhist temples outside of Tibet and still a working lamasery for practicing Buddhists to come pray before the many statues.

The greatest one of them all is the 18 metre tall Maitreya Buddha who stands in his own pavilion, draped in huge lengths of brightly coloured cloth and surrounded by hundreds of flowers.

The Lama Temple is very quiet and calm compared to the other tourist spots, and the burning incense made a refreshing change to smog.

Weather: Hot and muggy.

July 28

Training.

July 29

Work. The venue has media and athletes beginning to arrive so we received an in-depth tour of the course, with regard to our job. The start line in almost 2km away to the finish line and set in gorgeous grounds, surrounded by forest trees and the air was clear enough to see the mountains in the backdrop.

Weather: Clear and cool.

July 30

We set off to find an intriguing market, called the Alien Market, which apparently sells clothes mainly to Russian tourists.

The British males in our volunteer group tend to be always searching for western joints to cure their hangover, and today decided to make a pit-stop at Subway for a foot-long.

Travel around Beijing can be a task when you don’t know exactly where your destination is and using a taxi with the help of a guide book is often the fastest way of getting about. But Beijing is our home for three months and that could get a little pricey!

So we took the underground and, two changes later, surfaced in the heart of the central stadiums. Which was the easy enough.

But unfortunately two hours later the boys’ bad orienteering skills had still not navigated us to Subway. Convinced it would just be round the corner (and bearing in mind that Beijing is the size of Belgium at 16,800 sq km,) their male sense of direction with help of street maps and a guide book still guided us round an entirely different district!

Needless to say, we gave up and got a taxi to Subway and never made it to the Alien Market.

Weather: Mild but smoggy

July 31

Today we enjoyed the 35degree heat and walked 2km alongside the racecourse to view the start line at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.

The city centre venues are very busy and close together, which makes for a great atmosphere. But I feel lucky to be working so far out, as it makes a refreshing change to being in the city.

Only eight days to go!

Weather: Hot!

August 1

The song goes that there are nine million bicycles in Beijing, so we decided to join in and rent out a bike.

Luckily Beijing is as flat as a pancake and the roads are quite straight and orderly, so it’s simple enough to do. Although there are streams of cars on the roads, a separate bike lane runs alongside, which makes it much safer, but at junctions and cross roads you just have to go for it - close your eyes and pedal for dear life!

Soon though we found ourselves on a motorway, (still in the bicycle lane,) had the three of us a little nervous, as buses, taxis, and cars started using the cycle lane also. Luckily we found a slip road and turned off. A hair- raising experience but we returned unscathed, still though with very sore backsides!

Weather: Clear and hot.

August 2

Beijing is now buzzing with anticipation and preparation for the games. a highly entertaining and energetic lady-boy front man, who sings, dances, pouts and fans himself while dancing around the table.

A volunteer from my university, Sheffield Hallam, won a ticket to the Practice Opening Ceremony, at the Bird’s Nest. She said it was the best night of entertainment she’d ever seen!

Our night of entertainment was a little different. We ate at a famous Thai restaurant-chain, called Banana Leaf, which is decorated like an indoor jungle with random footballs, tennis rackets and shuttlecocks hanging from branches.

A moving ten-piece band travelled around the restaurant from table to table with

Each table is dragged up one by one and made to dance to a special song. Ours was Madonna’s Crazy for You. At this stage the whole restaurant was staring, so we had to go for it. The dancers twirled us round then we all did the Can-Can, and before we knew it they’d moved on to the next table!

Dining there was more than an eating experience- it was so entertaining and fun! But I’m not sure if the boys would say the same. There were a lot of red faces on their part!

Weather: Fair

August 8

Tonight the Olympics begins! In the morning we took a bike ride round the Chaoyang District to discover Beijing was surprisingly calm considering, but noticed a lot more western tourists who have arrived in time for the games.

The city is preparing for everyone’s viewing of the Opening Ceremony and huge TV screens have popped up everywhere.

Our plans were to go to the Bird’s Nest and join in the crowds outside, until we heard that actually 1 million were expected.

So instead we followed word of mouth to a park near to the Lama Temple, where hundreds of spectators had already descended.

It was all very atmospheric in the park as we followed a winding path lit by lanterns into a big clearing where people sat on the grass to watch three big screens.

Mostly Chinese families had come to watch their country open the games, but there were also revellers from all around the world, including myself and the 24 other British representatives who had decked ourselves out with Beijing Olympic flags in our hands and Union Jacks painted on, all ready for eight minutes past eight.

Despite not being at the National Stadium, the crowd went wild as the Opening Ceremony began, and after that watched in absolute awe at the performance laid on by the Chinese.

The ceremony, although continued for four hours, gave a great show and captured the rich culture of China and the country’s enthusiasm for being host.

And when the athletes paraded their national flag, the respective natives in the park crowd stood up to cheer their country. Everybody was buzzing with so much energy and excitement.

Of course we waited in anticipation for Team GB, and gave the biggest cheer of all (besides China,) when they finally emerged, feeling patriotic and optimistic towards our team.

Returning home shortly, no people or cars were about, yet Chinese people sat with their televisions and radios on to follow the Opening Ceremony, and televisions all along the subway broadcast the event. Back at the halls CCTV (China's equivelant to BBC,) aired it live on no less than five channels.

Luckily the Opening ceremony didn't disappoint, and we all went to bed eager for our first day working at the Olympics!

Weather: Hot and humid

August 9

Today the games commenced and the heats started to decide the teams for the quarter finals.

Broadcasters, spectators, volunteers and athletes buzzed around the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park in the sticky humidity. It's great to finally see the venue open!

Rowing champion Sir Steve Redgrave is presenting for BBC throughout the Regatta, and his name seems to be on everyone’s lips, knowing that such a legend is in the grounds. Today I was stood just feet away from him. But as much as I'd like to tap him on the shoulder for a photo, we have to remain professional at all times.

My job is much more formal now the games have started, and I interview athletes from a designated area for athletes and media, called the ‘Mixed Zone.’ 25 races took place in the first days of heats, and putting faces to names, and talking to such great international athletes made for a busy day.

Everything went smoothly, except for a generator overheating and smoke engulfing the spectators. Luckily I was on the other side of the race course!

The day was finished with a journey home stood like sardines on a bus. It drove past the Bird's Nest, and above it the massive Olympic flame was burning in the sky, and will continue until the Closing medal Ceremony on the last day..

Weather: Hot and sticky

August 10

Day two of the heats for rowing, and for much of the other Olympics sports. The weather here in Beijing is long overdue some rain, which is we got today.

The heats began early afternoon, but the air by then was so heavy, everybody was predicting a big storm. Thunder claps were soon heard and then the heavens opened, which is fine if your sport is indoors, but when lightening threatened to be less than 10 km away, and races were called off for safety reasons.

As soon as word gor round that races had been postponed, broadcasters packed up, ponchos came out and the crowds cleared the stands in a flash.

It seems although China has fully prepared itself for the games, even they cannot control the weather.

Weather: Hot and raining

12/8/08 – Rowing is into full swing now, and the semifinals and repechages see a race start every ten minutes.

My job as a flash-quote reporter is to interview the winners on their race and then submit their quotes onto an online media database for international journalists at the Olympics to use.

But losers of the race and some high profile teams often avoid the media Mixed Zone and row straight past, and those that do get out of their boats are quickly collared by their home broadcast unit which makes my jobe harder than it sounds.

The BBC’s John Inverdale and Steve Redgrave are both here, in a rented broadcast unit. Watching them in action, interviewing various athletes for Great Britain is pretty exciting. be we stand further down the line amongst the print journos and battle for space in a sort of cattle pen.

There is no glamour here, just a lot of tired legs and sweating. But it is very rewarding getting to see all the races cross the line, and your country going through to the finals!

13/8/05 - The games are well under way now, and it seems China is already getting to work cleaning up most of the gold medals, although Michael Phelps (swimming) is going for a record breaking eight gold medals.

Our daily travel to the venue is now two packed subways into the city and then standing back to back with spectators in the aisle of a bus for one hour.

Locals squeeze onto seats together, pass babies around, and today I witnessed two men chewing on pigeon heads for lunch! All the while, athletes in their luxury coaches speed past us in their special Olympic ‘fast’ lane.....

14/8/08 – More heavy rain and thunder delayed many of the outdoor events today.

We sat in the press stand looking out over the empty water and watching the spectators getting soaked. The lightening was well within the 10km limit, and todays races were called off until tomorrow.

After that chaos erupted as thousands of multicoloured poncho-clad people raced for the exit and crowded around bus door trying to squeeze on. Eventually, after one hour in purple plastic we made it onto a bus, standing of course.

15/8/08 – On the regatta’s supposed only day off, everybody returned to the venue for yesterday’s cancelled races. The weather in contrast, was roasting hot.

The B, C, D and E rowing Finals kicked off in the afternoon to determine the competitors world ranking. As these races are considered not particularly quote- worthy, we sat in the press tribune to watch and bet on the best of the worst.

Team GB did well and have qualified in the semifinals for most of the A Final races tomorrow.

Word of a nearby road crash involving an athlete’s coach quickly spread. Four locals were severely injured and relatives of an Australian rower witnessed the scene.

I attended an unofficial press interview, where China’s road safety was questioned, not surprisingly the Main Press Centre decided not to release the story and ruined my chance to get on our office wall of fame. Never mind.

16/8/08 – The finals (for rowing)! And Team GB scooped a gold! The Union Jack and all its colours were out round the venue as Brits turnes up in force to them cheer on. Rowing as a traditional sport for our country, is expected to do well, and it definitely makes being here more exciting knowing that we could actually win over the ruthless medal winners, China and USA.

To watch the Chinese volunteers when their team loses is quite funny. They show their disappointment and tut and curse (sore losers.)

It was an eventful day, with favourites to win and reigning single scull champions, Mahe Drysdale (NZL,) and Ekatarina Karsten (BLR,) only taking Bronze.
Drysdale, a slightly older rower, had to be pulled out from his boat by first-aiders, and silver medallist Ondrej Synek (NOR) sat down halfway along the Mixed Zone red carpet, totally exhausted.

And to top off the day, two excitable Dutch dived into the water and swam over to their winner’s boat. Photographers went crazy for it all and it was a media scrum in the Mixed Zone as journalists bundled to interview their athlete. A very exciting day at work!

In the evening we had tickets to the Athletics 100 metre Men’s Final held at the National Stadium (aka the Bird’s Nest.) It is an experience everybody wants here, to be inside the most iconic building of the Beijing Olympics.

Tickets for events at the Bird’s Nest reach I’ve been told can reach 3000 Yuan (about £250), so i'm grateful to have been given ours for free!

The building up close is so grand and even more spectacular than on TV, and it takes aan age to walk up to it along designated paths and through security.

The curved metal exterior becomes huge pillars up close that you walk between to get to the stands. Walking into out onto the stands, it was so surreal being in there with thousands of other people that looked like dots.

It was my first time in a sports stadium also, and the crowd was crazy! Everyone was doing Mexican waves, cheerleaders and mascots were bouncing around, people were decorated in their team colours, waving flags, and banging thunder sticks, blowing whistles and cheering.

A variety of track and field events took place in the centre. Unfortunately Great Britain only competed in a few events and didn’t win any medals, but what topped the night was witnessing a new world record for the Men’s 100 metres!

Everbody spilled out after on big high, and in contrast to such a great evening, everybody got separated in the crowds outside, and it took almost two hours to get a taxi home!

17/8/08 – Today sadly was the last day of rowing, but a fantastic result for Team GB with another gold medal won by Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter. The crowd was full of British support once again, and the Union Jack flag was everywhere.

When GB win a medal, I managed to sneak off to the BBC pen to watch Redgrave interview the winners for BBC- the athletes are buzzing with adrenalin and so chuffed to have a medal. It's great to watch!

18/8/08 – Flatwater canoeing/kayaking has taken over rowing at Shunyi now.

Great Britain did well in the Rowing events and is third in the medal table now, but Eastern European countries seem to be dominant in this event.

The star of the Olympics is seems to definitely be Michael Phelps, (USA) for his eight gold medals. He would be sixth on the medal table if he were his own country!

 

LATEST

22/8/08 - British politicians have arrived in Beijing to witness our greatest Olympic achievement in years, and to no doubt size up the standard for the London 2012 Games.

Gordon Brown has finally decided to join the rest of the world leaders here in Beijing, in time for the Closing Ceremony, and he graced our venue today at Shunyi!

A press conference with him was organised briefly, then quickly turned into dust.
Being the only Eurpoean volunteers to work at the Olympics, not even us Brits were privileged enough to get a glance at him though, let alone interview him, as he was quickly whisked in and out of the VIP stand, flanked by top security.

But a work colleague did comment on standing next to one of the "Men in Black,' looking" protection crew at the urinals...which didn't exactly confirm whether the Prime Minister was there or not...

The Austalian volunteers here emailed their visiting PM an invitation for dinner, and are apparently meeting their Sports Minister when they return from the games, but I'm not sure if we'll have as much luck...

The King of Norway, when he came to watch rowing, was casually strolling around the park with two security with no fuss.

Even if the mysterious Gordon was there today, he would have seen Tim Brabants scoop Gold as our country's only athlete to compete in today's Kayaking, raising Great Britain's gold tally to 18!