Let the Games Begin

Suit and tie time as I head for the Opening Ceremony. The usual welcome speeches from diplomats and bridge administrators combined with a pop singer and some lovely Balinese dancers.

Back to the hotel and some hellos to the Brogeland family sitting and....playing cards in the lobby bar.

Next morning up bright and early, breakfast with some friends and I head to the venue. I am scheduled to work the 14:30 and 17:10 sessions but also, with nothing else to do I help out in the 11:00 opening session of the tournament.

The commentary is relatively easy and everybody on the panel is fun to work with - Barry Rigal, Ishmael Del'Monte and PO Sundelin - all better players than me but I can hold my own in commentary with them.

The commentary is in a theatre with five very large screens where you can follow just the hand being played and commentated on OR the results from every one of the 66 tables in play (22 in open, women's and seniors)

Australian Open start disastrously and after three matches have New Zealand to thank for making them look slightly better than they are - 20th/22

Australian Women are doing well running 6th/22 while the stars after three of the 21 qualifying matches are the Seniors running 2nd/22

Anyway a smooth day "at the office" where I catch up with the many many people I know at these events from the Organisers, Directors, Administrators and Players. It's one of the reasons I love working at these events so much.

Dinner with the Buchens and the Haughie's in the lovely outdoor Asian Buffet by the beach on one side and the pool on another. Between one thing and the next its midnight till I get to sleep.

Next morning the phone rings announcing that the alarm has gone off at home so luckily I can log in and sort it out. Tradesmen have set it off in the courtyard. With modern technology I can bypass the outdoor alarms and just have the indoors alarm on.

I have to be at the venue early as there is a meeting of the Executive of the International Bridge Press Association of which yours truly is an Executive Member. There isn't too much involved as there are only 300 members but its kinda fun being in the thick of things like this.

Meeting finished and I commentate on my only match of the day. They have a pretty good $A15 lunch buffet at the venue after which I take a 3KM walk through the shops - OK I'll call them that but more like a rows of holes in the wall and head back to the hotel. Who thought this would be a good name for a menswear and accessory shop.....

I walk around the gardens and relax watching some of the bridge live online.

I arrange for dinner with the Buchens and Brogelands and find a nearby beach restaurant. A car comes and picks us up and we arrive to a beautiful setting on the beach only to be seated and have.....rain arrive. Anyway they rush all the tables and chairs inside and we have a really nice meal mainly Indonesian dishes.

Back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.

Australia after 6 of 21 round qualifying: Open 14/22 Women 6/22 and Seniors 2/22

Hope all are well
XD