We have a green light and Mission Control has pressed the big red, white and blue button. Afterburners have been ignited and phase one of the move to Rio is under way. Ok, so a bunch of Team clothing arrived after we had left, we do not know how we are going to get some 60 bags from USOC Team Processing in Houston to Rio, we are not entirely sure where our containers are in Rio, and the delivery of Coca Cola product to the Venue in Rio didn't go quite as smoothly as we had hoped. Yes, Coca Cola is a rather important IOC sponsor, but I'm sure we will get it sorted. And as to the clothing sitting back in Gladstone, well that is what you have a Stephen for!
Leah Oliveto (head media honcho), Christy Baxter (master of everything logistical) and myself (gofa and general dogsbody) are on route to Rio via Houston. Houston is where USOC Team Processing is located and where we will immerse ourselves in a building full of glorious Ralph Lauren, Nike, Swatch, and Oakley SWAG! Joining us is Lizzy Chesson who, having conducted a detailed measuring process of the Jumping Team, will be applying her eagle eye to the clothing sizes of the swag being packed for the Jumping Team. Leah will be in charge of sizing checks for the Dressage Team, but that will be an easy task as don't we just all know how relaxed the Dressage fraternity is about the accurate fit of clothing! Her job is not one I would want.
Following Team Processing, Lizzy will head to Hickstead for the final European Div 1 Furusiyya Nations Cup. Leah, Christy, and I jump on the overnight flight to Rio and then "let the fun begin".
Our Jumping and Dressage Teams are in Europe and will fly directly from Europe to Rio, meanwhile our Eventing Team is starting the Muster in Ocala, Florida prior to flying, horse out of Miami and athletes out of Houston, to Rio in just over a week.
I am concerned about the impending Eventing Athlete flight. Recent "form" would give you very short odds on a proverbial cockup: Joanie Morris has perfected the art of selecting delayed flights and baggage handlers who take pleasure in leaving her bags at the point of departure. Philip Dutton and Lauren Kieffer's recent soirée to Aachen involved 1 x cancelled flight and 1 x 10 hour delay. Open the Book, there is money to be made on the Eventing flight.
Part II
24 hours have passed since I penned the first instalment, as seen above, but much has happened during those precious hours. I am now ensconced in the room that will be my home for the next few weeks. There is a background cacophony of noise that I can only describe as "Brazilian canines have most certainly NOT got talent"; I can not connect to the hotel wifi and the mifis that we have rented seem to be missing a Sim Card - 24 hours and it will be name and shame time. Luckily I have a range of 70s and 80s music on my iPad that is containing my frustration and feeding my sangfroid.
Putting aside the frustrations and the burning passion to barbecue anyone linked to not linking me to the internet...the last 24 hours. Let me tell you, a POLICE escort to the airport, how cool is that, departure TEXAS style. The last time I had a Police escort was in London, when I was serving with The King's Troop. Kitting out or Team Processing, to give it the correct recognition was a wonderful experience combined with a great deal of work. Nike, Ralph Lauren, Oakley, Omega, Swatch, and Proctor & Gamble supported by a myriad of extremely useful and interesting stalls outdid themselves in terms of launching Team USA on Mission 2016. For us thou, there was work to be done amongst those corridors as we checked and signed off on some 60 bags of kit for Dressage and Jumping.
Arrival in Rio. Lines a little long at Accreditation Validation but everything worked out: Patricia from Elcotour (aka Patricia the Stripper..and if you think I am being crude, you are a) too young and b) need to wash your mind out with soap -think C de B) met us at the airport. Abridged version - Van to hotel, shower and ablute, lunch in hotel (much room for improvement), head to Olympic Village (looks cool), meet up with USOC (fab welcome), appreciate amount of work they are undertaking to get accommodation ready, trip over discarded toiled seat, admire mass cleaning exercise ongoing, tour village, eat pizza in Dinning Hall, heart palpitations in Village Fitness hall, chase VAPPs, back to hotel, dine on Brazilian BBQ.
And so there we are or here we are. Its been a long journey and yes, there have been huge frustrations and there continues to be massive challenges, but we are here and it is all doable. Assuming we get our horses, feed, supplements, medications and kit through Customs then we are ready to join battle on the Field of Dreams. Bring it on.......