One More Week
I think all of the riders are here now, and almost all of the grooms, crew, support staff, etc. The energy is getting higher all the time. Everyone is eating lunches and dinners together now in the gigantic marquis tent. And it is a very elegant affair! Several stations throughout the tent with different wonderful foods - main courses, salads, breads and cheeses, deserts, drinks (no alcohol though in this muslim country), pastas, sushi and all sorts of wonderfully prepared and delightfully served foods. There is music playing in the background (jazz, easy listening, world music) - and a few pavilion type lounge areas off to the side. It's really amazing and there is plenty of room for everyone, yet it seems filled with conversation and good energy. Those nations that host World Championships in the future are going to have a very hard time matching this one for class!
..and really, it's just an awesome act all around - the venue is magnificent, the track is just about perfect - firm sandy track in most places, a little bit of dirt road through the palm plantations, a bit of trail along the villages, and one little hill - the technical challenge - or 'spot of bother' as Zulu calls it - a fun little twisty dirt track that winds up and around one of the hills above the quarry. I think if this were a daytime ride they would have thrown in more challenges, but for safety's sake, the open tracks are better in the dark of night. And the organization is by far the best I've ever seen. Kudos. And of course there are the special things that make each WEC unique. The nightly soccer matches (Malaysia vs. The Rest Of The World) in the grass field in front of the arrival gates. 
The parties on the beach (the South Americans are all staying at the same beach resort, and I hear that they are making the best of their situation!). The shopping in town for batiks and things oriental and Malay. The days spent together at the barns, sharing resources, swapping stories, helping each other. These big events are pretty amazing and I do believe they go a long way towards bringing us, the world, together - different cultures, different religions, different people - same sport, same competitive spirit tempered with the reality that it is kuda - the horse - that is doing it all for us.
Yesterday the State of Terengganu hosted a 'High Tea'. A nice late afternoon ceremony (though there was no tea) which is probably derived from early days of British colonial rule, where Tea was a daily ritual. At any rate it was a nice ceremonial celebration of the WEC, and tribute to the participants. The timing was such that one of the flights from Kuala Lumpur was just landing in Terengganu, with several riders and WEC folks on board, and they would be met at the airport gala style, then whisked off to the High Tea ceremony. After hours of International travel, many of the people just getting off the plane were a little weary, and surprised by the 'big deal' reception, but still game. The Terengganu motorcycle club 'Kelab' did an escort of the bus carrying the group to the newly constructed Sports Stadium, where the reception was being held. Bikers carrying the flags for each country. Pretty cool! 
There were speeches by the various state officials, and some tasty local food, and shows from the local dancers - dressed in native costume, dancing the 'stories' of Malaysia and Terengganu. Nice.
So - that's about it for updates. I'm going to try to get some photos of the USA team tomorrow. All the riders are here now, Valerie arrived this morning - and they're going to do a final workout tomorrow, and then start tapering down on the exersize until the ride. And John arrives tomorrow, it will be nice to have him here, and we'll start getting prepared for the technical aspects of the event coverage. ESPN will be covering the first 2 hours (daylight) of the ride - live broadcast - this is a first for a WEC... a big deal. And the riders and horses will have gps tracking, provided by the Spanish folks (I met them at Al Andalus) - I'll get more detail on them tomorrow when I'm back on the 'net.
All's well-
-later
Steph
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