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The tension is rising... Last night was the last social big gathering  
- the Welcome Reception - a very fun night with dinner and live band  
and DJ and a delightful 'Floating Sky Lantern' ceremony out in the  
grass in front of the starting gate.  The Sky Lantern is made of non- 
flammable rice paper and a bamboo frame -  a little candle is  
positioned in the center, and when the candle is lit it heats up the  
air in the lantern, or balloon, which then floats skyward. It is  
considered good luck to release a sky lantern as they are symbolic of  
problems and worries floating away. It was fun to see each of the  
nations trying (with varying levels of success) to launch their  
lanterns.

Now the riders, crews, vets, chefs are focusing, and mostly READY to  
start. Several little problems are popping up in some of the stable,  
typical of bringing 150 horses from far lands to a new place. Plus  
add the tensions and stress of being at the top, representing your  
country, realizing years of dreams and plans and hard work... the  
gremlins appear.  A few injuries and mishaps:  one horse was hurt  
while it's pastern was being close clipped with scissors, one of the  
Canadian horses has developed anhydrosis - it's sweating mechanism is  
not functioning properly, one horse experienced rhabdomyolysis (tying  
up) to the extent that it will not start, a suspensory strain, a sore  
back, sore feet - shoeing problems... and so on.  It is heart  
breaking to make it this far only to have to withdraw days before the  
event.

John and I drove down to Melang two days ago. We left the beach hotel  
at 4:30 AM in the dark, raining hard, following Penn who was not  
wasting any time on the road - it was a challenge to keep up on the  
narrow dark rainy roads with the occasional stray water buffalo and  
slow/old delivery trucks. But I've semi-mastered the knack of driving  
on the left side of the road, and with John helping navigate... we  
made it!  Tuanku Mizan rode in this local ride, taking his two older  
children on their first 40km endurance ride. It was a small local  
ride, first time at this venue with the vetting area set into an old  
palm plantation - huge old towering palm trees - it was beautiful.  
The track went through the forest, winding hilly trails.  It was also  
very rainy, and I could only take a few photos because of the  
darkness with the rain and the forest. We left early, and Burn drove  
the car home - much less stressful! We stopped at a little local  
restaurant along the coast for a cup of coffee. No English spoken  
here! Mostly older men, probably retired and this is where they spend  
a large part of their days in the company of friends. We had a cup of  
wonderful Terengganu coffee, with a half inch of sweetened cream at  
the bottom of the cup, to stir in as much as desired. The coffee here  
is sugar roasted - which gives it a very black color, but it is  
surprisingly smooth and gentle - no bitterness at all.

Other than that, our days have been a mix of taking photos (riders on  
beach, riders on track, people doing stuff..) and setting up the web  
pages, making galleries, publishing stuff. Very busy, but very  
pleasant. It's been really really hot - and dry - the forecast for  
the race is more of the same. Everyone is getting worried about the  
heat - for the riders sakes as well as the horses. It's much cooler  
at night, but depending on the timing of, or lack of, thunderstorms  
it could be very still and humid and tough riding conditions. This  
will most certainly test the skill and strategy of the riders, and  
the preparedness of the horses. The veterinarians are going to be  
REALLY REALLY strict, and on the lookout for potential problems -  
hopefully to be identified before the horse becomes compromised. It's  
going to be tough.

Tonight we're going to the press reception - at the Primula Beach  
Hotel in Terengganu where the press (except for us!) is staying.  It  
will feel like 'old home' week with a chance to see our press friends  
- Cidinha and Pamela and Alice and Satya and Gilly  - and all the  
other friendly folks that frequent these events.

 - more later-

Steph

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