SHANGHAI, China (June 10, 2011) – Today was a great day – Kaleo’s birthday!!!  She’s the big 1-5! We celebrated with cake, candles, and a WIN!  She has done a great job every day and has never stopped surprising me with her humor. Happy Birthday!

The match was a complete uphill battle. The first set we played a lot like yesterday – making small errors, which made it hard to gain momentum (20-25). For the next three sets, it seemed to be fought tooth and nail, all-out war. We would get great passes off our defense, transfer into a great swing, and they would return everything we threw at them. Each set they would be up at the 16-point technical timeout, most of the time making it to 20 before our 17th point. Again, with consistent defense and some great key serves and swings, we won the next three sets, 25-22, 25-23, 25-23. After each set was over, I remember heading to the back line thinking, “Man, I just gave everything I had… we still have another set?” And I guarantee everyone else was in the same boat. Overall, we are coming home 2-1, and I couldn’t be happier with how our team played.

So after our victory, we were taken to a traditional dinner. We must have had every type of food Shanghai had to offer. The meal was at least five courses; they wouldn’t stop bringing out food! We had everything from asparagus kabobs with shrimp and cuddle fish to my personal favorite, bacon wrapped cod. We were very grateful to have the opportunity to have such a wonderful meal provided by our hosts (in such a fancy restaurant too).

On the ride home Brian (Choate) and I were up to no good once again. The other night we bought laser pens that just might be outlawed in the States. Best $6 I think I’ve ever spent. These are not just laser beams; these are tractor beams that shoot for at least a mile. On the bus ride we were pointing them as we drove past people, leaving them dumbfounded.

Tomorrow we have a full day of sightseeing and I’m not sure how we can top today…. But I know we will.

Fun facts of the day:
Goat boy from SNL never gets old.
A turdonkey is probably the best animal noise I’ve ever heard. 
Shanghai is MUCH more humid than Oklahoma.