Takin' a Break

Update from Joe in Chengdu:
Well, things are still moving slow here in Chengdu. The government just released their latest figures so here they are:

- Deaths @ 60,560
- Missing @ 26,221
- Destroyed Homes @ 15 million

I’m still amazed that this event took place just 50 miles away. Many residents continue to sleep outside due to fears of aftershocks. I haven’t felt one for quite a while. However, seismic reports indicate we are still getting ~ 2 per day in the range of 4.5 to 4.8 magnitude.

All is not bad in China. I had an opportunity to play my first round of golf at the Luxehills Country Club. This is the neighborhood Kim & I hope to find our China home for the next 2-3 years. What an experience, the club house & course was unbelievable! Since I’m not currently a resident it was costly. The green fees, cart, clubs, & shoes rental cost me $215 plus the glove, tees, and a dozen balls set me back another $70. So in total I spent ~$285 for a round of golf! Let me tell you it was well worth the experience. Did I mention that the cost included my own personal caddy! She was great & cute. She would call out the distance prior to every shot and after the 1st hole she was handing me the correct club to hit. On the greens, she marks the ball, cleans it, and then proceeds to place the ball back in a position where the label points in the direction of where I should hit my putt! She reads the green for you. I think I’m going to get spoiled here in China, what service!

The course was challenging; voted the best-designed course in China for 2007. Luxehills will be hosting the China Cup Golf Tournament in a couple of weeks. With that said, I didn’t shoot well, the clubs were shorter, shafts soft, and shoes were tight. Well, I’m not going to tell you my score, but you’ve heard my excuses.

By the way, on the front nine, I caught up with two gentlemen that live in Luxehills and work for Intel in China. One has been there for 3 years and the other just 10 months. Now that I have made two new friends that play golf, my weekends will be great!

In closing, continue your prayers for the victims and their families here in the Sichuan province.