Beijing day 1, last day of the Olympics

24 August 2008. Beijing, China

I landed in Beijing International Airport at local time 0410 Sunday. After a long wait, I finally got my bags and headed directly to Xiaoming's mother's apartment to pick up his camping gear.

I arrived at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) at approximately 0630; the first of our two field vehicles was packed up and ready to go. We loaded some of the last gear and tools and sent off the first car a few hours ago.

Tomorrow, my odd-numbered vehicle will start for Lanzhou; the reason for splitting the departure times of the vehicles is because of the traffic curfew imposed by Beijing officials during the Olympic Games.

After bringing my luggage into the building, I was ushered by a group of graduate students and professors to watch the men's marathon runners just south of the IVPP. Lots of excitement among the local folks, and even the elders brave the scorching sun to catch a glimpse of atheletic excellence the world has brought to Beijing.

Our field laptop is off with the first car; thus I will probably begin reporting wirelessly in three days.

Jack