Finally Set for the Games

There's 48 more days to the Olympics and now I'm finally set to watch them.

Over a week ago people were allowed to pick up second- and third-round tickets. For some reason they were no big deal, and they were just printed off like any other important concert event, but complete with a bar code.

I had to show my passport which they photocopied, to make sure I was the person who had bought the tickets.

In the process I had to write a generic statement on a piece of paper stating that I had received the tickets. I don't understand why they didn't already have this statement printed out in Chinese and English for people to sign.

And then late last week I got a phone call telling me I had a week to pick up my first-round tickets I had requested in late December.

So I thought since the process was so straight-forward I assumed I'd get them very quickly.

Instead late this morning I encountered a lineup at the Bank of China branch near my place.

Finally when it was my turn, the woman at the window took my letter and passport, checked them on the computer, wrote down some code number and then picked up a red envelope.

She told me to open it up and make sure they were my tickets. The only way I could tell they were my tickets was the date and event. How was I supposed to know where I was sitting? And it didn't have my name on them.

These tickets were totally different from the third-round tickets I got earlier. These track and field events ones were of stiffer card and had embossed pictographs of the different events, as well as a hologram on the right bottom corner.

Again I had to sign a statement that I'd received the tickets (this time no need to write it out) and then finally I was on my way.

Were the tickets different because of printing costs? Or first-round tickets are more coveted?

I'm not sure, but what I do know is that I'm ready to see world-class athletes compete in Beijing.