New Pool, Crazy Ideas

Since we were last at HIT they have had the wisdom to build an lovely eight lane 50 metre swimming pool. There are actually two pools. The pools are built over each other and both are above the ground. One pool is located on the fourth floor and the other on the second floor. Changerooms are located on the third and the first floors. No elevator so you must walk up three flights of stairs to the changerooms and then up another flight to the pool deck. The other pool is for ????? At first I assumed it was for the HIT swim team to train but they seem to use our pool. The door is always locked so I have not been able to confirm that a second pool even exists but I have been assured it does. Interesting construction technique as it would have been significantly cheaper to build them both on the ground with the pools below grade as the structural requirements to support not one but two pools has got to be huge. I would love to talk to the architect. But that's just the facility guy in me coming out. But it it a nice addition and I have been taking advantage of it. There is no chloriney smell around the building, so I am not sure what disinfectant process they are using for the water but sometimes it is better if you don't know.

Our 60th birthdays are fast approaching and Nonie and I are both looking at ways to mark the occasions. Nonie is still pondering what hers will be but I would like to announce that I am going to take a stab at Ironman Canada in 2012. I have sucked one niece as well as one of our colleagues here at HIT to join me in my quest/stupidity. This precipitous announcement will make it more difficult for me to weenie out of training for the next 20 months and it would be a shame not to put the new pool to good use.

Are trip plans are gelling for our return to the west (flying east) on the winter break. More on the trip at a later date. The trip will involve traveling around the world once more, this time in only 48 days. We will depart Harbin on January 4th, 2011 and arriving back in Harbin on February 18th,2011 travelling east the whole way. This will be the second time we have circumnavigated the world. We traveled west the last time and felt a change was in order. Don't want to get into a rut. Stay tuned.