Not the best of days

Yesterday I wrote about the security procedures that we have to go through in Sochi, so of course, not an hour after I posted that, the security changed a little bit for us.

The TM10 bus, which runs between the Main Media Center and the Gorki Media Center, has been operating out of the “clean zone,” which is the area inside the security perimeters. This allowed us to not have to go through individual security when we got to our destination.

But yesterday we were informed that the TM10 route would go back to being outside the clean zone. It’s probably for the best.

The problem with having the bus in the clean zone (it was moved there on my second day here), is that it has to go through the security screenings each time it gets to either of the media centers. This is not a short process and it was basically delaying the arrivals and departures of the TM10 bus.

The last couple of nights have been a bit of a mess getting back to the coastal area. Both nights I was arriving fairly late (after 11 p.m.) and both nights we were dropped off in the middle of the street before the security gate. Not at a bus stop, not at the sidewalk. In the middle of the street. And last night, our driver got lost trying to get to the Main Media Center and we ended up in a spot where we couldn’t go and he had to try and turn around in a very tight spot. Though on a bright note, we did get to see a new section of Sochi in the process.

Changing subjects a bit, I am sure most people are aware of the problems that many of the journalists found when they reached Sochi and went to their hotel rooms. Numerous people sent me links to these stories and photos prior to me leaving.

Truth be told, I had no such problems. My room had clean sheets, hot water and a door that locked. Pretty much, that’s what I needed.

Well, then I got up this morning. For the first time since I got here there was no hot water for my shower. I am not complaining, since I’ve been to hotels in the United States that didn’t have hot water when I needed it. That kind of stuff happens, I’m just hoping that it is a one-time thing and that when I wake up tomorrow, it will be a thing of the past.

The fun continued with rain at the giant slalom competition, which soaked everything I had with me and now my camera's not working. So things took a turn in the wrong direction today.

Then again, soon enough I’ll be back in my own apartment, sleeping in my own bed with a whole other set of problems to deal with.

Maybe it would just be best to stay right here for a while. Though I would miss my Mountain Dew.