We are in China getting ready for RoboCup. First matches are tomorrow, though we have Drop-In Challenge games starting today. Everything is going well with the usual RoboCup issues – fields are thin carpet on top of concrete, one side of the field slants away so the ball rolls by itself, the tape they used was coming off, . . .

The trip to China was long and tiring. We arrived in Hefei after more than 30 hours of traveling only to get seriously delayed as RoboCup reps scrambled to find transportation for everyone. We ended up in our hotel well after 2 A.M., about three hours after landing.

The venue is pretty nice and the volunteers are the friendliest people in the world. They are eager to give you free water, or run to the Apple Store to buy you Ethernet-Thunderbolt cables. That part has been great.