China Trip Blog Day 4: Sightseeing at the World Expo

Day 4: Nebraska takes on China
After three days of training and matches, the Huskers enjoyed a day without volleyball today. 

Shanghai is a Darwinian world of cars and horns.  Pedestrians and mopeds are inconveniences; cars have priority, even in crosswalks.  The Husker bus navigated its way through rainy streets to the massive Shanghai World Expo.  Our guide told us that 20 years ago there was one bridge that spanned this wide river snaking through Shanghai.  Now there are eight bridges and ten tunnels, and more are being built.  This country is in a hurry: you can order a tailored suit here at 9 p.m. and it will be ready for you at 9 a.m. the next morning.

The World Expo is an every five-year event filled with pavilions from many countries, a traveling Epcot Center.  This Expo is an architectural contest among nations - take a look at some of the photos within the photo gallery.

Countless Expo visitors asked the Huskers to join them in photos. Tara Mueller, Kayla Banwarth, and Sydney Anderson could not get out of the Cuba Pavilion because of the long line of people wanting photos.  Allison McNeal's red hair and 6'3" frame may have been the reasons she was mobbed for much of the hours we spent at the Expo.  But they enjoyed mingling with the tourists, despite any smile fatigue.  Even Sarah Pavan didn't create quite such a stir during our visit to China in 2006.

When we tried to enter the USA Pavilion, but we were told it was closed because of "a situation." We learned later that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was there for meetings. In fact, Sydney, Tara, and Kayla befriended the security detail and received a private tour of the USA Pavilion despite it being closed, and then saw Mrs. Clinton about twenty yards away.  Unfortunately, none requested a photo, and thus your intrepid photographer is unable to bring you a photo of any Huskers with the former First Lady.  As exciting as some of the food photos are, that photo probably may have gone viral a little faster throughout Husker Nation.

Tomorrow we travel to Hangzhou, about 90 minutes by bus to the south of Shanghai.  We return to training and matches Monday.

Thanks to all for your many emails.  A few have asked about Brooke Delano's play.  Brooke struggled during our first two matches.  She'll be fine, though, and should return soon to the form that led her to second-team All-America status a year ago.

Others have asked about the chemistry.  The players truly are having a great time together.  With three elite outside hitters vying for two starting positions, three middles competing for two spots and two All American setters sharing time, there may be hurt feelings at some point this fall.  But at Nebraska, the team always comes first.  I don't see that changing with this group - no matter what the ultimate personnel decisions- they enjoy each other too much when playing or spending time together.

I'm John Baylor with the Huskers in China, describing what I see.

Feel free to email us feedback on these reports at John@JohnBaylorTestPrep.com.