It's been a long period of continuous duty so I thought the page needed an update. Mike has been working like a diplomat for a few contingents and has had some interesting times. I'll leave it for him to fill in the details about their beverages - but he was able to meet Lech Welesa from Poland. He's very good with others and they seem to pull him in easily. Perhaps a job at the UN is next on his resume.
As for the rest of us, we're coming off of 18 hours of security duty out of 25 and are mostly like zombies. Chip and I work short duty this evening. I and 20 other stewards are to help push the thousand partiers out of the adult area at 10:30 PM. Being a british location, there is a pub for the adults and it can get difficult when they shut off the tap and push folks to other places. This is unlike any scouting event in the US. The Swedes who host the next one in 2011 have said there will be no bar - good idea.
The American IST were given a reception by the "yellow bars" (regional and national leaders) from the US contingent. It was quite nice and being a District Commissioner, I shamelessly had my photo taken with the National Commissioner. They gave us each a very nice commerative coin for our work.
While on duty, we usually have a radio to hear what's going on so we can help. Yesterday was more eventful as on our shift there was a gas stove fire that required the Essex fire department, a neck injury from a youth who was horsing around, a shop lifter, and 11 local youths who climbed the perimeter fence to join the party or cause trouble. As always, we just call things in and let the professionals deal with the difficult issues. Our job is to call things in, give them space and clear the path for emergency vehicles.
Our steward group has the highest percentage of showing up for work - 95%. Other areas that are dominated by 3rd world contingents in southern asia have not been showing up. The worst is the food service at 25%. This puts a strain on the folks who show up. It's too bad as the developed countries greatly subsidize their trip here. They could turn them away at the food line where we are scanned, but they don't enforce it.
We have secured a voucher for our bus ride to Heathrow on Thursday AM. I think we're all ready to come home and sleep in a bed, eat normal food, and take a long hot shower. Cheerio old chaps!
Mark
