A weekend away playing football in China
Already kitted out in my Seoul Gaels shorts and socks and my gear bag draped over my shoulder I walked briskly through the terminal, past other passengers, almost breaking into a light jog or skip on occasion. Ahead of me, long queues were already beginning to form at the immigration desk. It was the last thing I wanted. The game was in ninety minutes and the plan was simple. Get through, get a taxi and get to the pitch as quick as possible.
As I waited, I soon recognized two other people hurrying through the terminal to join the back of the queue for immigration. It was Jamie, and Dunny, easily distinguishable in his blue and white Laois jersey. They had flown out from Incheon on a separate flight, departing just ten minutes after me. The rest of the team had flown out a night or two previous leaving just the three of us who had not been able to get time off work. I had left my home at 5.30am that morning and it would be my third time competing at the All-China games, having played in Beijing the previous two years. Eventually I made it through immigration and without any baggage to claim, checked where to get a taxi before I was joined by the two lads.
