Yang got a cold call asking her if we wanted to go fencing. The cold caller had two advantages on reaching Yang vs. me. First, Yang would actually speak with them. Second, Yang could actually understand what they were saying. So, Yang agreed to take Aidan and Lydia to the “free” fencing lesson at the Olympic fencing center.

We got there and it was packed. More packed than a Hawaiian timeshare sale to get a free snorkeling trip. Aidan and Lydia got the requisite five minute instruction and then Aidan was off to fight his first match. I got to admit, Aidan loved it.

Lydia loved it at first too but then less so as she had a bit of trouble holding up the sword.

After the free lesson came the sales pitch. 8000 RMB (about $1200 USD) for a years worth of lessons and equipment, and given that this is a very serious endeavor they were only offering this package. I asked through Yang for the daily price which the sales person (or likely Yang) ignored. The next best and last offer was a half year package at about half the price. We eventually got down to the weekend drop in price of about 275 RMB ($40 USD) which we acknowledged and then left; likely to never return.

From the parking lot, we noticed a driving range so headed over there and this time we did sign up. 10,000 balls good for a year, our about 830 a month, or about 200 hundred a week. Sounds like a lot right now, given that I've hit maybe 200 balls in the past five years combined. But it was fun, the setting in the middle of the Olympic complex is great, Yang really starting to whack the ball, Aidan throwing everything he had into it, and Lydia throwing the club. Me trying to figure out if the 150 sign was in meters or yards.