28th December
It was great. I didn’t expect that the opening ceremony would be so special. Each Unicon had something special but this one was something different in a positive way.
In the morning I woke up early (again). I ate quickly my breakfast and rode my unicycle to the Water front where the arena was located. Luckily I was the first person in the gym so I could practice my routine calmly. At 8:10 people streamed in the gym.
It was cool. I showed the people my new tricks. After two hours of practice Emilie and my parents came in the gym.
Next step was going to the track. This step is a big one because we didn’t know how to get there. This is why my mother and me took the bus 23 and drove up the hill. We got off. Don’t!!!! We got off to early. Now we had to walk 30minutes. On the track were a lot of people practicing racing. Now that are so many people on the track the bus are full. You were lucky if you got a place in the bus. You had to imagine every unicyclist was sitting on his little seat covered with his unicycle. The citizen were laughing when they saw the full bus. 
There were so many unicyclist on one place. The greatest thing of that crowd were the colored t-shirt from each country and team. At Unicon it’s one of the coolest thing to change t-shirt. This year i had 4 T-shirt and one hooddie to change. In the last years I would every time to design the swiss T-shirt but I didn’t had the effort to do it. At this Unicon I changed that. I design the Unicon-Swiss-T-shirt. It was a lot of fun. The design is based on a swiss traditional dress. (mhh I already have a lot of creative ideas for next Unicon 
).
All swiss were queuing up in back of our new friends the koreans. Of course there shouldn’t fail a group picture . My camera was ready to shoot. We made some “cookie”(sweet) pictures ;O. I love the one with the happy-go-lucky american who are holding the Norway Shield. She’s so a kind person. The parade are following the water front. Each unicyclist on different type of a wheel.
Now more than 650 Unicyclist were arriving a large wide place. Maoris were standing on the other side of the place. There was tree rows. One for the mens, women and one for the children. They all were in traditional clothes. The ritual began. One Maori stepped to us. He want to look if we are friends. He’s dance in front of us with a long wood stock. On the floor was lying a plant. I think it was a rose. John F. a unicyclist from USA walked to him and took his present. Now the Maoris began to dance.
After this amazing adventure with the Maoris Unicon started!!!! My first Workshop were for Freestyle judges.
The next thing was the Wristband Photo session in the entry. The wristband was from the last Unicon. That was a lot of fun with everybody who was there. Thanks!!. Now I have a new Unicon 14 wristband. That’s great. I loved doing the jumping picture.
How do you think about the “cookie” Opening Ceremony. Were you there too?
till tomorrow
Philipp Henestrosa
