Wednesday, October 21, 2009

I am leaving on a Jet Plane.


Today is the day. Today I get on an airplane and travel to China. My bags are packed, my passport is secured, my sanity is, well, questionable...

My departure time is 5:00 p.m. from the Salt Lake City airport. Just to make my trip more eventful, I am stopping at every major city between here and Beijing. I fly from SLC to Phoenix, Phoenix to LA, LA to Seoul Korea, Seoul Korea to Beijing. For those of you keeping track that would be 18 hours total flying time with 7 hours in lay overs. Yes, that is 25 hours to get to China. Did I mention my sanity is questionable???

I also like to refer to my route to China as Olympic City tour 2009, for you see every city I will be in, with the exception on Phoenix, has hosted the Olympics. I might have to take up Olympic pin trading...?

The longest part of the flight is clearly LA to Seoul, which is 13 hours. We leave LA at midnight, and thanks to my friend Ambien I plan on sleeping a good majority of the flight. The airplane is a 777, so it is newer, and I am hoping for individual entertainment systems at each seat. Provided of course there is some programing in English. Rick is letting me borrow his Kindle and is going to down load a few books for me.

I am taking a small suit case with me on the flight that will have a change of clothes, makeup, medications, etc. Given the route that is taking me to China I have NO faith that my luggage will make it, in fact I am assuming that it will not. ( My bet is my luggage will want to continue the Olympic city tour with stops in Athens, Berlin, Rome, London and completing its journey in Sydney)

When we arrive in Beijing it will be about 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning, (which translates to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday SLC time. Yeah I will be out of my mind confused as to the time and location of my body) What is first on the tour agenda? Going to the hotel? NO. Eating a authentic Chinese breakfast. I think this might be the start of a 7 day diet for me...

On a brighter note, I am taking my computer. I have been assured that the hotel has a good Internet connection and that blogging is an acceptable activity according to the Chinese government. With any luck you will have daily updates on my antics in China, and then you can really question the level of my sanity.

3 comments:

About Ours Good One Home said...

Travel well! I am living vicariously through you. And I really like Chinese food, so feel to enjoy it for my sake :) Have a fabulous time. I have a friend who grew up in Hong Kong and she ways shopping in China is THE BEST. Happy haggling.

Brooke said...

oh good luck and keep us posted!!!

A*Waite said...

Looks like you are going to have a wonderful adventure!! I am envious!