Great Wall

(I wrote this in March 2012 and wasn't able to post it thanks to the other Chinese wall- the Great FIREwall.  Seemed a shame to just delete it, so here you go!)

The first time I visited China, we were lucky enough to visit the Wall, but I feel like that is an experience you should never pass up. Since this was Patti's first time here, I suggested we spend our "recover from the long flight" day at the Wall.

Here is the sign at the entrance to the section of the Wall we visited:

I must admit, I do not remember what section of the Wall I visited the first time (and I have not done any research to find that answer), but I do know this was a different section because unlike my first visit, we had to take a ski lift up to the actual wall. This meant we were able to have a fun toboggan ride down at the end!

The Wall itself is amazing and if you only have one day in Beijing, I would suggest visiting the Wall over some of the other historical locations.

The Great Journey Begins!

(yes I know that I am playing catch up- China and Google do not always play nice, making it harder to stay in touch)

I left Harrisonburg around noon on Monday the 5th. With my long list of things to do before starting a trip of this length (not to mention that pesky bug I was fighting on top of my already full pre-trip schedule), it's actually amazing I was ready on time. It certainly would not have happened if I was driving myself to the airport- knowing that I had to be ready at a pre-determined pick-up time was wonderful motivation. I think I managed to accomplish everything I needed- we'll see when I get home though! I was able to leave my house pretty neat, with all my laundry done & put away and clean sheets on my bed, so I felt pretty accomplished!

My other big accomplishment was being able to fit everything I thought I would need into my standard carry-on bag. I'm working on a post of my tips, not that anyone else would be crazy enough to try that, it is pretty satisfying to see the reactions to my small (but solidly packed) bag!

I was actually very lucky both on my first flight from Dulles to Detroit and my second from Detroit to Beijing. On the first flight, I ended up with a row of two seats to myself. I did almost leave my passport behind on the plane (oops!) but I still had plenty of time to relax in the Delta lounge before my long flight. That's where I was incredibly lucky- I had a row of three seats all to myself! That flight is about 13 hours, so having space to stretch out is much appreciated. I think that is the only reason I ended up sleeping for about a 7 hour stretch- very unusual for me on a plane! I actually had a whole list of movies I wanted to watch, so I was a little disappointed to see the time when I woke up! I know I needed the rest though, so I'm glad I was able to get it.

When I arrived in Beijing, it was about 11 pm, so the airport was pretty empty. We all worked our way through Customs and while some people had to wait for their luggage, I was able to walk right out to the waiting hotel car.

A colleague from another Virginia school was also attending the event in Beijing, so I had a note with her room information waiting when I arrived at the hotel. It's always nice to know there is someone familiar around. Luckily my brain recognized it was night time, so after a little settling into my room, I was able to fall asleep fairly quickly.

Next up- visiting a section of the Great Wall!