I Could Get Used To This!

Champagne
Omelet w/ Chicken & Apple sausage
Croissant
Fresh fruit
Salad
Grilled Shrimp Brochette on Sugarcane skewers
Filet Mignon with herb compound butter
Asparagus
Whole wheat roll with New Zealand Butter
2 White Russians 

Cheese & Grapes

Sandeman Founder's Reserve Port Wine 
Raspberry Sorbet draped in a hard chocolate shell

I could get used to flying like this.

I almost never fly.    

Yes, it seems like we travel all the time, but that’s “on the road” traveling. I was able to transfer my hotel points to miles, and use them for an upgrade to Business class for my flight to China.

Why China?

I’ve been thinking about visiting China since I saw the documentary about the Terra Cotta Warriors of Xi'an. I’ve always been intrigued by the exotic, the far-flung lands rich in history and culture so different from my own. And I love Chinese food!

About 10 years ago, I told myself I would take myself to China for my 50th birthday. OK, my big 5-0 is not until January, but the timing for this tour was right!

I only slept about an hour on the way out here - so much enjoying the comfy Business Class seats, wrapped in my little down blanket, White Russian at my side, watching movies on demand. I beaded a bit, a simple 3-bead picot edging on my Coldwater Creek denim jacket. Played a couple of games on my laptop. It was like a mini vacation.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough to upgrade my flight back home, so I will wedge my fat ass into a seat in economy, whimpering and casting longing glances towards the front of the plane the whole long, long way home. Surely the 14 hour flight will feel like an eternity.

Arrived in Beijing at 4:30 pm the following day.

Met up with our Local and National Guides, and spent the next 4 hours in rush hour traffic. 

Holy Moly! Traffic is miserable here! And Beijing is a HUGE city. 

Massive, with a population of 20 million. That’s about the same population as Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho combined! 

I’ve been up for over 30 hours now, so all I can think about is checking into our hotel and hitting the sack.

More to come tomorrow!