We're planning our third annual travel blog this summer, though we've gone a little farther afield this time around. In fact, a 13-hour plane ride farther afield. This year, we're visiting China.
Ryan's sister Kate accepted an international post in Xi'an last year and moved over here in the fall. After somewhat getting the hang of international traveling in the U.K., we decided to take advantage of a unique opportunity to visit China, spend time with her and see how life goes as an ex-pat.
We'll be sightseeing in both Beijing and Xi'an during the next 10 days. Ryan has armed himself with five phrases in Mandarin that he swears will get us through. Stay tuned and find out.
Ryan's sister Kate accepted an international post in Xi'an last year and moved over here in the fall. After somewhat getting the hang of international traveling in the U.K., we decided to take advantage of a unique opportunity to visit China, spend time with her and see how life goes as an ex-pat.
We'll be sightseeing in both Beijing and Xi'an during the next 10 days. Ryan has armed himself with five phrases in Mandarin that he swears will get us through. Stay tuned and find out.
We had to have our passports and entry visas approved before we were even allowed to line up for our boarding group. It was chaotic.
Me right after landing in the Beijing airport, incredibly happy to have survived the 13-hour flight from Chicago in Economy class. At one point I realized we still had eight hours to go, which was still an entire workday. I took three naps, watched two in-flight movies and a couple of TV episodes, and read more than half of a new mystery novel.
The line in the Beijing airport to get approved for entry into the country. It took us more than an hour to get through and they scrutinized the passport photos closely. I had to take off my glasses before our agent would consider approving me, so I guess it was a good thing I hadn't done anything too crazy with my hair color lately.
Ryan plotting Tuesday's adventures from our hotel room in Beijing.
We slept through dinner and had to go for room service; sharing a salad and the entree of fried lily, corns, fungus and sweet bean over rice.
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