May 22

So, I basically spent about 24 hours traveling. Fun times.

Started at 8:50 am at the Baton Rouge airport (thanks for the ride Devon). Then a layover in Dallas/Ft.Worth to catch up with the rest of the crowd (some people left BR at 5:45 am). Had TGIFriday’s for lunch, and I got a cheeseburger and fries, in an effort to be as American as possible with my last meal on familiar soil. Then 13 hours to Tokyo. Not my best plane experience. Couldn’t manage to fall asleep for an extended amount of time (considering it was daylight hours). I’m usually a fabulous napper, but sitting in a chair all day hadn’t made me tired. Jenny and I each took an Advil PM, but it didn’t do anything so we’ll make sure to take two on the way back. We were seated closer to the middle of the plane (right on the wing) whereas the rest of our group was in the back. We didn’t have the best view (wing blockage) so we walked to the back of the plane to get a look at Alaska when we were flying over. And then as we landed in Japan things didn’t look much different. The flight had decent enough meals: rice and chicken (with a little sushi roll to the side, that I didn’t try), ham and cheese sandwich as “light snack,” and then cheese pizza if you were lucky (they apparently ran out and some people had to get the other selection). It was interesting what a bit of an Asian twist they put on it since it was going to Tokyo. And then from Tokyo to Beijing it was REALLY interesting. Warm sticky rice, beef in sesame sauce…the menu said “Japanese delicacies” so I don’t know exactly what that part was. They also brought green tea around, and beer and wine were free only after they served my food the stewardesses didn’t come all the way back to my row with drinks, so I had to tap one on the shoulder and ask for a drink and she gave me orange juice (which was good). My left ear wouldn’t pop after we landed in Tokyo, and it still hasn’t as I write this at 11:55 pm.

When we got to Beijing, we stood in line to go through customs, got our luggage, put it in a big pile to be boarded on the luggage bus, and then put ourselves on two other buses for the 40 minute ride to the hotel. The hotel is pretty spiffy, I like the rainfall showerhead best. Went with Elizabeth down to McDonald’s and got some French fries because we were starving (our schedules are so messed up). Have to meet in the lobby at 8:30 am to start our first full day in Beijing. Great Wall with a drizzle.

Stay tuned for pictures. And more China, obviously.