China - Aug. 1

We've arrived! Safe and sound!

I'm using my friend's laptop, because there are no computers for guests to use... my friend Kaitlyn is awesome.

We left the UW at 4:30, right on schedule, and without getting checked at the Canadian border, arrived at the Vancouver airport around 8am, I think. It was before they had the counters open, it was so early. And then our plane didn't board until 10:30. We ate at Burger King, looked at the mini aquarium they have and slept! Gosh, I was tired!

The flight was long. I began it by watching Ms. Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Beautifully done movie, set in 1940 London. I also watched an episode of Band of Brothers and a documentary on famous photographer, Annie Leibovitz, and then the first half of Iron Man. I started it too late. I wrote all of my CASW reports, and did a good bit of sleeping after listening to a chapter or two of Moby Dick. I also read in 'A Mighty Fortress'. It's a history of Germany from ancient times to the present.

The Shanghai airport was huge! I loved the fact that you could see huge ships out on the ocean. Only they looked like they were sailing on an extension of the runway, because it's almost at the same level. The flight from Shanghai to Beijing was spent sleeping. My poor neck spent the whole time twisted to one side or other. I woke up just in time for a fish and rice dinner. Mmm! And then I fell asleep again. At this point, pretty much everyone was exhausted.

The hotel is very big and fancy, but before we went in, they gave us a buffet to eat... at around 10 or 11 pm (I was sleepy, I don't remember) I wasn't too hungry, since they fed us three times on the plane, but I settled on some nice white rice and egg and cucumber soup. Yum!

I've seen cleaner hotel bathrooms at 2 star American hotels. Apparently, this is a 5 star Chinese hotel... hm. The bed is extra firm, but very comfortable. I had a lovely sleep. Breakfast in the morning, after picking up my uniforms (they fit!), was partially American. There were sauteed eggs (they were excellent), "pancakes" that were pastry style, folded in a triangle with sesame seeds on top, fruit, pork wrapped in pancake, lots of things I didn't try, fried rice and half/half milk. I think I'm going to stick with water while I'm here.

We just got done with our morning rehearsal... it's 12:40 noontime right now, so I think it's about 9:40 pm back in Washington, yesterday - I think... it's all very confusing.

We are all very hot and tired already, and all we did was stand out on this concrete parking lot and play music... good thing we don't have to march a show... ug.

It's very fun to play with so many different people! My goodness!

Until next time,
Jp