High Road To China

JUDGING FROM OUR FLIGHT PLAN, APPARENTLY THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS IS NOT A STRAIGHT LINE.

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Day 1

Well we just flew into Beijing, and boy are my arms tired. Actually, it wasn't too bad of a flight.  We left Kean University at aprox. 5:15 Thursday morning, flew out of Laguardia at 9:30 A.M., and after a brief lay over in Washington D.C., we arrived in Beijing China at 2:45ish P.M. Friday afternoon. But if you realy would like to know what it feels like to fly to China, then try this for a comparison: Sit in a chair and stare at this blog for the next fifteen hours, then have someone bump into you every twenty minutes on their way to the bathroom. Throw in 3 meals and a snack and you pretty much have the jist of it. 

Even before we got off the plane we had arrived at a historic landmark, as Beijing International Airport is the largest in the world (according to our tour guide Daniel, who hasn't lied to me yet).  From there, we went straight to our rooms at the Dongfang Hotel, which has sections that are over one hundred years old (that may not seem that signifigant of an accomplishment compared to the 1000 year old trees and several thousand year old temples in Beijing, but the city is undergoing massive renovations and so this hotel is considered to have been here a "long time").

Then, imediately after checking in, we went to a local restaraunt for a family style Chinese meal.  The food was delicious, and I have accomplished goal number one: succesfully using chopsticks.  Next on the list is adjusting to the 12 hour time difference.  So on that note I think I'll call it a day, and try to sleep off the jet lag. On schedule for tomorrow: Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Summer Palace.

wǎn ān,

Kevin Lutz

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I MADE THIS GOAL NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE I FIGURED IT WOULD BE A PRETTY LONG WEEK IF I DIDN'T LEARN HOW TO EAT.