We made it! All flights were on schedule and connections seamless. For 23 hours of continuous travel, we were very thankful.
Our first flight from Missoula, MT to Seattle, WA, departed at 7am Mountain Time. Professor Rhea, Lizzy, Cedar, Frances and I were giddy to see the Horizon Airlines plane was decorated with Griz insignia.
Our five-hour layover was a breeze as we enjoyed coffee, conversation and trip planning, as well as making our last phone calls to family and friends.
At about 1:00pm Pacific Time, we boarded our Asiana Air flight to Seoul, South Korea. The flight was a grueling 11hours and 40minutes but Lizzy and I had a great time.
The flight had many amenities such as individually wrapped toothbrushes with toothpaste in the bathroom, mouthwash and slippers. The in-flight entertainment had many choices of films and videos on different areas of China. I finally watched Argo and can see why it won best picture! My favorite moment was watching the Airshow (a real-time tracking of our flight) as we flew across the International Date Line. A first for me!!!
Most of all, we enjoyed the food!
Our first meal was a traditional Korean dish called BiBimBap. One flight attendant was so kind as to point out the instruction manual under my bowl to aid in enjoying the meal properly. BiBimBap is a rice dish (and so much fun to say!) and you mix in sesame oil and a red pepper paste. YUM! We were also served fish and rice with vegetables towards the end of our flight.
Our layover in Seoul was brief. We had no trouble moving through this beautiful airport from one gate to the other. By the time we went through security and used the restroom, it was time to board our second Asiana flight to Shanghai.
On the flight, we were served another delightful meal consisting of fish and rice, soba noodles and a yummy raspberry cake for dessert.
At 9:00pm we landed in Shanghai. Much to my surprise, the airport was quiet as we were one of the last flights in on a Saturday evening. After grabbing our luggage, Professor Rhea guided us to the Ramada shuttle and we arrived at our hotel in no time. The Ramada Pudong Airport Shanghai is a must. It is important to note that the Shanghai Pudong International Airport is about an hour drive from downtown. You will be thrilled that the Ramada is only less than a quarter of a mile from the airport and at that Ramada is a comfortable bed and shower waiting for you!!!
In the morning, Professor Rhea, Lizzy and I enjoyed our last western breakfast in the hotel's restaurant. It was a little pricey at 150 Yuan/person (about $25) but worth every penny. The coffee was delicious and the buffet offered regional options as well as traditional western breakfast options such as omelets and cereal.
Over breakfast, we agreed it would make more sense to take a taxi across town to the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. We had an awesome driver and we listened as Professor Rhea communicated with the driver in Mandarin. Our flight to Guiyang on Shanghai Air was to depart at 12:45pm and when we arrived at the airport at 10:45, Professor Rhea (disappointed we did not drive through Shanghai) convinced the driver to take us on a quick tour of The Bund (river walk). On the way, we learned new words in Mandarin such as piàoliang (beautiful), hĕn (very), and shui (water).
The Bund had a wall covered in real flowers that was difficult to photograph from the car. I'm looking forward to exploring Shanghai. We will spend the last four days of our trip there. And, there's a MOCA.
The Bund, Shanghai
Did I mention our driver was a rock star? As he wove through the light Sunday morning traffic on the way BACK to the airport, Lizzy and I took in the diverse architecture of Shanghai as well as a billboard featuring Brad Pitt. The billboard serves as a gentle reminder that we are never too far away from home.
And, I saw the GAP that's covered in lights. I believe it was the first GAP to open in China and it will be a must see at night!
Professor Rhea, Lizzy & all of our luggage at Shanghai Huangqiao International Airport
Our flight to Guiyang was only 2 hours 45 minutes and went by quickly. As much as I love to fly, I was ready to be off of airplanes for a little while!
Candace and CiCi, two of the English Language teachers at Guiyang No. 4 Experimental Primary School, greeted us at the airport. Candace will be our University Supervisor during our time at the school. I rode with Candace and was mesmerized by my new surroundings, so much to take in.
We were driven straight to our hotel and as it turns out, the usual hotel was booked for conferences. The headmaster arranged for us to enjoy our first week in a gorgeous, brand new hotel, one of the nicest I've ever stayed in. It is about a 20-minute walk from the school. On Friday, we will move to the other hotel that is only a 5-minute walk from school.
The outdoor space at our hotel
As you can imagine, we were exhausted from all the travel and opted to explore our new neighborhood and find a place for dinner. Professor Rhea has good instinct and we chose a little restaurant not even 5-minutes from our hotel. Ordering was tricky. There were no photos to point to and we did not see a menu. Lizzy and Professor Rhea walked through the restaurant and Professor Rhea asked (in Mandarin, of course) what people were enjoying. She boldly pointed at a table and said something to the likes of "We'll have what they're having." Just like that, our wonderful dinner consisting of fish and vegetable soup with rice appeared at our table that had a burner in the middle to keep the soup simmering as the flavors fused together.
Our first meal out on the town!
All and all I am happy to report that we are settling into our new surroundings nicely and excited to start school in the morning!
Wăn 'ān (Good night)
Natalie
Travel tips:
· Ask the travel agent to book your seats together
· Get up and move about the plane frequently
· Drink as much water as you can
· Bring snacks
o Fresh fruit such as apples and oranges
o Trail mix – almonds help with altitude sickness
· At hotels, remember to put your room card in the slot near the door to turn on the power
· Remember to push down on the luggage cart handle otherwise it won't move!
Amazing! It looks like you ladies are in for a serious adventure. But is it bad that I am most jealous of that soup?
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