Beijing Welcomes You! 北京欢迎你！（I think those characters are right:))

First let me begin with a few stories from traveling :)

Birmingham to Dallas 1 hour 26 minutes

My flight buddy was a young asian guy (clean cut and handsome) who was wearing a Nike T-shirt that said "Shot Caller"...AND was carrying a giant stuffed Winnie the Pooh. I said 'hi' and he returned it, but didn't seem to be in the conversation mood...However, he did try to sleep the whole time, while cuddling/hugging the stuffed Pooh...there is a picture at the bottom:)

Dallas to Seattle 3 hours 52 minutes

My flight buddies this time were Synchronized Swimmers. They were lovely girls (16-17 years old) and were quite chatty for a while. They were on their way to Seattle from Florida for their National Competition...no picture of them, sorry.

Seattle to Beijing  10 hours 50 minutes

No one actually sat in the seat right next to me, but there was a guy in the other seat. I don't think he spoke English...not Chinese either...not that I'm super talkative in those situations, but it would have been nice had we at least had a common language...The only real interaction that we had was when he told/motioned to me that he had left his glasses in the lavatory...not sure why he took his glasses off....maybe he was washing his face...yes, let's go with that.

IN BEIJING!!!!!!

As soon as we were off the plane, everything felt different...I was 'home', sort of.... (It will be really hard to leave China this time...don't worry mom, I will come home.)

My real initiation back into China:

As we walked off of the plane our first venture was an escalator (on the way to immigration). As I'm going up the escalator, people in front and behind me, the Chinese guy in front of me farts...If you haven't already you should picture the situation...I'm on an escalator, going up, the guy's butt was basically at my face level. Since we are in China this is not that unusual, my face was just in the wrong place at the wrong time....There was no acknowledgment of the fart, don't know why I would expect one...this is China.

I also smelled a full fledged Chinese bathroom while in the airport...I don't know how to describe it with words...you just have to experience it to know...

When leaving the airport, I had to get a taxi to take me to the hotel....So I get in line for a taxi, and its my turn...the guy doesn't want to take me because I have too much luggage or something...( I had two large bags and a carry-on...actually a pretty good amount for me). So another guy approaches me and tries to get me to ride in his bus/van thing...he wants basically 45 USD and a taxi will cost me about 10 USD...So, of course, I tell him that's too expensive, and that I will be taking a taxi (in Chinese of course). He immediately starts to bargain and drops it to 30 USD...enticing, but still a taxi would also be a safer way to go...A few more taxi's turn me down (par for the course in China as a foreigner with 2 large bags and a carry-on)...the guy comes back and again offers 30 USD (so persistent), but I knew for sure if I waited a little longer I would get a taxi, and I did....and it was right at 10 USD. 

This was actually the smoothest travel between Alabama and China I have ever experienced. (Something has gone wrong EVERY other time I have flown between the two.)

Love from Beijing! (I've been in Xian for a few days now, and am leaving to go to another city for 2 weeks and I won't have internet access)

Cari