Less than 2 weeks!

As I was sitting here catching up on AFV, I came to a realization... two weeks from today we will be in CHINA!! It's finally starting to get real.

Last night I unpacked my sweaters, they're now washed and ready to go. It's going to be cold while we're there! Not sure I'm ready for cold weather, but ready or not...

I've been making a list of souvenirs that I plan to get for friends and family... I think the list grows by the day. Reid caught a glimpse of my "people to buy for" list the other day and was a bit surprised. But I'm pretty proud of myself, I've managed to save a good chunk of change since the beginning of September. (You hear that Mom? I do know how to save!) I think I'm more excited about buying gifts for people while I'm there than I am buying my own souvenirs. I can't wait to peruse the jade, silk and pearl factories! And shop in the markets! I plan to bring home a knock-off bag or two as well.
One thing I do have my heart set on is a custom-made suit. Susan, my boss, had one made when she went to China in March. They actually come to your room with books of fabrics, buttons, patterns, threads, etc. They take your measurements and you pick out everything from the stitching, to where you want pockets, and what kind of buttons, and then have your custom made suit in your room the next night. Pretty sure I am going to be overwhelmed with all of the choices. She paid around $200 for her suit and says it's the best fitting suit she's ever had. That's a deal I just can't pass up!

Besides shopping I'm thrilled to experience the Chinese culture and visit some of their most famous monuments such as the Great Wall of China, Ming Tombs, Tien An Men Square, the temples and tea gardens. I promise we will bring home hundreds of pictures, and I'll post everything here so you can relive the experience with us.

I especially cannot wait to experience all of this with Reid... this will be his first international trip, and I know it will be one that we'll never forget! We are seriously considering getting him a Houston Rockets jersey... the Chinese are going to think he's a basketball star (which isn't any different than Americans, really) so why not have fun with it? ;) Speaking of, it's about time for my nightly call from off-shore... so that's all for now.

Less than two more weeks!!! :)

I'm officially blogging!

I've thought about blogging for some time, but never really thought I had much say to keep "followers" entertained. With our upcoming trips to China and Italy, I now have the perfect excuse. :) I may get motivated and post other thoughts here and there, but I'm not making any official commitment right now (especially not in print!) I hope that you enjoy the little bit that I do post... it may take me a little while to get the hang of this.

So, onto the trips... I feel like such a lucky girl, within the next year I get to take not one but TWO international trips!

We'll be going to China October 31st - November 8th on a nine-day excursion to Shanghai, Beijing, Shuzhou, Hangzou. GHP is sending me to experience our first Member Familiarity Tour, and Reid gets to tag along. :)

This is the first time that we have done a trip like this with our Members and the deal that they are getting is unbelievable! We had 94 Members sign up for the first trip, so we've already begun planning the next one for March 2012. To check out the trip inclusions, click here.

Here is our full itinerary for the trip:

Day 1:  October 30/31 - Los Angeles/Beijing

Check-in at Los Angeles International Airport at 10:40 p.m. on October 30, for an early morning flight on October 31; flight CA984 departs Los Angeles at 1:40 a.m. for Beijing.  Your adventure begins as you fly trans-Pacific aboard a wide cabin jetliner and cross the International Dateline.

Day 2:  November 1 - Beijing

(Pullman Beijing West Wanda (5 star), No. Jia 18 Shijingshan Road Shijingshan District, Tel：0086-10-88681188)

Arrive in Beijing, the Capital of China at 5:20 a.m. You will be met by your local tour guide at the airport. Visit the Tian An Men Square, the largest square in the world, and the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, home of 24 emperors with a total space of 9,999 rooms.   After lunch, be transferred to the hotel to rest.

Day 3:  November 2 - Beijing

Visit the 2008 Beijing Olympic venues for the outside views of National Stadium, the Bird’s Nest and the National Aquatic Center.  Continue your tour by travelling to the Great Wall, visiting a Jade Factory along the way.  The Great Wall, the 4,000-mile long and 2,000 years old construction, is said to be the only man-made structure visible by naked eye from the moon.  Visit one of the Ming tombs; one of 13 Ming Emperors’ Tombs is fully excavated and open for exploration.  In the evening, a Peking Roast Duck dinner is arranged.

Day 4:  November 3 - Beijing

Visit the Temple of Heaven, built in 1420 A.D., where the emperors prayed to heaven for a good harvest. Visit the Pearl Market. The city tour continues with the Summer Palace, known for significant areas such as the Long Corridor with painted gallery, Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, Seventeen-Arch Bridge and Marble Boat.

Day 5:  November 4 - Beijing/Shanghai/Suzhou

(Grand Metropark Hotel Suzhou (5 star), 1355 Jinjihu Avenue, Suzhou Industrial Park, Tel: 0086-512-62800666)

Morning flight to Shanghai on CA1883, departing Beijing at 7:45 a.m. and arriving Shanghai at 9:50 a.m., then travel by bus to Suzhou.  Afternoon sightseeing will be to the Tiger Hill.  Enjoy boat ride on Grand Canal in Suzhou.  Grand Canal is a pure artificial object completed 1300 years ago by Chinese people. It starts from Beijing and ends up in Hangzhou with a total length of more than 1,000 miles. During the 50 minutes boat ride on it, tourists may enjoy the view of both modern and old life of Suzhou.

Day 6:  November 5 - Suzhou/Hangzhou

(Crowne Plaza Hotel Hangzhou Xanadu Resort (5 star), 3318 Xianghu Road, Tel:0086-571-83880888)

Begin your morning with a tour of the Suzhou Silk factory.  Continue the tour with a visit to the centuries-old Lingering Garden.  In the afternoon, visit the National Embroidery Institute to see silk embroidery, an important local craft with 1,000 year history.  Enjoy bus ride to Hangzhou.

Day 7:  November 6 - Hangzhou/Shanghai

(Renaissance Shanghai Putuo Hotel (5 star), No.50 Tongchuan Road, Putuo District, Tel:0086-21-22195888)

In the morning, experience a boat ride on West Lake with relaxing stopover at jewel-like pagodas.  Next, you will visit the Longjing Green Tea Plantation, which is centuries old and whose main feature is the 64.3 ft-high camphor-wood carved Buddha.  Continue the bus journey to Shanghai.

Day 8:  November 7 - Shanghai

Your day begins with a visit to The Bund, a famous waterfront park.  Tour the Shanghai Silk Rug Factory.  In the afternoon, you will enjoy the Yu Garden, a maze of marvelous pavilions, ponds, rock works and over-arching trees.  During free time, explore the old town bazaar.  Visit the Pudong District.

Optional Tour:

Day 9:  November 8 - Shanghai/Los Angeles

Depart Shanghai on afternoon flight CA1884 at 4:20 p.m. and arrive in Beijing at 6:40 p.m., for a stopover.  Next, depart Beijing on CA983 at 9:30 p.m. for Los Angeles, where you will arrive at 6:00 p.m. on the same day.

I cannot wait to experience all of the sites of China and endulge in real Chinese food (I'm sure the buffets here don't even compare). And our hotels alone are beautiful!

Only 19 more days til we board the plane!


Reid and I have decided we are going to be world-travelers this year... we are also planning a trip to Italy next May with my sister and her boyfriend, Cole. I really do have the best boyfriend a girl could ever ask for. :)

Stay tuned...