China

Josh and I went to China over Thanksgiving break for two weeks! It was amazing and a trip I will never forget. I had my expectations and could not help trying to imagine what it would be like but as per the norm, it was nothing like I thought it would be. There were things I loved and loved less about the trip but in the end it was well worth it.

The trip itself was not actually planned until roughly 2 weeks before we left. It was a very last minute decision and my thanks goes out to Mrs. Kirk for subbing for me, John and Yu Miao for hosting us and our families for being okay with the switch for Christmas so we could see my family over the holidays.

The flight was a 16 (yes 16) hour flight. Sitting one cramped spot for that long on a plan is not a dream but was made much better by my hubby working some magic and getting us a row with an empty seat, leaving us the only two and a little extra wiggle room. The food was also yummy and fun, especially when they brought out some Hoggin Dogz ice cream! We watched some movies, played a ridiculously long game of chess and slept. After the airport there was more travel...but a taxi, train and bus ride later we finally arrived in Guangzhou.

In Guangzhou we spent time getting to know the community we were staying in called Clifford Estates. There was plenty to do in this "small" community with its own restaurants parks and hiking trails. We rented bikes one evening and explored the park near out apartment. We shopped at the market and sampled the yummy fruit. This was quickly becoming a cultural experience rather than a vacation. The pollution, noise and feel crowded feel of China was not my favorite. I was not used to SO many people but I loved traveling with Josh and seeing things I would never get to see in the US.

We did venture outside of Guangzhou for my favorite part of the trip to YangShuo. Getting there was half the adventure! Enduring the crowds, the buses and the subway was well worth experiencing 11 hours on a sleeper train. There is nothing quite like sleeping to the hum and unique rhythm of a train while passing miles and miles of unknown landscape.

YangShuo was beautiful and we stayed at some pretty cool places. Our first night was spent in a little boutique hotel right in the middle of a primitive and very rural town. It was right out of National Geographic! The hotel itself was made up of small bungalow type rooms equipt with only the bare essentials. I was grateful for a heater from the looks of the place and we used it! It rained that whole first day and it was cold. I loved it! We explored the beautiful property, talked to the locals, sampled some freshly made food and snuggled in bed to pass the time. The next day, the weather cleared and we were able to hike and go on a bamboo ride down the river. One of my favorite things about this place was the orange juice. It was like nothing I have ever tasted and it was cheep and plentiful since growing little "cuttie" oranges is what these communities do for income. The second night we stayed closer to town a few miles away from our fist hotel. This one was beautifully decorated inside and much more luxurious. I wanted to stay there forever!

We headed back to Guangzhou the next day and enjoyed the rest of our vacation with John and his family. It was a wonderful trip! I am so excited to go back one day.