We’ll be there in 7 hours, woohoo.
Day 1, which is today, is the beginning of my 5 day SAS trip to Beijing and Xi’an. We’re the first ones off the ship at 0930, and after spending a few hours in Hong Kong (all of it at the freakin airport), we’ll be on our way for a 3 hour flight to Beijing. Upon arrival we check into a hotel, have peking duck for dinner, and have the rest of the evening to ourselves.
Day 2 – We visit the Great Wall, followed by an afternoon visit to the Summer Palace. Dinner and the rest of the day are upto us. This is where the Lonely Planet phrasebook comes in handy.
Day 3 – Visit Tianamen Square and then the Forbidden City. Afternoon visit to the Temple of Heaven, and then we take a 2 hour flight to Xi’an, where we check-in and have dinner.
Day 4 – Visits to the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum, Shaanxi Provincial Museum, and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. In the evening, our entertainment consists of a Tang Dynasty Dinner and Show.
Day 5 – Breakfast, calligraphy lesson in the Museum of the Forest of Stele and/or free time to explore Xi’an. Lunch at a local restaurant and fly to Qingdao and return to the ship. Originally we were scheduled to return at 4pm, but we’re now being told 11pm. Wha?
Day 6 – Run around Qingdao with 700 other students, eat the good food, take advantage of internet cafes, buy all the good Chinese stuff, finalize our plans for Japan, hang out with SAS alumni. And back on the ship at 9pm to set sail at 11pm.
Since there’s only two days in-between China and Japan…expect the Vietnam/Cambodia, Hong Kong/China, and Japan recaps to all be posted after Japan. Hopefully I can get pictures up by then too.