As mentioned previously, we planned a 24 hour layover in Beijing on our way to Bangkok. We were going to see the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and hopefully even the Great Wall. All preparations instantly snapped to a standstill however when we discovered that even to just leave the airport, you need a Chinese visa. Our first reaction was to try and change our flights – total cost: $300. Next we looked into staying in a hotel inside of the airport – total cost: $120, and a depressing way to start our trip. Finally we decided to just bite the bullet and pay $140 each for Chinese visas that we will only be using for one day. Luckily we have been very fortunate to find a couch surfing arrangement, so the good news is that we will have someone local to point us in the right direction, and a free place to crash (thank you Darlene!) So Beijing, here we come!
Other than that, preparations are going sooo smoothly that we both keep worrying there must be something we are forgetting. My last day of work is on Thursday, and I am still in a complete state of shock; the fact that I will not be coming in on Friday because this era of my life is over, and I am about to travel to the other side of the world to a place I have never been, and teach students whose language I don’t understand, in a little village that has monkeys scampering and elephants stomping though the streets…..it just hasn’t sunk in. I will let Natalie speak for herself, but I think it might have set in for her, poor girl J!
Anyway that’s it for now. Thank you to all of those who are following our adventures- we will do our best to make it interesting!
No comments:
Post a Comment