Trip talk

So, I’ve been procrastinating at blogging about the trip to China & Korea, not out of laziness but out of not knowing where to start. I did so much, saw amazing stuff and met fabulous people. It is hard to know what to begin with.

Here is my itinerary for the journey:

May 13
6:55 a.m. EST leave CLE for LAX
Arrive LAX change terminals to international for flight (12 hrs) to Seoul, Korea.
Lose a day in flight and it is now May 14th when we arrive in Seoul.

May 14
Change planes and fly to Shanghai, China.

May 15
Shopping all day at Nanjing road & Old Shanghai

May 16
AM- Pudong area
PM- Night train to Kaifeng

May 17
Arrive in Kaifeng at 6:45 a.m.
Culture class, iron pagoda, tour campus, banquet

May 18
Language class, dragon pavilion, shopping on imperial street, tour Kaifeng Jewish home and neighborhood, pub star to meet students

May 19
Quick shopping
Drive to Zhengzhou for day train to Xi’an (bullet train)
Arrive in Xi’an

May 20
Panda sanctuary
Road side restaurant
Foot massages

May 21
Terracotta Warriors
Hot springs
Dinner with tour guide

May 22
Muslim market
Drum tower
Night Train to Beijing

May 23
Arrive early go to hotel
Summer palace

May 24
Forbidden City, Market

May 25
The Great Wall

May 26
Free day to explore Beijing

May 27
Say by to our amazing hosts and fly to Seoul
Change terminals and fly to Busan, Korea
Arrive at Busan, meet students and amazing hosts
Hotel on the beach

May 28
Pusan University of Foreign Studies tour
Busan City Bus tour (my adventure with ripped pants)
Worlds largest department store
Dinner - Korean BBQ

May 29
Pohang Steel Company tour
Gyeongju Tour - which included bike ride around village

May 30
Free day (Beach baby!)

May 31
Check out of paradise
Cruise around Busan Harbor
Culture Center - drum class, pottery, sleep over with students from PUFS
Overnight stay

June 1
Depart Busan for Seoul
Arrive Seoul
Buddist Temple stay - lunch
Dinner

June 2
Group went to DMZ - I got free day
Explored area in Seoul that our hotel was in

June 3
Afternoon - Seoul City tour
Blue House, old capitol, shopping, stream, dinnder

June 4
Travel back home, going back in time…

As you can see I did a lot and I miss a lot of stuff due to a nasty fall I had in Kaifeng. Every place has lots to ell about it. Heck every journey to every place has a story about it. It was a amazing, once in a life time experience.

So I am trying to start with one of the last days and fill in people, places & things of the rest of the trip. The next post is going to be about Busan, South Korea. Where the “ocean meets the mountains” or paradise I lovingly call it.

If you can bare with me this summer as I put together a proper journal from my trip I promise to share the amazing Asian adventure that I had.

And to all the fabulous people I met along the way - Thank you for making my life that much richer for having you in it.

Hugs,

Shannon