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Sam's Journal- Day 7 Dunhuang

Jul 18.
Next morning, we are off to visit Mogao Caves and then tour a local market. We end up with quite a bit of spare time and improvise by visiting the Dunhuang County Museum, a local crafts shop that manufactures stoneware from quartz like stone with high iron content (magnets actually attract the objects), and a welcomed visit to the local ice cream shop that has no ice cream. While at the ice cream shop we enjoy smoothies and wait out a downpour of rain. The region’s annual rainfall is 16mm and we witness about 25 mm (an inch) in less than an hour!

That rainfall haunts us later as we wait for our overnight train ride to Turpan. The train is delayed over two hours due to flashflooding. We end up checking in at the train station and then after jostling with the frsutrated crowd (no air condiitoning and high temperatures), we wise up and decide to wait in the bus. The bus can’t leave until we board the train, our local guide is there as well as two assistants that we picked up to help us with our luggage. And, it is a long way back to town from the train station.

The train finally arrives and we board in a light rainfall.

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Sam’s Journal- Day 6 Dunhuang

Jul 17.
Our next morning is off to a relaxed start and I think that we all are adjusting to the time zone. We decide to follow Margaret and Tricia’s lead and schedule a foot massage as we wait for Morgan, Rick and Holly’s daughter, to fly in. She had to delay her departure and is to arrive today after a flight in from Michigan and an overnight stay in Beijing.

Today’s itinerary includes West Qianfo Caves, camel riding at Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Spring Lake. Atypical weather continues to follow us and it rains in the evening as we head back from the Singing Sand Dunes.

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Sam’s Journal- Day 5 Dunhuang

Jul 16.
Our group arrives late in the evening from our flight in from Xian. But not too late for Margaret and Tricia to check out the prices for a massage and to schedule sign up for treatments. How can you go wrong for 60 – 80 CNY (about $10 US)?

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Sam's Journal- Day 4 Xian

Jul 16.
We leave Beijing for a quick and I mean a really quick visit to Xian to see the Terra Cotta Soliders. Up at 4:30 a.m. to catch a 7:15 a.m. flight two hours to Xian, tour the museum, visit the City Wall, and then head to the airport for dinner and to catch a two hour evening flight to Dunhuang.

Xian, for me it is all about the Terra Cotta Soldiers. Four years ago, on my first trip to the PRC and to see the Terra Cotta Soldiers, I wasn’t sure of what to expect. This time, there were images that I’ve had locked into my head that I missed and wanted to capture. Other than complying with the new “No Tripods Allowed” restrictions, I feel that I did better job, translating what I had in my mind’s eye into a digital image.

Back to chronicling the trip. The “pits” where the soldiers are located were a sauna; hot and not much air movement. Fortunately, the display is so impressive that your senses are at least overwhelmed and awed to the point that the heat and lack of fresh air momentarily take a back seat. After a couple of hours, though, it is time to move on and seek air conditioning.

That respite comes in the form of our tour director, Jason, saying, “It’s time to leave and get lunch.” the idea of ice tea sounds really good. Originally, our schedule called for our group to overnight in Xian but due to an airline schedule change, we altered our plans to fly in and out the same day. So the day is mainly geared to visit the Terra Cotta Soldiers. Once we finish lunch, there is barely enough time for a quick thirty minute visit to the Xian City Wall, drive to the airport to eat and catch the next flight. Hectic, but well worth the visit to see the Terra Cotta Soldiers.

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Sam's Journal- Day 3 Beijing

Jul 15.
Our third day posts up morning visit to a park near the Temple of Heaven to see locals partaking in Sunday morning exercises, a visit to the Temple of Heaven, a quick walk through the Summer Palace, and then an Imperial cuisine dinner.

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Sam's Journal- Day 2 Beijing

Jul 14
Next day the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square. We end the day with a Peking Duck dinner at Dadong and birthday cake to celebrate Rick’s and Bruce’s birthdays.

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Departure from Sacramento

My family is looking haggard after burning the midnight oil for the past few days getting prepared to leave for China. After a couple of hours sleep, we pile into the hired car for a two hour drive from Sacramento to San Francisco International Airport to catch an eleven a.m. flight to Beijing. Flight time is estimated to be ten hours, forty minutes. The contingent from Michigan has a much more trying schedule: Drive from Muskegon to Grand Rapids. Fly from there to Chicago. Change planes for a flight to Beijing with a stopover in Narita (Tokyo’s International airport), Japan.