Arrival…..Shanghai!

Learning to expect the unexpected

This post is a day or two late by now, Internet connection was slow and troublesome at first. Expecting the unexpected is going to be the surest way to enjoy this trip! No, our flight did not take off on time, and after the initial cancellation we boarded the next day just to find out there was an air conditioning problem….a four hour wait was expected. After 30 minutes the airline announced we needed to change planes…again. When half the plane was escorted off they suddenly announce we could all get back on! Well, tell about seventy-five people to go to another gate….and guess what, they go! Time to round up many disoriented folks by now! We all made it back on and took off without any further problems. A sixteen hour flight is not as arduous as it would seem, especially with a upgrade to business class, and many of us lucked out big time! Totally spoiled now on business class, I’ll cross my fingers for lady luck to shine again on the return home! It truly is a matter of luck with an upgrade, ours came just as we stepped on the plane and it was totally random in the choice of who got the big seats! The students who received upgrades were completely jazzed! Expect the unexpected!

Our itinerary will evidently change from day to day, with the core performances to remain as scheduled. The national mourning period, now past as of today, made it necessary to make some changes. Expect the unexpected, OK, I’m getting it now.

Still recovering from feeling upside down time-wise, another day should do the trick in order to get on “China time”. We are going to visit the gardens of Suzhou today…..the “Venice” of China, as it’s called. While sightseeing will be the most strenuous thing we do today, I will expect the unexpected and allow myself to be surprised! More tomorrow….