About 10 months ago I opened this blog with my question about what I should pack for my trip. I got lots of great ideas – deodorant, a special occasion dress, chewing gum, a travel towel… I used all of that advice and as you know had an absolutely wonderful experience living and teaching English in Shanghai. My sabbatical has been a resounding success. Now, I’m continuing my adventure.
In just a little over a week I am going to be returning to Shanghai, this time on a three year assignment with MERCER, the company that I worked for in Chicago for over five years. I’m transferring to the Shanghai office and will be a “Regional Consultant.” I am excited to have the opportunity of being an actuary in China and apply my technical, logical, actuarial brain in this developing and dynamic country. People keep telling me that they’re living vicariously through me. Well, I’m enjoying being me too.
The last two months in the States have been a whirlwind of friends and family and cleaning and packing. I still am waiting for a couple of loose ends, including my visa paperwork, but I’m sure that it will all work out. I’ve gotten quite a few questions if I’m going to be continuing my blog. Right now that is the plan, but I will need a new title. It’s not “The Shanghai Chronicle – my experiences in China in 2007 and 2008” by “An Actuary on Sabbatical” anymore. It’s morphed into something new.
Question: What should my new title be? What advice do you have as I start this adventure again?
Cheers!
G
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Cruise photos
This album is from the cruise and our tour of the Three Gorges Dam. I tried to comment on the water color and how it changed as we moved. One of many interesting things to look at. Enjoy!
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| The Cruise |
Saturday, August 9, 2008
The Cruise
When I lived in Spain we used to make fun of groups of Japanese tourists who would come to Toledo, following their guides with a flag and crowding through the narrow cobblestone streets. At that time – over 8 years ago now, I decided that I would never be a part of one of those groups – following the leader, waiting for the bus and looking for the little flag. The last step of our China trip, I had to eat my words.
The cruise that we went on down the Yangtze River was gorgeous. The scenery and gorges called for photos as we drifted down the river. The first full cruising day mom and I went on the shore excursion – along with 80 of our closest friends. We had cruise ID badges, obediently waited for our bus, and were tagged after by the ship’s photographers (who were really cute) as we explored a temple at the top of the hill. Travel fatigue was setting in for me – the site was nice, but not the same magnitude as Xi’an or Beijing and I wound up with a lot of mosquito bites!
That day at lunch we met our dining companions for the next several days – a family from Egypt (mom, dad, daughter and grandmother). They were very interesting tablemates and had taken a trip to India last year that was very similar to ours two years ago, so we had lots of travel stories in common. Our table was always one of the last to finish meals as we shared stories.
On the final day of the trip the boat traversed the locks at the Three Gorges Dam and then we were able to take a tour (with yet another ID badge) of the site itself. The size of the dam and the amount of water that it is able to control is astonishing. The dam will be finished next year – causing the water level to rise another 20 meters upstream. I heard numbers that the amount of power generated will be over 10% of China’s total. My sister found a technical book that explained the building and plans of the dam and my mom bought another that detailed the impact of the dam. It was a fitting way to end the trip with this technological marvel after we looked at the beauty of the gorges.
China is a fascinating country – the old and the new coexist. Ancient customs and traditions are being preserved (at least for tourists) as infrastructure and commerce are pushing on the boundaries set for the last 60 years. I want to see what happens in the next 60.
Question: Have you been part of a tour group before and followed a guide’s flag? Where were you? Was it voluntary? Tell me a story about your favorite guide.
I have cruise pictures to post and then one more post to wrap things up (and maybe begin again). Thank you for reading.
G
The cruise that we went on down the Yangtze River was gorgeous. The scenery and gorges called for photos as we drifted down the river. The first full cruising day mom and I went on the shore excursion – along with 80 of our closest friends. We had cruise ID badges, obediently waited for our bus, and were tagged after by the ship’s photographers (who were really cute) as we explored a temple at the top of the hill. Travel fatigue was setting in for me – the site was nice, but not the same magnitude as Xi’an or Beijing and I wound up with a lot of mosquito bites!
That day at lunch we met our dining companions for the next several days – a family from Egypt (mom, dad, daughter and grandmother). They were very interesting tablemates and had taken a trip to India last year that was very similar to ours two years ago, so we had lots of travel stories in common. Our table was always one of the last to finish meals as we shared stories.
As we went through each of the Three Gorges, there would be commentary over the public address system detailing what we were seeing. First we listened in English, then in Chinese, then in German which formed a cycle. I could understand the English, kind of the Chinese and kind of the German – so I felt like I could give the commentary by the end.
The second day w
e took another excursion in small boats that were rowed by local people up stream where our large cruise ship could not travel. It gave me a better idea of the size of the natural formations and our guide (once again we had cruise ID badges) sang us several folk songs. We sang “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” back at her and our oarsmen raced another boat, getting us wet in the process.
On the final day of the trip the boat traversed the locks at the Three Gorges Dam and then we were able to take a tour (with yet another ID badge) of the site itself. The size of the dam and the amount of water that it is able to control is astonishing. The dam will be finished next year – causing the water level to rise another 20 meters upstream. I heard numbers that the amount of power generated will be over 10% of China’s total. My sister found a technical book that explained the building and plans of the dam and my mom bought another that detailed the impact of the dam. It was a fitting way to end the trip with this technological marvel after we looked at the beauty of the gorges.
China is a fascinating country – the old and the new coexist. Ancient customs and traditions are being preserved (at least for tourists) as infrastructure and commerce are pushing on the boundaries set for the last 60 years. I want to see what happens in the next 60.
Question: Have you been part of a tour group before and followed a guide’s flag? Where were you? Was it voluntary? Tell me a story about your favorite guide.
I have cruise pictures to post and then one more post to wrap things up (and maybe begin again). Thank you for reading.
G
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