Preview

Unlike most blogs this one can be read in order.  I published the blog entries in reverse order, the latest entry South Vietnam was published first, this entry was published last.

October 11 – Day before our journey

            Tomorrow we start on our first of ten airplane rides, two train rides and three boat rides.  The plane travel will be for over 20,000 miles.  If the winds are cooperating we will literally travel around the world.  We will be using six different currencies.  And spend 32 nights away from home.  The last time I traveled for more than four weeks was in 2007, when we lived in Guangzhou, China for three months.

            So where are we going?  We will be touring in China, Vietnam and Cambodia.  In China we will visit with our son, Joe, in Chongqing.  Then we will travel with him to Chengdu and head further west to Song pan and Juizhaigou, all in Szechuan province.  After returning to Chengdu ,we say goodbye to Joe and go visit Vietnam.  In Vietnam we visit Hanoi, Sa Pa,, sail on Ha Long Bay, Hue, Da Nang and Ho Chi Min City (Saigon).  All the places I was glad not to ?visit? in 1969!  Before Ho Chi Min City we take a side trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat.  Add two stop overs due to flight connections in Hong Kong and one in Tokyo and you have our trip.

            Today is packing day.  The  list was made a month ago and has been modified several times.  Marsha and I even did a pre-pack last week, to make certain we were within the weight limits.  Even our documents for this trip are heavy, over an inch thick! 

Friday – Saturday October 12-13 – Flight to Hong Kong

            Every seat is taken on the direct flight from Chicago to Hong Kong.  After a little over 15 hours, we arrive in Hong Kong.  While our body says it is morning, we are served a second dinner (beef stir fry) for breakfast.  In Hong Kong time, it is after 6 PM.  The winds dictated a western route today, so I still have not traveled around the world.  We are in darkness while flying over the north pole.  Slowly light starts arriving from the south.  First time I ever saw the sunrise rising from the south!  Once we start getting first light, all you see is ice/snow.  As we head south, you see breaks in the ice that look like giant rivers and crevices.  Going further south, you see more blocks of ice that look large even from 39,000 feet.  Finally around Siberia we see open seas.  After a nap we see sunset where it belongs, in the west.  Then into the night around the middle of China.  A strange day.

            We arrive in Hong Kong before 8 PM (9 AM Sunday Chicago time). 

We get through customs quickly and take a taxi to our hotel.  

Silvermine Resort

The Silvermine Resort is on the east coast of Lantau Island. The five mile ride takes nearly 30 minutes.  It is situated on a sand beach in Silvermine  Bay.  Pretty area, but we only spent the night.

In the morning we take a walk along the beach.

A nice idea, concrete grills and benches.

Maybe I will stay out of the water.