Travel Plans

Monday morning I will meet with the Travel Clinic doctor at Concord Hospital so that I can get any last minute immunizations. I hope to see the Three Gorges area of the Yangtze and Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai while I am over there. I may even go to Thailand and Mongolia, but did not put this on my form.

I have made plane reservations that will bring me from Boston to San Francisco for $149.65 on February 2; from San Francisco to Seoul, South Korea for $576.20 on February 6 (leaving SFO on Feb. 5); and from Seoul to Chanchun, China--my final destination--for $366.15 on February 11. That seems reasonable.

This morning I read the chapter called "Money" in Peter Hessler's book, River Town. Everybody in China was very open about money and discussed their salaries, rent, etc. very openly when Hessler was there. I am comfortable saying that it is more than a month's salary for me to get myself to China for this experience and new job! (Maybe a year from now this Yankee will be even more forthcoming.)

The yuan goes a long way. A very good lunch for four people can be had for ten US dollars in Changchun.