Even though the alarm was set for 8:06 so that Montana could wake up "naturally" (just a little after 8:00), we were both blasted awake, both deep in dreamland. We got to breakfast earlier than usual and found more people in the restaurant. We are usually the last ones to close the place down at 9:30.
We were 10 minutes early to the lobby for final checkout and the taxi driver was already there. Except for the mix-up with the ticket guide to last night's show, everything has been exactly on time or early while we've been in China. Very different from "Tanzania time" or "India time". The "hour-and-a-half" trip to the airport took about 35 minutes, so we were in plenty of time to figure out where to check in, etc. When Montana let out a muffled scream, LuRue looked quickly around for potential danger. Not to worry...Montana had spotted a Haagen-Daz store! Best ice cream find since our trip began. There was a vase on each table with two fresh pink carnations and a waiter brought us each a wine class of water with a slice of lemon. We sat on overstuffed chairs to enjoy our scoops.
Gate 10 was easy to find in a beautiful airport. This restroom had a 5-star rating! Even had seat liners, toilet paper, and paper towels, but still a basket in the stall. We haven't put any paper down a toilet since we left the US.
The flight was on time and not very full, so we had the three seats to ourselves. Montana took some videos and listened to music while LuRue drifted in and out of "plane sleep". Since the flight was only a couple of hours long, there wasn't much time to wonder what to do.
Our luggage came through fairly quickly, so we were on our way in a matter of minutes. A young guy was standing at the greeting place with our names. He grabbed Montana's duffel, while another young guy appeared out of nowhere and grabbed LuRue's bag. They silently led us to the car, motioned us in, and drove silently for an hour into heavy Xi'an traffic. It was the strangest airport pick-up from Global Volunteers that LuRue had ever had, so she was taking note of landmarks, but not to worry, the two men finally pulled into the entry of a large, very nice hotel. A doorman came out to grab the luggage and the two men waved goodbye and left...still without a word.
The desk clerk responded immediately when we said "Global Volunteers" and after making copies of our passports, he gave us our room cards on the 6th floor. This will be plush living for the next three weeks. Except....
There is wireless only in the lobby. The Internet is available in the rooms by a cord (ours seems to have a short as it needs coaxing to work & doesn't fit LuRue's Chromebook at all). Since our blog needs to be done via email now, it won't be quite as handy as it has been before. But we're determined to keep it going, so will figure it out.
We spent some time getting settled in and looking around the hotel. The hotel has several bars, a cafe, a restaurant, a fitness center, a beauty salon, a place to shop, game centers and even a karaoke/disco place. Looks like we'll be having several late nights at this place.
Our team consists of 3 people, the 3rd person being a retired Standard Oil engineer from California whose wife is an academic who still works & wants to travel now only to see grandchildren. Don is studying Mandarin and has also taught English as a second language. We learned that we'll be working with college students, so we'll probably be picking Don's brain for things to do. No more teaching Alice the Camel, the Penguin Song, or Herman the Worm. Our team leader is Wang Baolin. She's a petite, attractive young woman who's been connected with Global Volunteers in one way or another for about 14 years and a country director/team leader for about 8 years. She's the mother of a 4-year-old son.
Our morning sleep-ins are over, too. We leave the hotel at 7:40 in the morning for Orientation, then a formal welcome in the afternoon. Not sure yet when our normal days will begin, but we doubt they'll allow for 8:00am wake-ups!
We were 10 minutes early to the lobby for final checkout and the taxi driver was already there. Except for the mix-up with the ticket guide to last night's show, everything has been exactly on time or early while we've been in China. Very different from "Tanzania time" or "India time". The "hour-and-a-half" trip to the airport took about 35 minutes, so we were in plenty of time to figure out where to check in, etc. When Montana let out a muffled scream, LuRue looked quickly around for potential danger. Not to worry...Montana had spotted a Haagen-Daz store! Best ice cream find since our trip began. There was a vase on each table with two fresh pink carnations and a waiter brought us each a wine class of water with a slice of lemon. We sat on overstuffed chairs to enjoy our scoops.
Gate 10 was easy to find in a beautiful airport. This restroom had a 5-star rating! Even had seat liners, toilet paper, and paper towels, but still a basket in the stall. We haven't put any paper down a toilet since we left the US.
The flight was on time and not very full, so we had the three seats to ourselves. Montana took some videos and listened to music while LuRue drifted in and out of "plane sleep". Since the flight was only a couple of hours long, there wasn't much time to wonder what to do.
Our luggage came through fairly quickly, so we were on our way in a matter of minutes. A young guy was standing at the greeting place with our names. He grabbed Montana's duffel, while another young guy appeared out of nowhere and grabbed LuRue's bag. They silently led us to the car, motioned us in, and drove silently for an hour into heavy Xi'an traffic. It was the strangest airport pick-up from Global Volunteers that LuRue had ever had, so she was taking note of landmarks, but not to worry, the two men finally pulled into the entry of a large, very nice hotel. A doorman came out to grab the luggage and the two men waved goodbye and left...still without a word.
The desk clerk responded immediately when we said "Global Volunteers" and after making copies of our passports, he gave us our room cards on the 6th floor. This will be plush living for the next three weeks. Except....
There is wireless only in the lobby. The Internet is available in the rooms by a cord (ours seems to have a short as it needs coaxing to work & doesn't fit LuRue's Chromebook at all). Since our blog needs to be done via email now, it won't be quite as handy as it has been before. But we're determined to keep it going, so will figure it out.
We spent some time getting settled in and looking around the hotel. The hotel has several bars, a cafe, a restaurant, a fitness center, a beauty salon, a place to shop, game centers and even a karaoke/disco place. Looks like we'll be having several late nights at this place.
Our team consists of 3 people, the 3rd person being a retired Standard Oil engineer from California whose wife is an academic who still works & wants to travel now only to see grandchildren. Don is studying Mandarin and has also taught English as a second language. We learned that we'll be working with college students, so we'll probably be picking Don's brain for things to do. No more teaching Alice the Camel, the Penguin Song, or Herman the Worm. Our team leader is Wang Baolin. She's a petite, attractive young woman who's been connected with Global Volunteers in one way or another for about 14 years and a country director/team leader for about 8 years. She's the mother of a 4-year-old son.
Our morning sleep-ins are over, too. We leave the hotel at 7:40 in the morning for Orientation, then a formal welcome in the afternoon. Not sure yet when our normal days will begin, but we doubt they'll allow for 8:00am wake-ups!
yeah for Haagen-Daz and college students!!
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