China bound

I write this as I wait for a classmate to pick me up and head for Toronto. Several of us leave for China tomorrow, flying Continental Airlines from Toronto to Beijing via Newark. Total travel time will be over 16 hours, including a 13h45m flight from Newark to Beijing. This comes close to the longest flight I have ever taken: just over 14 hours from L.A. to Sydney. Then we will be halfway around the world. Those of us who are leaving tomorrow will have a day and a half of free time in Beijing before our study trip officially starts.

My travels have always been independent, save for a grade 10 class trip to France, because I enjoy the freedom to do what I want. For this trip to China, I will have to adjust to having a set itinerary and being herded around from place to place. I expect things will go smoothly as the trip is being run by a fantastic professor, two very capable Ivey students, and a Chinese tour operator. They have already planned many great activities, including an excursion to the Great Wall, a "cultural plunge" and photo scavenger hunt, a visit to Baosteel, a Chinese acrobatic show, meeting with Ivey alumni, and a visit to Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. We will also visit Ocean Park and will meet with the company Chief Marketing Officer. I find this amazing because almost exactly one year ago, Julia and I visited Ocean Park on the way back from Thailand. Who'd have thought that one year later I would return with my MBA class!