Now that I’ve posted a couple of “out-takes” from the China trip, I should post the Itinerary, so y’all get the Big Picture of the scope of our tour. Details & photos about each date/event/location will follow in subsequent posts for the sake of length!

Monday, June 7: We met & loaded the chartered bus at the Valparaiso University’s Union parking lot at 5:30AM for the drive to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport - flight AA 289, Departure time 10:40AM.

Pretty much a series of “hurry up and wait” scenarios at the airport. Several of us who only had one item to check in grabbed one of the percussion equipment cases and checked it through as part of our personal checked luggage, which only made sense to do, since it was part of the band’s equipment and saved $$$. Once checked in and through security and having found our departure gate, we had some time to find restrooms and COFFEE. We also took advantage and yakked with the folks we’ve known from previous tours and got to know the others we only met during rehearsal a little bit better.

Even though we were booked as a “group”, our band was scattered throughout Economy. I had the window seat in row 27 against the restroom bulkhead… meaning that whenever I *did* manage to doze off, I was inevitably awakened abruptly by WHOOOOSH! every time someone flushed the toilet! Add to that, the bulkhead seats never quite recline as far as all the others….

Some 13 or 14 hours later, Arrived: Shanghai Pudong Airport at 2:05PM on Tuesday, June 8 (Happy 21st Birthday, Janet!). Disembark, wend way to baggage claim, waiiiiiiiit for luggage to make its way to the belt, find restrooms, wend way through the Customs & Immigration gauntlet, wend way to where we gathered to eventually go find our bus. Load our luggage, instruments, and ourselves onto said bus. Impressed to find the bus was brand-new, comfy seats (although knee room a bit tight for our taller frames), nicely air-conditioned, and very skillfully driven through the heavy traffic of Shanghai to the Charms Hotel - where we spent 3 nights! (Note: we had the pleasure of having this bus and its driver/owner from pick up at the Shanghai Pudong Airport until he delivered us to the flight to Beijing at the Wenzhou Airport).

Wednesday, June 9: Sightseeing (”Old Shanghai”). This time, since the folks I chose to hang with (Patrick, Jack, several others) had been through the shopping district before, we decided to tour the site’s Botanical Garden, then get some lunch before we had to head back to the bus. Concert #1: Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Thursday, June 10: 2010 Shanghai World Expo!! We only had one day, and we managed to walk from one end of the Countries side to the other, take the ferry across the river to the Corporate pavilions, get supper at a little restaurant (by pointing at the pictures on the menu). Afterwards, since we were pretty tired, we half-heartedly poked our noses into the China Aviation pavilion, then beelined for the exit gate meeting place (well, OK, by going along the riverwalk and getting photos of the lighted boats & stuff).

Friday, June 11: Morning bus to Jiaxing plus tour. Concert #2 at Jiaxing Grand Theater. Hotel in Jiaxing: Jiaxing Diamond Hotel.

Saturday, June 12: Morning bus to Changzhou plus tour. Concert #3 at Changzhou College of Information Technology. Hotel: Changzhou Guest House.

Sunday, June 13: Morning bus to Suzhou plus tour. Hotel in Suzhou: Suzhou Jinjiang Baiyulan Hotel.

Monday, June 14: Morning bus to Ruian plus tour. Concert #4 at Ruian Juyuan (Ruian Theater). Hotel in Wenzhou: Ruian Huafu Tian Cheng Hotel.

Tuesday, June 15: Tour of Wenzhou. Concert #5 at Wenzhou Dongnan Juyuan (Wenzhou Dongnan Theatre). Hotel in Wenzhou: Train Station Hotel.

Wednesday, June 16: Morning flight to Beijing (China Air CA1568, departure 11:25AM). Concert #6 at the auditorium of Northern China Electric Power University. Hotel in Beijing: Guest House of Northern China Electric Power University.

Thursday, June 17: Morning bus to Chengde Summer Resort (located 150 miles northeast of Beijing. It evolved during the first half of the Qing Dynasty from hunting ground to full-scale summer resort for the Chinese emperor.)

Friday, June 18: Leave Chengde and bus to Inner Mongolia. Hotel in Mulan Grassland.

Saturday, June 19: Bus to Beijing. Choice of shopping or tour of Forbidden City. Supper, then attend one of two performances at Beijing’s National Center for Performing Arts (either the opera “Rigoletto” or the Danish men’s chorus). Hotel, return to Guest House of Northern China Electric Power University.

Sunday, June 20: Morning (EARLY! wake up call at 4AM) flight to Chicago, AA186, departure time 7:59AM, Arrive Chicago 7:49AM. Bus to Valparaiso’s Union, then depart for our respective homes.