A nice story in NPR about the Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding.

Let's hope the earthquake's devastation and interruption in tourist travel does not result in too much hardship for these pandas!

California

Although we don't want this to become a political space, it would be, well, completely cowardly of me to NOT write this. Here goes.

Well, naturally we're pretty happy about the California decision, an excerpt of which states:

We therefore conclude that in view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship, the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians ...

"Family" -- that puts the emphasis in the right place and perhaps will answer the questions of people who have difficulty comprehending why this matters so much.

Sichuan and Burma

We seem to have just missed two catastrophes that would no doubt have affected our trip (Nargis's affect on Burma, the earthquake today in Sichuan province).

Please keep all the people suffering in these regions in your thoughts and prayers.

UPDATE: Our national guide, Nuse, received a text message from our local guide in Chengdu, Cherry, that all was well with her.

Let Jag

Both of us started stirring at 1 am this morning, slept fitfully a couple more hours, and at 3 am Dick was very much awake, while Jim was able to doze on/off until 5 am.

It is a sunny day today, so hopefully that will stimulate our bodies to get on the clock again.

It's hell, I tell you, hell.

We're back (and why we hate flying right now)

OK, so yes, airlines do useful things like get us to/from wonderful places like China, but, damn, it ain't a pleasant experience in-process.

So, we started traveling (left hotel) at 8:30 am China time Saturday (8:30 pm Friday US EDT). We boarded at 11:15, sat on the plane for over 2 hours, finally getting out of Beijing 1.5 hours later than we were supposed to. We arrived in San Francisco, worried about the short amount of time we'd have to catch our flight from SF to Newark. After waiting insufferably long to get our bags and racing thru customs to get the bags checked for our connecting flight, we learned our worries were for naught. You see, United had canceled our SF -> Newark flight, and rebooked us to catch a later flight for Washington DC (Dulles), with a puddle jumper getting us into Newark at 11:15 pm US EDT, 4 hours later than our original plans.

(NB: The United Express service out of DC was about the most disorganized, chaotic thing we've ever experienced. It was only by sheer luck and repeated questioning that we got the information that our flight was boarding and we were supposed to board. Another couple, trying to get to Allentown, missed their flight even though they asked the gate attendants several times about whether it was time to board the flight. No announcements, multiple flights leaving out the same gate. Really just sad that United has sunk so low.)

So, it was only the prospect of reunion with our beloved Aussie shepherd Bingley that was keeping us going as we approached home at 1 am.

Those who know poor Dick's problems with jet lag will be sad to know that he was up at 5 am this morning. We're hoping he'll have a better night tonight.

Anyway, we are very glad to be home, very satisfied with a trip full of highlights and amazing stories, very much looking forward to getting back into our usual routine (Jim has missed his morning runs with his pal Astry), and very tired.

Goodbye (for now) to China

Oh, we'll still be posting a lot about this trip in the coming weeks, so keep on checking us, dear readers and fellow travelers.

But there is wonderful symmetry for Dick and Jim that they started the trip with the natural beauty of sky, tree, water and rock, and they are ending the trip that way. (We are eager to forget the not nice hotel we stayed the last night in Beijing - cramped room, small beds and inadequate air conditioning!!!)

This shot of Clay, actually on the bus trip back from the orphanage, pretty much sums up how exhausted but happy we are. (Notice that he is clutching that almost-lost-but-happily-found-thanks-to-good-hunting-by-Kathy-and-Val panda, Wafa.)


So, with no further adieu (and mostly because we have to get out of here by, sob, 8 am) here is the crazy-beautiful Zhangjiajie: