They searched a few bags including Andy’s and still were not able to find the source of the smell which they finally said was alcohol-smelling. We are still confused about why there would have been alarm over the smell of alcohol since it is okay to board a plane with it, but we chalked that question up to one of those things we will just not understand

When we boarded the plane out of Hainan, the airplane would not take off due to “a special smell.”

Rather than a large full, queen or king pillow top mattress like one might expect at a vacation resort, we had a pair of rock-hard twin beds, as did everyone else in our group. I am not sure if these unfortunate beds were due to the cost cutting measures that had been taken to make the trip cheaper for everyone from HP or if that is just how the beds are at that hotel, but I would gladly have paid more for a large, soft bed. Oh well.

After shopping, at dinner, Patrick, Claudia and I were talking about the different ideas about Christmas in the US and Germany. They are very much looking forward to going home tomorrow and sitting by this big stove-like thing that keeps the house warm and commented how much they dislike the way in which our apartments are always blowing air. I tell you it is the little things that get to you because I agree with them completely on the air thing.

Inside of the car is like a little oasis from the hustle, bustle and cold of the city. It has leather seats with these little furry pillows with disney characters on them. As much as I could do without the pillows with animations it only adds to the coziness and comfort that I feel in the car. Instead of a dirty taxi with a driver with fingernails 1-inch long

The next day I showed my Mandarin teacher the wallet and asked her what the characters meant. She started to laugh when she read the inscription, and asked me where I bought it. She then told me the wallet says, “Join together to fight the imperial Japanese Army!”

There are benefits to not speaking the language and not having any idea the Chinese symbols represent. For one, the amount of information you have to process is much less.