Retrospective

I wanted to wait a bit after I returned home before I wrote my final thoughts on the trip. I wondered how some time away from China might color my memories, or bring me to some previously unexpected conclusions.

Generally speaking, my experiences have stuck pretty similarly in memory as they played out in real life.

One new realization I’ve had is the important role my travel companions played throughout the trip.

Roaming with mom and grandfather, both of whom have traveled around the globe many times previously, was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I don’t think I really was able to appreciate until well into the trip. Their combined travel experiences have placed them in practically every continent and sub-region in the world giving them a global perspective that helped put many of our experiences into context. It also helped that my mom, a recent graduate student, used her well-trod research skills to pepper our visits to each tourist location with fun facts and historical perspective – a welcome departure from the canned, government-approved presentation by our guides.

We also had the good fortune to have family in Shanghai. I can’t say enough about the incredible hospitality shown to us by Brad, Kenny and Lai, my aunts and uncles in Shanghai who toured us around their city, feeding us amazing food and skillfully directing us through the local markets like only a local can.

Finally, a big shout out is in order for the very cool Canadians, Australians and Irish we met during the trip.

We were lucky to have traveled with an especially entertaining group including:

• Leslie: a supremely funny Australian guy who was constantly cracking hysterical but sometimes inappropriate jokes. Leslie was too jolly for his own good. Like a rough hewn ex-military santa clause with rosy cheeks and a sharp tongue….if that makes any sense at all.

• Brian & Anne: A very cool young couple from Dublin who made great drinking companions (duh, their irish!). Thanks to Brian, I now know more about the complexities of “correct” Guinness beer drinking and International rules football/rugby than I ever thought possible.

• Sojii: A cool guy from Canada who was a great companion to navigate the Chinese nightlife with. Sojii could easily pass for a Chinese mafia hitman if he wasn’t securing the streets of Vancouver as a cop. Although he was probably the most subdued guy in the group, you’d definitely want him on your side if some shit went down in some Chinese back-alley.

• Imran: An Australian guy and recent college grad traveling with his parents. Imran was another member of our gang who went out terrorizing the locals. I don't think he was counting on carousing around each night when he prepared for the trip as he apparantly did not pack anything other than polyester basketball shorts and t-shirts to wear. So when you see those new sports-oriented fashions coming out of Shanghai next year, you'll know who started it.

Despite all the inherent shortcomings... the group tour travel format really works by bringing together like-minded world travelers from all over the world. It's a great way to see and experience new places...and interestingly enough...the perfect way to tutor the Chinese intelligence community on Western cultures and language!