http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/soooze/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from soooze en-us Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:48:40 +0000 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:48:40 +0000 I am packing frantically but the record would not be complete if I didn't share the following bits from our December in Shanghai.Nathan took his first Kung Fu test about a week ago and passed it...the whole thing was quite intense. They made the kids do a lot of work and demonstrate their skills in front of an audience of parents and a panel of Kung Fu Masters. Nathan had a serious look on his fac http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-459841.html Thanksgiving 2009 Shanghai ChinaLast year I triumphantly concocted a Thanksgiving meal on Thursday and it involved some odd substitutions. It was quite memorable quite enjoyable but it was not quite the same.This year after much soul searching and much consternation over the budgetary implications I decided that I just had to do it. I had to buy the 100 bird technically more like 130 bu http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-457396.html We spent the past week with our friends Lisa and Rikard from Stockholm. I met Lisa a year ago in Shanghai. We studied Chinese together and became fast friendshellipyou know when you meet someone you are meant to be friends with Itrsquos even more special when you find these people a half a world away from both of your homes. Lisa brought her love Rikard with her this trip and we all had a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Zhejiang/Moganshan/blog-455508.html Due to my current location I am going to use some codes here so bear with me. The SF rhymes with twine glue hysteria meter is wavering above the halfway to Nutsville here in Shanghai as it seems to be throughout the world. Or maybe itrsquos just the Suzanne hysteria meter. Lots of hand washing lots of me screaming don't touch that and keep your hands off your face but so far things a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-453625.html Two weeks ago we celebrated UN Day. This is what you do at an international school in China. You appreciate that there is a holiday all about unity among a diverse population. Our school has something like 45 countries represented. Of course some countries are represented with larger populations than others. Some countries may only be represented by one or two students. UN Day involves having the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-450688.html This week the weather has been spectacular. That perfect fall weather I associate with the Midwest. Sunny and warm but not hot. No jacket required until evening when it gets a bit chillier and even then not really jacket weather but light sweater. Itrsquos dreamy. I know it wonrsquot last for too much longer so Irsquom trying to make the most of it. Irsquove had lunch outside 3 days this http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-447542.html Final entry in the Vietnam series...We flew from Hanoi to DaNang and arrived at what would be the final stop on our Vietnam tour at about 8pm. I arranged for a car to meet us my new favorite travel thing to do and we were driven to the Hoi An Trails Resort. I should mention that we had originally booked a different hotel one that was recommended by friends and travel sites but it was damaged http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/South-Central-Coast/Hoi-An/blog-445653.html Prepare yourselves readers. This is a long one. Might want to grab a cup of tea or beverage of choice before settling in to read this one. Or make it a two part experience. I decided to publish it all as one since I tell the boat trip story start to finish. I hope you enjoy it.When I researched Vietnam everyone I spoke to said we had to go to Halong Bay. Halong Bay means descending dragon bay in http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Red-River-Delta/Halong-Bay/blog-443925.html I posted pictures on the previous Vietnam post so you can go back and check those out too.Just wanted to share a bit more on Vietnam and what wersquove noticed so far. There should be a video here soon...check back if you are an early reader. They take a long time to upload. People are very nice and seem a bit less aggressive than in Shanghai. There are people selling the same stuff as in Chin http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Red-River-Delta/Hanoi/blog-443685.html HanoiWe are off to a great start on our Vietnam adventure. We arrived a bit after 1am with some very sleepy kids. We all slept on the plane about a 4 hour flight and were fortunate enough to have a driver waiting with a Slaven sign as we exited the airport. It's all about planning those key details. Especially when traveling with kids. We drove to the hotel Mercure Hanoi and arrived at about http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Red-River-Delta/Hanoi/blog-442340.html During the past week I was fortunate enough to have my wish for visitors met twice First my dear friend Nataliersquos parents Diane and Orry came to Shanghai as a stop on their 3 week China trip and I gave them a quick tour of my favorite spots. They were traveling with some of their close friends and it was fun to meet Linda and Nick and bond over being Wolverines. Go Blue The weather was http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-441973.html The last week plus has really flown by for me. I finished my language class on Thursday. I didnrsquot know Irsquod be taking a test so of course I didnrsquot study. I think itrsquos better though. The point isnrsquot to cram itrsquos to assess my retained Mandarin. I did fine. I am debating whether to join a group class after the group catches up to me in a few weeks or just do priv http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-440425.html So much to blog but finding it hard to make time to do it. I think these weekly reviews are working well. Letrsquos do this thing.Last week was another busy one. I helped out with a new parent orientation at school. While stuffing the welcome bags and talking with the women who were going to be speaking I was offering my ideas and next thing you knowmdashon the agenda. Darn. I was a bit ner http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-437057.html Welcome to blog number 150 Every now and then I glance at my blog stats read daily and today I realized was another milestone of sorts. 150 entries from the time we decided to move until now. Over a year later and Irsquom still finding things to write about. We had a good week. Mark was out of town until Wednesday night but he got home in time for our anniversary on Thursday. We spent most http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-434874.html Over the weekend we hosted our friends for brunch which I lovingly prepared in my teeny kitchen. I made muffins and two types of pancakes to go with the fruit salad and bacon I also prepared. I had flashbacks to my first brunch with Mark in our first apartment together. Similar sized kitchen. The chocolate chip pancakes were a big hit with the kids and adults. I showed Joanna my snack closetall http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-433263.html What a difference a week makes I am feeling way better and far less grumpy than last I wrote. Just a few highlights from my weekNathan was home Monday and Tuesday with a cold but he's back in the school game now and seems to be doing fine. Emily is doing fine too. Her biggest issue at the moment is not liking any of the school food. So we are packing her lunch each day. I'm a bit annoyed that s http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-431453.html When I went to the Chinese doctor for my thyroid earlier this year he talked about qi ldquocheerdquo. In my mind flow and qi are the same thing. I need a plumber. I am clogged. I donrsquot know if itrsquos the weather or being sad to be back after such a great trip home but I am one grumpy expat. I know Irsquom not alone because I see some really hostile expat faces all over town. I http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-429725.html We've been back in Shanghai for less than a week and we are back in almost full swing. Our new apartment is good we are getting used to things. Mark did some amazing work on the place when the kids and I went to the US for two weeks. He did a trip to IKEA and solved a lot of our storage issues by buying and building three dressers and some other shelvesbins for all our clothes. The apartment is http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-428571.html The deal is I am up at 3am cobbling together a post to make up for the 2 week absence. I am back from my blogvacation. I missed the ritual but the time away was probably good for me too. We were so incredibly busy and I had inconsistent Internet access. But now across the world again I am connected and back in story telling mode.The night before we left ChicagoI am typing this at Natalie and M http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-427206.html Wow. We are far too busy for me to spend time bloggingbut I gotta. I just gotta. It's part of the story and I must tell it all. I have been documenting our every move for over a year and so as we are getting the new apartment signing the lease moving...all I can think is I gotta write this down. So in an attempt at speedy reporting from the scene I will give a few updates.The apartment se http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-422163.html