Day 14 - Flight Home (LANDED!)

Track the flight here:
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL116/history/20120317/0225Z/VHHH/KEWR
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Duration 14 hours 22 minutes
Status Landed @ 1:16PM EDT


Can you spot the kids bus en-route from NY --> Foote?
I-95 Traffic Cams:
Stamford...
http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=2354&Q=414574

I-95 Bridgeport Area...
http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=2354&Q=415268

New Haven area...
http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=2354&Q=415316

Day 13 - Hong Kong

...
After an early morning walk in Kowloon Park and breakfast at the hotel, travel to the New Territories for a guided walking tour of the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail in Fanling. Visit the Produce Green Foundation, a local farm and environmental education center. Have lunch; then spend the afternoon biking along the waterfront path from Tai Po to Sha Tin. Return to the hotel for a closing ceremony. After a simple noodle supper near the hotel, take the Star Ferry across the harbor; ride the local bus up to the summit of Victoria Peak. Travel back to Kowloon Peninsula and watch the Symphony of Lights Show featuring the famous buildings in the financial district. Return to the hotel to pack for home.
...


Kowloon Park 7:30am (Uploaded by SotoSEasia on Nov 13, 2007)


Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail and Fanling Wai
Museums and Monuments in Hong Kong
Uploaded by nfornick on Mar 31, 2011


In touch with nature - The Organic Farm in Hong Kong
(Uploaded by Aiyeder on Oct 9, 2009)
On a sunny day, The Organic Farm in Yuen Long becomes a classroom for the students


Cycling @ Shatin
(Uploaded by ericewkw on Sep 5, 2008)


Cycling in Hong Kong ( Sha Tin - Tai Po )
(Uploaded by TheAnonymous852 on Aug 28, 2011)


A tour of Hong Kong, including Victoria Peak and the famous Star Ferry.
(Uploaded by kylesuo on Apr 29, 2011)
A brief video tour of Hong Kong, including Victoria Peak and the famous Star Ferry. The scene of heavy rain is right across the border in Shenzhen, China.


Symphony of Lights (Hong Kong)
(Uploaded by hexmaxxx on Sep 15, 2008)
"Symphony of Lights" is a daily presented event which starts at 8 pm. The best point of view is the Avenue of Stars in Kowloon near the hotel "The Peninsula". The show consists of numerous Lights and Laser on different buildings in Central District (Hong Kong Island) and Kowloon itself.


Hong Kong's "A Symphony of Lights" (幻彩詠香江) at the Victoria Harbor (720p HD)
(Uploaded by minxinglee on Jan 15, 2011)


Hong Kong 8pm - A Symphony of Lights (HD) 2010
(Uploaded by tkimsing on May 24, 2010)


Hong Kong By Night
(Uploaded by TheStudioHades on Nov 10, 2010)
Incredible time-lapse photography & video work...

Day 12 - Hong Kong & Po Lin Monastery

• Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha

BEHIND THE SCENES HONG KONG
Take a photo journey to Hong Kong with Andrew Zimmern.
http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/bizarre-foods/photos/behind-the-scenes-hong-kong


**************************** Nicolas' Photos *************************************

Heart Sutra along the Wisdom Path

*******************************************************************************

Three offerings to the Buddha:

*******************************************************************************

More images and offerings:

Day 10 - Yali - Nanya Middle School

Morning exercise - Nanya Middle School



Two Yali MS Students Singing A Chinese Folk Song
http://youtu.be/kA6aKLnNNgE


Yuelu Mountain
China 2011 - Episode 8 - Yuelu Mountain
by cdisdero on Oct 2, 2011

Day 8 - Changsha - Interesting sidebars

China 2011 - Episode 2 - Changsha Day and Night


China 2011 - Episode 4 - Changsha Zoo


China 2011 - Episode 3 - All Things Mao


Chris Disdero's whole Youtube Chanel looks interesting...
http://www.youtube.com/user/cdisdero?feature=watch


Um... WOW ??? !!!
30 floors in 15 days.. CHANGSHA, China.

Day 8 & 9 - Shaoshan, Yali, & Host Families

• A Yali Classroom and an Exercise Break


• Yali Morning Exercises


• An English Class at Yali


• Chairman Mao's Hometown, Shaoshan, Hunan

Learn to Speak Chinese

• How to Learn Chinese Language Quickly and Effectively


• Beginner Chinese lesson part 1


• Beginner Chinese lesson part 1

Day 7 - Xi'an Facts

Day 7 (Sat 3/10) Xi'an

• Xi'an - Wikipedia

• Xi'an - Travel Wiki
This web page has info on just about everything on the itinerary.

• The Great Mosque of Xi'an

• Bell Tower of Xi'an

• Drum Tower of Xi'an

• History of Xi'an

• Xi'an Da Cien Temple

Prayer Flags for the trip

Because Deb Riding asked me to wave a few prayer flags....

Prayer Flags on PhotoPeach

Day 6 - Xi'an - Video Tour (Terracotta Warriors)

• Terracotta Warriors
http://explore.org/#!/videos/player/china-terracotta-warriors


• Terracotta Warrior Museum - English Speaking Volunteers Wanted


• Xian & Terracotta Warriors, China

Day 5 - Great Wall - Photos & Phun Phacts

• Great Wall of China (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

• The Travel Channel has some interesting segments on the Great Wall if you can handle the ads...

Day 5 - Great Wall - Video Tour

Day 5 (Thurs 3/08) Beijing/Xian
• Great Wall
• Cloisonné Factory
• Hiking 7.5 miles from Jinshanling to Simatai.
• Overnight train to Xi’an (O/N Train#Z19 8:48P/7:58A+1)

• Great Wall Hiking Jinshanling Simatai


• Climbing the Great Wall of China


• The Great Wall, Jinshanling to Simatai


• The Cloisonne Factory


• Night train from Beijing to Xi'an

Day 4 - Beijing - Video Tour

Tai Chi & Temple of Heaven - Beijing China ...


Chinese Tea Ceremony...


Silk Factory Tour - Beijing, China


If Shopping Were an Olympic Sport - CBN.com
Beijing's Hongqiao Market is a great place to find great deals, and hone your shopping techniques....


Chinese Acrobat, Balance Act at the Tianqiao Acrobatic Theater in Beijing...


Beijing Birdsnest Olympic Stadium


Megastructures: Beijing Water Cube

Day 3 - Beijing

Google Earth isn't working so well, so I'm re-doing the links in this format. Let me know if these are any better...

Here are a few of the items on the list for day 3

• Summer Palace (Google Map)

• Tiananmen Square (Google Map)

• Tiananmen Square (The China Guide)

• Tiananmen Square (Wikipedia)

The Forbidden City - Interactive Map
• Forbidden City (The China Guide)

Take a Rickshaws Ride in Beijing (Courtesy of the Travel Channel)
• Forbidden City

Hutongs in Beijing (Courtesy of the Travel Channel)
• see
Beijing’s traditional Hutongs and Courtyard Houses

Paddle Boats on Qianhai Lake


More Travel Channel - Beijing's Foods
http://www.travelchannel.com/video/beijings-duck-11012
• Duck & Scorpion! (The Travel Channel)


Kung Fu Show at Chinese Red Theater

Day 2 - the Weather in China

Here are a few links to web pages that give you an idea of what the weather is like in China.


China's Weather Spring-like in Next 10 Days


Live Weather Maps & Satellite images

Weather Forecast Beijing, Beijing | Beijing Weather | Wunderground

Day 2 - What time is it

New York	Beijing

Day 2 Bookmarks in Google Earth

New York	Beijing

To look at these saved places in Google Earth, you need to download the saved set of bookmarks (places on the itinerary for the day) and open them in Google Earth.

If you don't have a copy of Google Earth, download it here:
Download the latest version of Google Earth for PC, Mac, or Linux

Then, download the Daily bookmarked places here:

Day One (Newark to Beijing)

UPDATE (Just so no one is confused, the REAL blog -- authorized by Deb Riding and distributed by the Foote Communications department is here:
REAL FOOTE 9th GRADE CHINA EXPERIENCE 2012 BLOG


My son is headed to China with his 9th grade buddies from school and I'm feeling a bit guilty because I didn't do anything to prepare. All the kids spent the week getting ready for the trip by gathering items for the trip, packing, and telling their mothers it was no big deal. I'm sure many of the fathers were more sensitive, mindful, or generally aware than I, but somehow I thought this was kind of like a long sleepover. As long as he had the right clothes on when he left and a few dollars in his pocket, what's there to worry about?

Now I'm a little nervous. Tracking the flight:





Here is a Google Earth view of the flight...




******

Preview of Day 2 (3/5)
• Arrive in Beijing Terminal 3

Jack Hauser found a photo of the type plane the kids took: