hello from sunny China

We survived the bus and 18 hour train ride to get here. The countryside was spectacular. We had six bunks to a cabin. It wasn't too bad. The weather has been quite nice with no snow, which is very unusual we are told. The people are very nice that we are with. The food is good. It has been good to see what it is like to live in China. Maelyn has learned lots about the culture. This Saturday we have a 7 hour train ride to go to Beijing for a week before heading out to our next destination. It's different living like the chinese instead of being in fancy hotels (like when we got Maelyn). It will seem strange to have western toilets after being here. Maelyn is having a great time living with all the university students. She eats with chopsticks all the time and enjoys all the new food. We have made close friends and there will be many tears when we leave each other. Maelyn has been so healthy on this trip. I've had a cough since Hong Kong from living so close with so many people. Mike has been fine. Everyone is gearing up for the upcoming Spring Festival. It's the one time of year that family come together. We plan to do tourist stuff while in Beijing. The girls sure love to shop and get deals! I will be celebrating my birthday in Beijing. Sounds like a spa day to me. We've had fun going for massages, haircuts, and facials. We can get a 90 minute head, arms, hands, back, neck massage plus hair wash for $1.00 canadian. So we don't even bother washing our own hair anymore. We even had Maelyn done. It is so cheap to eat in restaurants here too. The students have told us lots of what it is like to grow up here so it's been very beneficial for Maelyn. She is at the age where she will remember it all too. Before we left Hong Kong the three of us went to the new Disney Land. It was so much fun with great shows. They did a good job on it. We went through the week so there were no line ups. We also went to another theme park called Ocean Park with rides and animals, sorta like our Marine Land but more elaborate while in Hong Kong. This really has been a trip of a lifetime and we are so glad Maelyn is experiencing chinese life first hand.