With another lengthy travel experience under our belts, my team is settling into our lives & ministries for the month in China. This was the longest travel, point to point, so far but things went rather smoothly so it was an enjoyable experience. We got to utilize multiple modes of transportation (planes, trains, and automobiles) which keeps it interesting and we also enjoyed a few days layover in a large city in China which allowed for some fun to break up the travel. All in all it was another great travel experience which resulted in safely arriving at a new destination to call home for a while. I have included the usual outline of the experience below. (**Please note that I will not name cities or exact locations for security purposes.)
Saturday, 9/29
6:00pm – All packs packed & ready (@ hostile outside Thamel)
6:50pm – Bus arrives (parked down the road) & everyone begins carrying packs down the road
7:13pm – All of my stuff is loaded on the bus
7:34pm – Bus pulls away towards the airport
8:06pm – Bus arrives @ airport parking lot
8:16pm – Bus pulls to a parking spot closer to the international terminal entrance
8:23pm – We begin to unload the bus
8:54pm – Arrive inside with packs (through first security checkpoint)
9:08pm – Check-in & head to immigration
9:20pm – Get through immigration
**Break with others for a Coke and Oreos 
10:17pm – Get into final security line
10:28pm – Board the plane
10:53pm – Plane takes off towards china (Flight time: 4 hrs.; Time Change: Move ahead 2 hrs. 15 min.)
Sunday, 9/30
4:59am (local time) – Plane lands in southern China
5:11am – Arrive & gate & begin disembarking the plane
5:28am – Go through immigration & proceed to baggage claim
5:50am – Everyone has their bags & we proceed through the airport
**Break for Team breakfast @ McDonalds
7:14am – Proceed outside the airport to the bus stop
7:29am – Board a bus
7:31am – Bus pulls away from the airport
8:02am – Arrive @ final stop (near train station) & unload packs from the bus; load up with big packs & other bags for walking
8:13am – Begin walking down the street towards the train station
8:23am – Arrive @ train station & wait while the TLs check on train tickets
9:49am – Find out that our group (3 teams headed north) has obtained tickets for the evening of 10/2 (delay because of National holiday) . . . TLs head off to find accommodations for us for the next 2 days
10:45am – Still waiting at the train station for TLs to return; some squad members occupy their time by performing worship songs for the crowds that gather to stare at the “Americans” . . . and then there was some dancing
11:30am – TLs return & lead us to a hotel
11:46am – Arrive @ nearby hotel and wait to be checked in
11:58am – Arrive in room
**We enjoyed a few days layover in this city. Personal highlights for me included eating KFC & Chinese fast food, an awesome 1 hour foot massage with Jenna, and watching NFL football on sports channel in the hotel room (Sunday night football on Monday morning & Monday night football on Tuesday morning).
Tuesday, 10/2
12:00pm – Check ou of hotel & store bags downstairs with a guard
**Hang out around town for the afternoon. Personal highlights for me included riding the subway to a mall, having lunch at the fanciest Pizza Hut I’ve ever seen (pepperoni just like home & ceasar salad J) with Jenna & Ben, and enjoying an iced vanilla mocha @ Starbucks.
6:00pm – All 3 teams meet back @ hotel lobby
7:00pm – Load up with our packs & walk down to the train station and congregate outside
7:30pm – Get in line and head into the train station
7:47pm – Make it to our waiting area inside (through security & UPSTAIRS!!!!!) and wait for loading
8:10pm – Doors open and we are herded through (with all packs) to the outside, down a ramp, around a corner, back up a ramp, & down to car 7 to board the train (**This was the single most exhausting 10 minutes of any travel experience for me yet!)
8:20pm – Settle into my bunk on the train
8:48pm – Train begins heading down the track for the 30+hrs. trip
**TRAIN INFO: approximately 25 stops on route; bunk cars (3 high) with 2 squattys & 3 sinks per car; lights out @ 10pm; food & drink carted through and sold on cars
Thursday, 10/4
7:15am – Train arrives @ our destination station and we load up our packs, pile off of the train, & walk outside the station to meet up with our contact
8:25am – First group (me, Ben, & Meagan) pile in a taxi to the bus station (small groups b/c of all of our packs)
8:44am – Arrive @ bus station & scout out a spot & wait for the others
9:58am – Load our bus for the next destination (**Note: They made us put on seatbelts! Forgot what that was like!)
10:09am – Man walks through & checks our tickets
10:16am – Bus departs
11:04am – Bus makes a brief stop to switch out passengers
11:06am – Bus pulls away again
11:41am – Another brief stop to let off a few passengers
12:14pm – Arrive @ our destination bus station; unload packs and our team walks to a nearby hotel
12:29pm – Team REAL+ arrives at a hotel and checks in; **Hotel will be our home for the first portion of this month.
Our team is split into 2 mini-teams for this month for ministry purposes. We are all living/serving in this city for part of the month and then half of us will be heading out to another city for a portion of the time. China (food, sights, culture, & people) has been awesome so far and I am excited to see how the Lord will use our time in this place for His glory and what He will reveal to each of us while we are here. Thanks for your continued prayers for all of us!
