Beijing by air!!

At the Edmonton International Airport

We woke up early to have a continental breakfast at the Nisku Inn.  Uncle Spencer and Heather came by to see us.  Spencer had offered to drive us to the airport and drop off our van at the dealership for some warranty work and a new windshield.  Driving the highways up north sure does a number on vehicles!!

Our Delta Airlines flight 4823 to Seattle departs at 1:28pm and we wanted to get to the airport 4 hours prior.  The flight time itself was about 1hr 45min.  No big deal on a long haul like this!  Only two legs...Edmonton-Seattle-Beijing.  Our flight over to Beijing from Seattle would take around 11 hours. The route we flew was across the Bering Sea, always nice to know land (and good alternates!!) is constantly nearby.  However, knowing a bit about ETOPS (extended twin engine operations) having worked as a Flight Dispatcher for WestJet, I never worry even if we're flying over the pacific.  The critical point (PNR, or point of no return) is carefully calculated by super efficient Flight Dispatchers and accepted by the PIC when considering the fuel required.  Many eyes on the operational flight plan.  Ah, back in the days when I had to consider the wind and temperature conditions at altitude to confirm the equal time points (ETP)...I can't believe I still remember flight planning Boeing 737s!!  My memory is a blessing and a curse indeed.  Anyway, I know that my family is safer flying than driving (statistically) to vacation destinations.  I suppose the fact that I was ETOPS trained and sent flights across the Pacific myself has a lot to do with my peace of mind.  Thankful for that experience in my life!!

The flight tracker on our Seattle to Beijing flight

Back to 7am Our morning started...

Getting ready for our International flight!!  

Enjoying a visit with family <3  Aunty Heather & Uncle Spencer!!

Buying Chinese currency at the airport ~ Yuan.
50 CAD = 250 Yuan
That's how much each of the kids had for souvenirs.

Let's talk about safety in China.  

We talk to the kids about the possibility of hazards and harm traveling to a foreign country.  Language barriers, cultural differences & etiquette, unfamiliar neighbour, population size & crowds, transportation, customs & immigration procedures, on & on.  A lady from China who helped us with our currency warned me about taking our young children to China and to keep extra close attention on them as they could be snatched from our side.  I already knew this.  It's no different than driving through the United States or visiting Walt Disney World or our last trip to the Philippines.  We reiterated this to our children, not in a scary way but in a "be mindful of gut feelings and always be aware of your surroundings and never, EVER be left or go alone ANYWHERE" serious-kind-of-way.  (I'll share our experiences and interactions in a future blog and let you know!)

~~  Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness ~~

Mark Twain

The lady that cautioned us about taking our children to China.

We learned a few things about tourist must-sees and phrases.  

Our flights to Beijing left on time.  The kids are familiar with looking for signs for the washrooms, gates, security, Airlines, etc at the airport.  That in itself is a life lesson with the globe shrinking at the rate it is.  By the time they're adults ~ it won't be such an anomaly that they were world travellers as children.  Everyone will be doing it.

Walking to find Customs & Immigration

Always interesting artwork at the airport!  This was made entirely of broken glass/tiles.  The city (of Edmonton) was 3-dimentional.

On board the flight to Seattle!  Happy faces!

When people tell me they'd rather travel "when their kids are old enough to remember it" ~ I wonder if they've ever really considered the value of happy feelings and exciting adventures and how they help mould who we are and how we interact in life.  The feelings the children experience when they witness the smiles and astonished looks on their parents faces when they see beautiful things for the first time, like the Terracotta Warriors, or meet the man who discovered these 2500+ year old ancient artifacts.  The happy feelings and experiences we have in life help shape us ~ and it starts at birth not at a certain age.  Connor doesn't remember well his experience of the Pyramids of Giza he visited when he was 2 years old.  But Trevor & I were AMAZED at what we were seeing and there were camels and people dressed differently, speaking and interacting with us differently and sand everywhere...and we have photographs, stories, conversations, and video of that time.  And the experience alone has helped create brain matter and synapses...it's the same way I feel about 'why do I have to learn trigonometry'.  It's not the content...but adding new information is important to grow your brain capacity and how your brain works in the long run.  Your brain and emotions need to be exercised and developed...if you don't use it, you lose it.  Literally.  So we chose to live with intent rather than out of habit.  Adventures happen when you step outside your comfort zone.  I know this to be true.

"Learning is physical. Learning means the modification, growth, and pruning of our neurons, connections-called synapses- and neuronal networks, through experience...we are cultivating our own neuronal networks."- Dr. James Zull, Professor of Biology and Biochemistry at Case Western University.

Travel means discovering everyone is wrong about other countries.  Including myself.  I have an extremely open mind in life, not in an naive manner, and I the words of my Yoga Guru, Baba Hard Dass, resonate with me in life... 

 Work honestly. Meditate every day. Meet people without fear. And play.

What is discussed to be true as a child sitting in a Social Studies classroom in Canada isn't how a child of the same age in another country would be taught the same information.  If the same topic is even broached.  And what we learn shapes our thoughts and opinions.  Events or people may be inconsequential to me, but revered to another and vice versa.  

Travel teaches tolerance and empathy by highlighting context and giving perspective.  

And further to that, compassion.  The world is my classroom. Travel makes one humble and modest ~ you really do realize what a teeny, tiny place we occupy on earth.  Why take someone else's word for what something looks like or an event that took place?  If Hitler and the axis powers won WWII...what would the history books say?  Books are written to persuade, entertain, or inform.  History is written by those who prevail.  

Being a witness of the wonders in this world is essential to my soul.  Meeting and interacting with people.  If you want to help someone be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.  I enjoy my family's discussions and learning their perspectives.  Travel doesn't become an adventure until you leave yourself behind ~ I am a better mother because I make the world available for my children.

Activities while waiting for our Seattle to Beijing leg.

The kids are very good about staying occupied.  Sitting around SEATAC, they pulled out the journals I made for them and started working on some activities.  Connor finished the Harry Potter book his teacher, Mr. Bradley, was reading to the class.  We were all well rested and anxious to see Beijing!

Now boarding Delta Airlines 129 SEABEI

Now boarding Delta Airlines 129 SEABEI

Now boarding Delta Airlines 129 SEABEI

Ready to go!

Ready to go!

The 11 hour flight past without issue ~ everyone either read, watched a movie, or slept.  We were to lose 15 hours (ahead) in addition to the flight time.   Some photos of the flight...

When we arrived to Beijing, it was about 9 p.m.  Beijing from the air at night is HUGE and beautiful.  I tried to squint to see it I could make out any landmarks or perhaps palaces or the Great Wall even!  Never know ;)  The First Officer invited the kids up to the cockpit.  We had the same experience when we landed in Manila last year ~ the kids love it.  Connor asks thoughtful questions and loves to sit and look at the annunciators and instruments.  The FO told us to check out the Pearl Market for cheap knock-offs and avoid the Silk Market, which tends to be more expensive.  He also told us we were fortunate to arrive that day as the International Communist Party Convention was  still going on and the Chinese government shut down the factories to reduce air pollution while  communist parties from others countries were staying in Beijing.  After, we quickly went though Customs & Immigration, filling out the arrival card with our passport & visa numbers for each of us.  The officers take a photo of each person as they're processed and admitted into China.  Soon we were leaving the Customs/Immigration area and into the arrivals.  The Beijing airport is huge.  We quickly found a Starbucks so we could have a snack not knowing how long it would be before we arrived at our apartment rental.  Trevor went to find a SIM card for my phone, but was unsuccessful.  We found one on Qianmen Street at a later date.

Connor enjoys this part of the trip!  Sitting in the cockpit!

Photo with the Delta Airlines First Officer who flew us from Seattle. 

Beijing from the air at 9 o'clock at night

We took an taxi/SUV for 300 yuan ~ roughly $60 Canadian.  We hadn't researched the subway at that point.  On leaving Beijing, it cost us 87 yuan ~ less than $20, and a lot less time through traffic, too.  We were anxious to meet Zoey, the owner of the apartment we were renting on Qianmen street.  The apartment is very small, 2 bedrooms, a bathroom with a toilet/shower/sink, small kitchen.  It was perfect.  

The front door of our apartment in Beijing.

Zoey meeting the Quartet.

Immediately to bed to reset our bodies to "Beijing time".

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. ~ Lao Zhu

What will tomorrow bring......

Blue skies to you!

Tash & Trev