What happened? We're already back! And I'm still working on a checklist (maybe for the next foreign trip)

We ended up leaving June 16th and returning back June 26th.  We were able to make it with a carry on and a check in.    We went to Beijing to see the Temple of Heaven,  Forbidden City,  Great Wall, Chengdu ( Pandas ), Xi'an ( Terra Cotta soldiers ), Quilin ( Li River),  Then we went to Tokyo, Tokyo DisneySEA,  and Mt. Fuji.  Wow, it's unbelievable that we accomplish this trip. 

I forgot to meantion the multiple delayed flights and my lost luggage (for 2 days) and the rain.  It was fun.  Here is my list of things that I plan to do for the next big trip.

1. In China,  Water sources for bottle water was not a problem.  I brought a lifestraw water bottle and would do it again ( in case there was an emergency and bottle water was in short supply ).  I would pack more 1 dollar yuan bills  (very handy for drink machines at airport, hotel, and tourist areas).  Bring backpack that can carry 2 water bottles.

2. Next I would have a set of quick dry washable clothes for tshirt, pants, underwear and socks.  Cathay Pacific lost my luggage and I only had a tshirt I could wash.  I purchased new underwear ( and grew to a triple X size!!)

3. Taking pictures is really fun.  It turned out that something got stuck on my lens, temporarily, and a bunch of shots look like there's a worm on it.  Yuck.  I should make sure to clean my lens and to review and check a photo.  I almost ran out of memory cards.  I used 4 sets of 64gb cards!

4. Bring extra US cash currency and convert some currency to the denomination of the country you're going to (yuan and yen for us).  We brought roughly $1,500 (in crisp 100 bills) and $10,000 yen bills.
This came in handy for our decision for Katie to pose with a live panda and to pay our hotel bill in Japan ( I didn't want to use my credit card).

It's hard to imagine that we're going back to China with Katie on a heritage tour.  Why are we going?  Because we're getting a better deal that even our entertainment book or Costco cannot match.  Katie gets to travel in China (with other adoption families) for free, while we have to pay.  But what a deal.

I'm starting to get back flashback memories when we were preparing for our first China trip back in 2009.  Back then we had to pack a elephant in our suitcase and worry about the birdflu and getting sick.   Back then we had to bring all our over the counter meds and a lot of crisp 100 dollar bills. Hey!  We're still doing that now in 2017.

As we get older, we get smarter and pack lighter.  Right?  This time around we're packing lighter and the weight we saved on our luggage went to my stomach weight.   At least that was for me.  Arlene can still fit her clothes from high school.  I decided to buy new outfits.  Katie is now in 3rd grade going on 5th grade with an attitude.   We wanted to take her now before it was too late.  Squat toilets, humid weather,  and foreign languages don't appeal to teenagers.

Ready.  On your mark.  Get set.  Go ......  hmm,  the slow and steady win the race, right.  Well the blogs will be starting back up.  Stay tune.