Yes! China - was - AMAZING!

So I know you've all heard about most of it by now, but the China trip was amazing. I had some bad luck, but it nowhere near defeated my spirits any. I knew how lucky I was to be there and wasn't going to take it for granted. The high and lowlights...

* The flight over was GREAT! I had all 3 seats to myself. I was maybe awake 2 hours of the whole flight. YES!
* I got to the hotel and they weren't letting me in! Bradley was at a game and wouldn't be back for like 6 hours and I had NO WAY TO REACH HIM!! They told me I'd have to sit in the restaurant until he got back to verify I was his sister!! GRRR. But after a 20 minute wait, they found the card Bradley left me (DUH) and I went up and crashed till Brad got back. Yes - we jumped and screamed!
* I woke up the next morning throwing up - from what I don't know! I hadn't eaten or drinking anything in almost a day and half, which probably what did it in addition to the long flight and wierd sleep change. That morning was supposed to be when we went to see MAY-WALSH (why yes... that IS the gold medal team!) USA volleyball and I was determined to go! I threw up in between getting ready and then tried to take a towel to get sick in in the cab... but I got to the front door and looked at Brad... he knew. BOOOOOOOOO. I cried I felt so bad and told him to go, but he didn't. That's why we love him. So no May-Walsh for us, the second main thing I wanted to do in China.
* I felt better and I went with Bradley to his make-up game. I GOT A PRESS PASS TO GET IN AND SIT WITH BRAD IN THE BOX!!! YAAAAYY! IT WAS COOL! Then, because that game went late, we missed the other USA volleyball team play ;-)
* The Temple of Heaven was nice, the Forbidden City was eh, Tiannemen Square was awesome to see, and the Summer Palace was gorgeous! None of these places were small either... each took on average 5 hours to get through and I barely saw all of them.
* The Great Wall... Yes, it poured rain... and we couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of us. So while we were on the Great Wall, we didn't see it. But Brad and I made the best of it and had fun anyway! He loved the fact that we got in a cable car crash :-)
* I didn't try an ounce of Chinese food - wasn't going to risk my tummy getting all angry again!
* I shopped a ton and had soooo much fun in the Silk Market! I bargained a ton and did well... while also doing horribly... and got some fun stuff.
* Bradley and I wandered aimlessly a great deal around the city - don't ask!
* I missed the Track & Field match I was supposed to go to because Bradley swore to me it was Wednesday. When I got ready Wed. and looked at the ticket, it said Tuesday night! So I didn't get to go into the Olympic Village and see the Nest up close. But I got pictures from a mile away! ha!

So, of course there is a ton more I could write, but I won't bore everyone with everything. I just want to say thank you so much to Bradley for letting me come and share his experience with him! LOVE YOU!!!


SLIDESHOW COMING..............