Travel Journal Entry 1: Getting Ready to Go!
Hi girls! It’s time to start our world trek and I am really excited. I hope you are too!
I’m all packed and ready to go. I think I have everything I
need. The latest weather report says that it is –8 degrees in
Beijing, and I have my coat, mitts, hat, scarf and comfortable
shoes. I have winter clothes and summer clothes, as I will be
visiting countries with different temperatures. It was hard
trying to decide what to pack. My luggage had to weigh less
than 50 pounds and I wanted to leave room for souvenirs. I
have my camera, journal, passport, books to read on the
flight an MP3 player of my favourite music. Some of the
flights will be very long, so I will be able to read, listen to music and practice some of the
languages of the different countries.
I had to get some special visas stamped in my passport to visit China, Kenya and Brazil. And,
oh, yes I have my plane tickets as well. I have done a lot of reading to get ready for my trip. If
any of you are planning a trip, you should check the following website:
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/preparation_information/visas-eng to make sure you have all your
required visas.
I learned that to travel to some countries, I had to get some vaccinations. I’m a little afraid of
needles so my mom came with me and held my hand. I will need to exchange money in each of
the countries because they don’t always accept Canadian dollars. I don’t want to carry too much
money with me so I have some traveler’s cheques that I can cash when I get to each country.
During my trek across Canada, I learned we have five different time zones, so I am used to
always changing the time on my watch. On this adventure, I will pass through many more time
zones and even cross the International Date Line. This means I’ll repeat the same day twice.
That’s exciting because I can have double the fun. If you want to learn more about the
International Date Line and how it works check out this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPpWCTHjzQI, and here’s a site with an interactive map to
help you better understand world time zones http://www.timeanddate.com/time/map/.
I have to admit I’m a little nervous about the trip, but more than nervous I’m excited! I can’t wait
to see all the sites, taste the food and learn more about the cultures. I also hope that I will be
able to connect with other members of WAGGGS associations.
Last night at my Unit meeting, they held a Bon Voyage party for me. It was really great! We had
a lot of food and treats and I received some presents for my trip including this travel journal,
which I will use to keep you updated on my travels.
I’m not sure if I will be able to sleep tonight but I’ll try. I’ll write you again from the airport.
TTFN!
Your too-excited-to-sleep trekker,
Zoë
Updated 07/2012
Travel Journal Entry 2: The Flight from Vancouver to Beijing
My flight departs today from Vancouver at 7:15 a.m. and I will be
flying 1276 km to San Francisco. This will take two hours and 20
minutes. From there, I will board a flight to Beijing, China at 1:35
p.m. I will travel 9,518 km and will arrive in Beijing at 5:55 p.m.
tomorrow since I will be crossing the International Date Line.
The total flying time for both flights is 14 hours and 30 minutes.
I am so excited that I can hardly wait to land in Beijing. Did you
know that Beijing is located in the northeastern corner of China?
The city is a mixture of old hutongs (pronounced ‘hoo-tongs’
meaning alleys) and new buildings. Many of
the new buildings were built in preparation for Beijing to host the 2008 summer Olympics. It’s
also the capital city of China and as of 2010 there were 19.6 million people living within the
municipality.
The money in China is called Yuan (pronounced yoo-ahn). Here’s a site where you can find out
how many Yuan you can get for $1 Canadian
http://ca.moneycentral.msn.com/investor/market/crncconverter.asp. There are many different
dialects (versions) of the Chinese language. In Beijing it’s called Mandarin. I’m going to practice
on the flight. If you want to learn too, here is a Web site that might help you Learn Chinese
Phrases.
Well it’s time to board the plane. I’ll write again when I get to Beijing!
Your Pal,
Zoë
Updated 07/2012