Dear Zhan Hui and Mr. Li,

I am currently en route to China. Yesterday morning at 4:00, I was supposed to fly from Cedar Rapids to Chicago and then from Chicago directly to Hong Kong, but my first flight out of Cedar Rapids was cancelled because of bad weather. So they put me on another plane to Denver, and from Denver to Los Angeles and from Los Angeles to Hong Kong.

When I arrived in Denver, the flight was delayed by two hours so I missed my connection in Los Angeles. I arrived in LA at 2:00 this morning and stayed at a hotel near the airport, and that is where I am right now. Today they've got me on a new flight from LA to Tokyo and from Tokyo to Hong Kong. I think I should arrive in Hong Kong on Saturday evening.

When I arrive in Hong Kong, I will take the train to Guangzhou and go to the CITS office next to the train station. I'm having problems buying a plane ticket from Guangzhou to Kunming because Dragonair's website doesn't book flights before Aug 31, China Southern's English website is down, and China Southwest Airline's website doesn't even work.

Flying is my preference, but I may have to take the train. I'll call you when I arrive in Guangzhou with more information about my arrival. It seems that every step of this trip is fraught with obstacles, but overcoming obstacles make us greater people.

Even if I have to swim, I will make it to China.

Ryan

P.S., When I was in Denver, I had a eight hour stopover, so I called a friend. He picked me up from the airport so we could go out to eat. We never made it to a restaurant because his car broke down on the highway, and his girlfriend had to give me a ride back to the airport.