Countdown: 12 more days!

We leave for China in less than 2 weeks - YIKES!  I just booked our train tickets yesterday morning and wired money to our guide in Changsha (the city XiMei is from).  We're visiting 5 cities in two weeks: Beijing, Dengfeng, Zhangjiajie, Changsha, Hong Kong.  Here's a link to Google Maps so you can see where we'll be starting and ending (we'll be traveling mainly by train while in country): 

https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=Beijing,+China&daddr=Dengfeng,+Zhengzhou,+Henan,+China+to:Zhangjiajie,+Hunan,+China+to:Changsha,+Hunan, +China+to:Hong+Kong&hl=en&sll=30.836238,113.700405&sspn=37.65747,41.000977&geocode=FR7jYAId5jzwBim5LBTnllLwNTGKqQ-vIFZiuQ%3BFaO4DQIdfAO9Bikhpa546rXXNTFhjODK7-XBIg%3BFahKvAEdV8eVBimZVbaDIQabNjFWkMIgXYuQYQ%3BFXG6rgEdPk-7BinFZBye8zUnNDGApvGhnLvlsQ%3BFQy-VQEdOSzNBikPmDKj7eIDNDF8yerburOK8A&mra=ls&t=m&z=5

One of the places we'll be visiting is Wulingyuan Scenic Area, located in Zhangjiajie:  
Wulingyuan, China, which resides inside the Zhangjiaji National Forest, is truly one of the most remarkable and interesting places in the world. It's unique sandstone pillars, standing around 2,500 feet tall, and deep jungle forest were the inspiration behind the visually stunning film Avatar. One of the more famous pillars has even been renamed to "Avatar Hallelujah Mountain" in honor of the film depiction. Wulingyuan is one of those places that truly is like nothing else on the planet. Lucky for us, we don't need computer animated graphics to witness it's sheer beauty. 

bendavisphotography.blogspot.com

We have a lot packed into this trip...here's what our itinerary currently looks like:

Nov 20-23 

Beijing: Xiao Yuan Alley Courtyard Hotel

Wangfujing Street/Donghuamen Night Market

Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace)

Beijing Shadow Puppet Drama Troupe

Hutong Rickshaw Tour (Drum and Bell Tower, Shichahai Night Market at Houhai Lake)

Beijing night tour

Mutianyu Great Wall (Toboggan)

Explore local villages near Great Wall

Summer Palace

Tiananman Square

Imperial Granary (Chinese Opera)

Nov 23-24 

Dengfeng: Kungfu Hostel

Shaolin Temple

Nov 25-27

Wulingyuan: Tu Niu Hostel
Wulingyuan Scenic Area/Baofeng Lake

Nov 27-30 

Changsha: Gold Source Hotel

Pozi street

Visit Countryside

Taiping Historical and Cultural Block

Tianxin Pavilion

Xiangjiang River at Night

Changsha #1 SWI

Martyr’s Park/Hunan Folk Culture Village
Tianxin Pavilion

Nov 30-Dec 3

Hong Kong: Metropark Hotel Causeway Bay

Stanley Market/Beach?

Night tour - Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade, Avenue of Stars, Symphony of Lights

Lan Tao Island - Ngong Ping Plateau (Tian Tan Buddha)

Tai O Fishing Village

Victoria Peak

Ocean Park