Homeward

The Beijing airport is HUGE! The return flight from Beijing to Chicago was also empty in the economy plus section, and I ended up with three seats to myself for the 12 hour return flight. I texted JP at 9:30 PM (Nebraska time) when we boarded the first flight from Hangzhou to Beijing. She picked me up 24 hours later at the Lincoln airport. A three-hour flight across the US doesn't seem that long any more. And two hours of jet lag? Mere child's play.

Due to the record early snow and cold weather, the government let everyone turn on their heat a week early. Most of the electricity comes from coal, so the northern cities got hit pretty hard with smog. It didn't seem to bother me while I was there, but now, two weeks later, I still have a frog in my throat.

We complain about not being able to see the stars from our metro areas. Imagine growing up and never even seeing the moon.