May 27
Shanghai to Xi`an


5/27 - My flight to Xi`an was in the early afternoon, so I had plenty of time to pack and get my things together. I expected that the subway would be relatively empty, but I could not immediately find a seat, and my three bags were a little burdensome in the heat.  But the Maglev going 300Km/H made the actual trip to the airport fly by. China Eastern Airlines wouldn't let me check in for quite a while, so I had to sit with my bags and read until the flight opened. I would have liked to wander around the modern airport for a bit and shoot some pictures, but it was not to be.

The flight itself was uneventful, and I was met at the baggage claim in Xi`an by my two student guides and my driver. The drove me to the Xi`an Hotel ("the best hotel in Xi`an") where I unpacked. The hotel room had nice furnishings, but also a few problems including a computer that wouldn't connect to the internet and a bathroom electrical plug that wouldn't work.  But with the help of my guides, we were able to get the hotel to fix things up.

Then it was another banquet, this one featuring faculty from the Software School of Xidian University, the hosts of my visit in Xi`an. Interestingly, my guides and driver were included in all lunches and dinners that I ate in Xi`an. I was able to begin distributing some of the GT gifts that I had brought.  After dinner, I got a short driving tour of the town of six million people.