On the way home through Hong Kong, our checked luggage received self-adhesive RFID tags, a new technology for automated baggage routing and handling.

Ever seen "bird's nest soup" on a menu in a Chinese restaurant? Maybe you are like me: I always imagined it was a tangle of noodles in broth resembling a submerged bird nest made of pasta. Now that I know more, I suspect I never actually tried it. Have you?

Looks like a tourist visa for China might be pretty flexible, except that we may need to apply for it in person:
http://www.nyconsulate.prchina.org/eng/lsqz/VisasforChina/t42204.htm#1

Takes 4 business days to complete.
Single-entry visas are good for 3 months!
Next-day service is available for only $20/visa.

"All visas come into effect on the date of issuance."

"Applicants should apply for an extension of the duration at a local county level Public Security Bureau if he or she stays in China longer than the Duration of Each Stay printed on the visa ."

Tonight at my cousin Beth's house, I looked through a book of Galen Rowell's landscape photographs. Wow! What could be more inspiring?

His photos of Tibet were especially captivating. Here are a couple:
http://www.mountainlight.com/posters.html

Of course, he writes about the difficult conditions there as well; I expect that if we could get in, travelling in Tibet would be challenging. The l