In less than 3 weeks, this girl is traveling to China. Can someone say Bucket List China? If you were sitting next to me right now, you’d hear me screaming with excitement. Okay, maybe not screaming ‘cuz that might freak out our dogs, but with barely contained excitement. You’d also witness my morning routine: a mug of coffee at my really-need-a-manicure fingertips, dressed in jammies with barely combed hair and no makeup, furiously typing and researching upcoming deadlines…but I digress. In less than 3 weeks, I will be “leaving on a Jet Plane” (sing it with me John Denver fans!) traveling to China, guided by Mandarin Journeys, to meet up with 4 other women travel writers.
3 weeks to #BucketListChina with Mandarin Journeys
Bucket List China with Mandarin Journeys!
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re my husband (and I told you to click on all my links), my mom (thanks, mom!), or other family members and friends (equally enticed to read and click although rewards of wine and beer may be on the table), and you already know about my upcoming travels to China, and likely are quite over my #BucketListChina excitement. But hey, thanks for the support!
This trip to China will fulfill one of MY major bucket list travels, and with Mandarin Journeys at the helm, I know this trip is destined to be a “Life Travel Experience,” if you will… #BucketListChina on steroids. Well, maybe not steroids but perhaps a glass of wine and a martini or two, shaken (not stirred) with a whole lot of luxury, fun and adventure.
Although I’m technically traveling solo on this #BucketListChina journey, when I land in Shanghai, I will join 4 other amazing, cool and influential North American writers who all also happen to Moms. (Read more about these superwomen here.) Three of the four women I know through my gig at TravelingMom.com, while the fourth I’m getting to know online, and I can already sense these will be newest and bestest BFFs.
We are all traveling as Mandarin Journeys Ambassadors, and I am so excited to experience a new country with these travel experts.
Applying for a China Visa
As I’m writing this, I’ve already completed my application for a China Visa. I used an online service, aptly named “My China Visa,” and the process was a smooth as it could be, with the initial process beginning online. A couple of applications, a charge to my Visa card, overnight via FedEx, and now the waiting game begins.
Since Denver does not have a Chinese Embassy for me to personally apply for my Visa, part of the application process was to include my (gulp) Passport in the package. Believe me, slipping my passport in that package (with shaking hands) wasn’t easy, and once I handed it to my local FedEx employee, I immediately had the missing-my-passport-blues. What if I needed to travel out of the country TOMORROW? What if I never received may passport back? So many concerns, so little time.
When receiving my package, My China Visa (by the way not a sponsor of this blog) emailed me confirming receipt and with an estimated return delivery of the documents. All of this will take only about 7 days!
Okay, take a deep breath with me. My estimated delivery of China Visa and return of my passport — April 1, April Fools Day. Is this some other-world message?
In addition to my TravelingInHeels blogs, follow along with my China travels at:
www.DianaRowe.com
Traveling Grandmom at TravelingMom.com
Social Media:
Facebook – personal: https://www.facebook.com/diana.rowe
Facebook – www.facebook.com/TravelinginHeels
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianarowe
Instagram: https://instagram.com/dianalrowe/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dianarowe/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/dianarowevideo
Vine: https://vine.co/dianarowe
Flipagram – http://flipagram.com/diana.rowe
Disclaimer: Mandarin Journeys is providing the upcoming luxury guided China tour in April for review purposes; opinions expressed are my own.