In July, 2001, Dave, Steve, and myself finally got our plans coordinated and went on a two-week trip to China. Their father, Chris I (pronounced "ee" as in "eek", has known my father since childhood, and had been working in Chengdu, China for Vaught Aircraft for the past six years or so. Uncle Chris was retiring that year and he and aunt Paolein were moving back to Irvine, CA, so we took this opportunity to visit them and see China.

I flew down to LA, celebrated Dave's birthday, then the three of us flew out to Beijing. From there we went to Xi'an, Chengdu, and finally Shanghai. Aside from being an amazing trip, many of my stereotypes were broken: it is more free there than I envisioned as we experienced little or no communist influence and capitalism was flourishing. In fact, one day we were even reading about the Tour de France at an internet cafe right across the street from Tiananmen Square, something I never though I would see.