Preparations for the trip

Having done a considerable amount of research in preparation for my trip I'm starting to gather all the essentials I'll need. It appears that at this time of year I can expect some rather extreme temperatures combined with high levels of humidity, oh boy !

Just checked the local temperature and it was 88F - 31C with 80% humidity. Apparently the locals refer to this time of year as Shanghai sauna season... how appropriate. Along with the heat also come the mosquito's, so I'll be packing a combination SPF 30 & Deet based bug repellent.

The countdown has begun.

Well the days are ticking away as I get closer to my departure date and the start of my Shanghai adventure. I'll be flying on United airlines and will arrive at Pudong Airport in Shanghai on August 26th @ 6:15PM after what I'm guessing will be a pretty tedious flight. Being something of a gadget geek I'll be fully prepared I hope to combat the bordem with my MP3 player, laptop and digital camera, and praying for an acceptable in flight movie... boy how things have changed. I remember as a youngster taking my first flight from England to Europe to spend some time living in Paris, in those days we were really lucky to experience a less than clear pitcure on a very low tech movie projection system. Today, its quite possible that the aircraft will be kitted out with all the latest in aviaition technology, including individual video & audio. Well no matter what the flight has in store for me I'll be prepared.