• Southeast Asia & China Cruise - Peter & Geri Spencer share highlights of their latest adventure on a RWB fundraising trip.
  
• Amazon Adventure - Peter & Geri Spencer share highlights of their latest adventure on a RWB fundraising trip.

TO THE GREAT WALL AND BEYOND

Our group of 29 arrived in Beijing on September 29th. The next three days were spent touring in and around that enormous city – first to Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City, which have been greatly beautified in anticipation of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Many admiring, perhaps envious, glances were directed towards one of our group who was travelling on a three-wheel scooter; considerable improvements have been made for wheelchair access throughout the city. Another highlight was our visit to the Great Wall of China. Most of the group climbed up close to the top command post as shown in the photograph.

On October 2nd, we boarded the Sapphire Princess along with 600 Canadians and 2000 other passengers. This magnificent ship became our luxurious floating hotel for the next 17 days. We learned that the Singapore Slings on board were better than at Raffles hotel in Singapore.

Memorable and moving visits were made to Nagasaki and Okinawa, both destroyed in World War II. Nagasaki has risen from the ashes of the Atomic Bomb and is a beautiful welcoming city. A large high school band, with extremely enthusiastic young people, gave us a rousing send-off from the pier. Okinawa has a beautiful seaside park commemorating, on marble tablets, in Japanese and English, the names of all those killed during the war.

Our route continued to Shanghai, another giant of a city, with a population of over 20 million and with growing traffic problems. We also visited Taiwan, the other China, and Hong Kong. Hong Kong is still the vibrant city I remembered from a previous RWB fundraising tour 19 years ago. We were impressed with the cleanliness of Chinese and Japanese cities and with the welcoming politeness of the people we met.

Vietnam is still slowly recovering from the ravages of war. We had a chance to visit Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Vung Tau. In Nha Trang, we had a special treat when we visited a kindergarten class and watched the beautiful children perform their action songs for us. We were impressed with the countryside and the hard working people performing tasks by hand.

Singapore was our next stop. Early in the trip, we realized we were going to see contrast and variety. From the simplicity of life in rural Vietnam, we were flying into the sophistication and bustle of Singapore, a clean, orderly and well-run city. Its subway system could make someone from Winnipeg covetous. Oh for a windless area for users of public transit, or even train!

In Bangkok, we left the ship, which had begun to feel like home and entered a city of shining temples and palaces, canopied streets with sellers of food unlike we have ever seen, rivers and canals with long tailed boats – once again a city of contrasts from rich to very poor with everything in between.

In summary, a wonderful trip, great itinerary, great people and unforgettable memories!

Peter & Geri Spencer hosted the latest RWB fundraising trip to Southeast Asia.

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