Group Tour - Day 1

I have heard about group tours but never actually been on one. Sarah went with her school to New York City last year, but when I was young I didn't travel with my school and I was never on any sports teams that went anywhere together, and when I was in the Navy, they just loaded us up and went, we didn't stop and look at anything.

My friend Grace used to like group tours and went on her first group tour in 1930, and her last one in 1991. Based on my now vast experience of one day with a group tour, I don't think I'll be doing this for 60 years. It's, um, dull.

We hauled our luggage out to the bus for an 8:30 am departure, and of course someone was late so we had to go back and find her. Then we traveled for a while, and stopped and we all herded out and went to the bathroom, and then travled some more.

We arrived a Wuxi in the rain, and went to lunch at a place with a bunch of tour buses parked out front. The food was pre-ordered for us, which was fine, it all just felt a little sterile. We had a guide for the afternoon, and we went to see a park that had previously been the country estate of early 20th century Chinese industrialists, and to a pearl factory, and to a temple. But it was too much for the kids, James fell asleep on the bus and missed the temple, and our resident four year old stayed awake but melted down during the temple visit.

The evening meal was also in a place that seemed to cater to groups, with pre-ordered food coming out quickly and efficiently. The hotel is next to the train station and we've been advised to stay in our rooms and not venture out as the neighborhood is dangerous. This experience is not making me feel like I'm part of the culture. Or maybe it's just the rain.