I am exactly one week away from beginning my first solo adventure. On February 16, I'm leaving for a 33-day trip through China! I've got the plane tickets. I've got the gear (mostly). I've made an itinerary (for what that's worth). I've even been trying to learn a little Chinese (emphasis on "little").

The basic plan is to fly to Hong Kong and spend a couple of days there before flying on to Beijing. From Beijing, it's overland to Chengdu via Xi'an. After exploring Sichuan a bit, I'll head through the Three Gorges and then by land along the Yangzi basin en route to Shanghai. Shanghai is the end of the trip. I fly home from there on March 19.