My trip to Asia earlier this month was a much better than the one I took last year. My company was great, as was the printer I worked with in Shenzhen. My next few posts will give you a quick overview and some anecdotes pulled from the journal I kept while traveling.

Goldfish Market, Hong Kong

A View of Hong Kong Island from the Star Ferry

Click to enlarge.

Last year when I went to Hong Kong I was terribly distraught about leaving. Thinking back on why I was so upset, I recall:

The H1N1 virus was in full swing. Travelers were being quarantined for weeks in China and my temperature would be taken upon landing in Hong Kong to determine if I was well enough to enter the country

Air France flight 447 had just disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean

I would be spending my birthday alone

My uneasiness did not subside when I arrived safely. I was lonely. I was overwhelmed. I called Ryan immediately and had him change my flight to an earlier date.

After being home for a couple of weeks after the trip, I realized that I had squandered an exceptional opportunity to see a very different part of the world.

Luckily, I have the opportunity to make up for the lost experience.

On Saturday, I leave for Hong Kong. From there, I travel to mainland China where I will work for a week. I'll return to Hong Kong, where Ryan will meet me and we'll spend five days touring Hong Kong and Macau.

The best part: I won’t be alone. Sarah, our partner from London, will be meeting me in Hong Kong and going to China with me… and of course, Ryan will arrive later.

I am really excited about this trip!

Fingers crossed Hurricane Earl won’t mess with my travel plans.