Solar Eclipse July 22nd--Shanghai

I am sure that most people have seen a solar eclipse during their lifetimes, but how many of you can say you saw one in China? I will be in China this July and I am determined to see the solar eclipse over central China, Nepal and northern India. Totally cool, huh?

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_July_22,_2009). I am doing research on my adventure. It's all just starting and I cannot wait.

"This solar eclipse is the longest total solar eclipse that will occur in the twenty-first century, and will not be surpassed in duration until June 13, 2132. Totality will last for up to 6 minutes and 39 seconds, with the maximum eclipse occurring in the ocean at 02:35:21 UTCabout 100 km south of the Bonin Islands, southeast of Japan. The North Iwo Jima island is the landmass with totality time closest to maximum."

I am really excited to see one of my good friends and my old roommate from Italy in Hong Kong in just one week. I am getting a little sad over all the goodbyes here in Taiwan. Too many good friends all parting at the same time.

The Grand Plan

I just wanted to announce that I intend on traveling upon the completion of this semester. I will be leaving Taipei in two weeks and start making my way west.

The Grand Plan follows as such:

July 1st: Hong Kong--Visiting a dear friend for a week, securing a visa for China and enjoying the city.

July 7th: China--Spend three weeks moving up (or down, I haven't decided the direction yet) the coast. Seeing Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and some other places along the way.

August 1st: Vietnam--My goal is take the reunification express from southern China to Hanoi, spend a couple days. Go to Halong Bay, Hui, and make my way down to Ho Chih Min.

August 15th: Cambodia--Spend a couple days in Phenom Penh and then head to Angkor Wat.

August 26th: Laos--Possibly find a tour up the Mekong into Laos.

September 7th: Thailand--Visit a few islands (possibly the one from the movie The Beach), perhaps a diving class, not entirely sure what the plan is for Thailand.

September 20th: India--Head to Mumbai and travel around seeing a lot of the amazing Hindu sites in the south. I'm trying not to get too ambitious here, since there is so much to see. One could spend half a year and barely see anything.

Mid-November: Home--I will be home by Thanksgiving and flying out of Mumbai.
I have started a new blog to put information on, as this blog will serve as a good reference for anyone going to Taiwan in my footsteps in the same program. In addition, I will no longer be in Taipei, so a new name is appropriate.

New Blog for Travels is-->>

http://ad-erica-ventures.blogspot.com

The dates have not been set and I am thinking about volunteering in perhaps one or two places to learn a bit more about the places I am visiting and slow the pace a little bit. Please let me know if you will be in any of these areas around the same approximate times, we could possibly meet up.