Greetings!
Thanksgiving is a favorite celebration since the focus is on family and food!:) Trust yours was wonderful. We didn't have turkey this year in China -- it is too hard to come by:)! We celebrated by traveling with our staff to Hainan Island and had a productive time of planning work for the upcoming year. We focus on training on how to serve our clients even more effectively in the future as we strive for continuous improvement.
In this issue I am pleased to highlight some travels of Amy, one of the travel advisers in our office, as well as a recent article I also shared with Mei magazine readers. We are also featuring something new in time for the holidays -- gift certificates for future travel. And, we are offering a special year end promotion to families who book before December 31st, as you plan for 2012 travel.
I trust this holiday season is one filled with many happy moments. Remember to photograph your children -- they seem to grow up so fast. Love to see any of yours that your family is willing to send along.
Sincerely, Lea in Guangzhou
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Guangxi Province - Longji Terrace
 Lotus Travel advisors help plan trips and enjoy travel as well. Recently Amy in our Guangzhou office wrote about her travel experience.
Click Amy to read her account of a trip to the Longji Terrace region in Guangxi province, which is approximately 2 hours outside of Guilin. Travel alongside as she recounts some traditions and people she met in the region.
If your family would like to have time to explore some areas of China more thoroughly, as a reminder, we offer an extended stay option in the beautiful city of Guilin, in Guangxi province. Click Guilin for details. | |
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Chinese New Year Tour 2012
It's a grand time of year for celebrations in China. It also can be one of the least expensive times of year for airfare to China. If your family has some flexibility  and would enjoy the adventure of seeing China during this special holiday, we offer a great tour during CNY. It departs January 14th -- click CNY tour for complete itinerary. The base price of $1850 per adult /$ 1480 per child covers general in-country travel and accommodations. We arrange specialized orphanage visits and can extend your trip as desired. A recent review of airfare deals this past week showed the following fares on round trip tickets for times surrounding our CNY tour:
- Dallas to Beijing -- $794
- Chicago to Beijing -- $895
- New York to Beijing -- $953
- Los Angeles to Beijing -- $802
Airfares are a commodity that is constantly changing, so if you've been thinking about this trip and can travel in mid-January, you can save some funds in 2012 and visit during a special time of year! | |
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Driving in China by Lea Xu
Lea recounts her recent acquisition of a drivers license in China and compares US and China driving experiences.
Many of our families are also Mei readers. During the most recent issue of M ei magazine, Lea was interviewed on the topic of driving in China. We are sharing that article here. Click China Driving to read the full account.
If Mei magazine is new to you, click Mei to see what it offers to adoptive families.
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What's unique about a Louie tour?
|  This year Louie is opening up his schedule more than ever and offering 2 spring and 2 summer tours. Many times people ask," What is different on a tour by Louie?"
So, in this issue, we thought we'd pause a moment to share about some of the "bonuses" families accompanying him receive. Of course, Louie also loves to take photos while he serves as a national guide for the group. He often shares the photo highlights with families and there are extra memorable moments captured as a result. Click Louie to read more.
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2011 Year End Booking special
| Lotus Travel recommends booking 4-6 months (or even more!) in advance of a heritage trip. We are putting our "money where our mouth is" and offering families who book before the end of the year a cost savings as well. Click Savings for details.
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"shop til you drop"
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Have you recovered from the shopping frenzy that comes after Thanksgiving? Here we focus on a totally different type of shopping. While on a China trip you'll need to plan differently and may want to learn the Mandarin phrase "too much". Click: Shop to read a humorous account from a husband and wife team about how to approach shopping in China. Get ready for fun!
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Heritage Trip Gift Certificates
Do well meaning relatives or friends ever ask what you or your kids desire for holiday gifts?
Lotus Travel has an option that makes "gifting" towards a heritage trip very easy.
Click heritage trip gift to see complete details.
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Coming soon.....
In early December Lotus Travel will be launching a discussion forum. This will provide a more interactive process to share travel tips, news and answer questions. Watch for more details in the next couple of weeks!
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China Driving statistics
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In 2001 the country had a population of over 1.2 billion, but there were fewer than ten million passenger vehicles. The ratio was 128 people for every vehicle, similar to the United State in 1911.
In 2003, nearly half a million Beijing residents acquired their driver's licenses, an average of over 1,300 people every day.
In 2011, China had about one-fifth the numbers of cars and buses as the United States. But there were more than twice as many fatalities.
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Source: "Country Driving" by Peter Hessler
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Quick LInks
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