Thanks for the definitions! Now I understand.
It drove me nuts, too, about not being able to plan our trip. I kept looking at the airfare prices knowing that if I could only be guaranteed a date, I wouldn't have to pay top fare prices for booking late. When all was said and done, our flights were in the neighborhood of $2000. Not that bad considering they were booked as 2 RT and 2 one way. In the long run, this part is forgotten as soon as you land and think, "I can't believe that I'm actually in China." While there are places that you dream of going, and I'd love to go to China, there are probably other destinations that would take precedence over that trip if left up to normal travel arrangements and time. It's awesome when you are finally there!
And, wait until you see what they do with various items that we, as Americans take for granted. For example, in this country, a pierogie is a dumpling that is boiled and then covered with butter and onions, as its typical presentation. In Russia, it is stuffed with the same potato and cheese or cabbage and cheese mixtures, but it is baked like a calzone. The dumplings that are boiled and covered in a sauce are filled with fruit and served for dessert. I thought that was interesting.
It drove me nuts, too, about not being able to plan our trip. I kept looking at the airfare prices knowing that if I could only be guaranteed a date, I wouldn't have to pay top fare prices for booking late. When all was said and done, our flights were in the neighborhood of $2000. Not that bad considering they were booked as 2 RT and 2 one way. In the long run, this part is forgotten as soon as you land and think, "I can't believe that I'm actually in China." While there are places that you dream of going, and I'd love to go to China, there are probably other destinations that would take precedence over that trip if left up to normal travel arrangements and time. It's awesome when you are finally there!
And, wait until you see what they do with various items that we, as Americans take for granted. For example, in this country, a pierogie is a dumpling that is boiled and then covered with butter and onions, as its typical presentation. In Russia, it is stuffed with the same potato and cheese or cabbage and cheese mixtures, but it is baked like a calzone. The dumplings that are boiled and covered in a sauce are filled with fruit and served for dessert. I thought that was interesting.
If not, we might not go until March. 
YEAH!!!!!
The people I know with a log-in date a month before me still haven't gotten their travel notices yet so I'm feeling like it's way off. At this point between that and Chinese New Years I'm worried it's going to be March or April.
