Top hotel groups

Marriott International: The undisputed largest hotel chain in the world, featuring over 1.6 million rooms across legendary brands like Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton, and Westin. 

Hilton Worldwide: The second largest by market valuation, spanning over 1.2 million rooms across brands like Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, and Hampton. 

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG): A massive global footprint of nearly 1 million rooms, anchored by Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and InterContinental. 

Hyatt Hotels Corporation: Considerably smaller in total hotel count (around 1,300+ properties) but fiercely loved by travelers for its high-end luxury portfolio like Park Hyatt and Grand Hyatt.

Accor: Based in France, Accor is Europe's largest hotel group. It commands over 850,000 rooms and has the most diverse lifestyle/luxury lineup, including Fairmont, Sofitel, Novotel, and Ibis.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts: By absolute number of hotel locations, Wyndham is an absolute monster with over 9,200 properties, focusing heavily on budget and midscale travel like Days Inn, Super 8, and Ramada. 

Jin Jiang International: This Chinese state-owned giant is technically the second-largest hotel group in the world by room count. It owns Radisson Hotel Group (outside the Americas) and Louvre Hotels.

H World Group (Huazhu): Another massive Chinese powerhouse that ranks ahead of IHG and Hyatt in terms of total global room capacity. 

Hyatt and World of Hyatt

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, commonly known as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is an American multinational hospitality company headquartered in the Riverside Plaza area of Chicago that manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacation properties. Hyatt has more than 1350 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 69 countries, across six continents.

Hyatt operates a loyalty program called World of Hyatt, which replaced Gold Passport on March 1, 2017.[56] This program includes membership tiers of base members, Discoverists, Explorists, and Globalists. The program offers Hyatt members benefits such as room upgrades and complimentary breakfast, based on how many nights they stayed in Hyatt-affiliated hotels or how much they spend in Hyatt properties.[57]

Hyatt has 25+ distinctive brands and over 1,300 locations to explore. 

Hyatt manages many different brands of properties:

• Alila
• Alua Hotels & Resorts
• Andaz
• Atona
• Breathless Resorts
• Caption by Hyatt
• Destination by Hyatt
• Dreams Resorts & Spas
• Grand Hyatt
• Hyatt
• Hyatt Centric
• Hyatt House
• Hyatt Place
• Hyatt Regency
• Hyatt Residence Club
• Hyatt Studios
• Hyatt Vivid
• Hyatt Zilara
• Hyatt Ziva
• Impression by Secrets
• JdV by Hyatt
• Miraval
• Park Hyatt
• Secrets Resorts & Spas
• Sunscape Resorts & Spas
• Thompson Hotels
• The Unbound Collection
• UrCove by Hyatt
• Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts

Hilton and Hilton Honors

As one of the world's largest hospitality companies, Hilton is committed to driving responsible travel and tourism globally. At Hilton, there's a hotel brand for everyone, from the no-frills Hampton Inn traveler to the luxury seeker who wants to be pampered at a Conrad or Waldorf Astoria. Hilton’s portfolio includes 23 brands, from the luxury Waldorf Astoria and Conrad Hotels and Resorts to mid-scale Tru by Hilton.

Hilton Honors points have a value of 0.5 cent each. Hilton Honors points are worth less than the average hotel point. As a member of the Hilton Honors program, you'll be able to earn and redeem your points on everything from affordable hotels with all the basics to some of the most luxurious addresses around the world.

Canopy by Hilton (Lifestyle)

Conrad Hotels & Resorts (Luxury, named after founder)
Curio Collection by Hilton (Upper upscale)
DoubleTree by Hilton (Upscale)
Embassy Suites by Hilton (Upper upscale)
Hampton by Hilton (Upper midscale)
Hilton Club (Timeshare)
Hilton Garden Inn (Upscale)
Hilton Grand Vacations Club (Timeshare)
Hilton Vacation Club (Timeshare)
Hilton Hotels & Resorts (Upper upscale)
Home2 Suites by Hilton (Upper midscale)
Homewood Suites by Hilton (Upscale)
LivSmart Studios (Extended Stay)
LXR Hotels & Resorts (Luxury)
Motto by Hilton (Upper midscale)
Signia by Hilton (Upscale)
Small Luxury Hotels of the World (Upscale independent hotels)
Spark by Hilton (Premium economy)

Tapestry Collection by Hilton (Upscale independent hotels)
Tempo by Hilton (Upscale)
Tru by Hilton (Midscale)
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts (Luxury)

IHG and Marriott

Always a bit confused by so many hotel brands, so I spent some time learning these two hotel groups: IHG and Marriott. 

IHG Hotels & Resorts, or InterContinental Hotels Group, is a British hospitality company that operates more than 6,000 hotels and resorts in over 100 countries. IHG is known for its brands, which include InterContinental, Holiday Inn, Kimpton, Hualuxe, Avid, and Garner.

IHG offers a free IHG One Rewards program that allows members to earn points that can be redeemed for hotel nights, transferred to airlines, and more. Members can also earn elite status and receive benefits like room upgrades and late checkout. There are many opportunities to earn and redeem IHG One Rewards points at iconic hotel brands like Intercontinental, Kimpton, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and more.

https://www.ihg.com/content/us/en/about/brands

Marriott International is a multinational company that operates, franchises, and licenses lodging brands, including hotels, residential properties, and timeshares. Marriott has over 30 brands and 8,785 locations in 139 countries and territories, with 1,597,380 rooms across its network. Some of Marriott's brands include The Ritz-Carlton, W Hotels, JW Marriott, Sheraton, and Marriott Hotels Resorts & Suites.

Marriott also offers hotel reservations, timeshare vacations, flight and hotel packages, and car rental services. The company also operates loyalty programs, including Marriott Bonvoy, which allows members to earn and redeem points for benefits such as hotel stays, credit card spending, tours and activities, and more. Membership in Marriott Bonvoy is free to enroll in and maintain.

https://www.marriott.com/marriott-brands/explore-our-brands.mi

2023 World's happiest countries

1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Israel
5. Netherlands
6. Sweden
7. Norway
8. Switzerland
9. Luxembourg
10. New Zealand
11. Austria
12. Australia
13. Canada
14. Ireland
15. United States
16. Germany
17. Belgium
18. Czech Republic
19. United Kingdom
20. Lithuania

California National Parks Free Entrance

Come experience the national parks! On five days in 2023, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in 2023:

• January 16: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
• April 22: First day of National Park Week
• August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• September 23: National Public Lands Day
• November 11: Veterans Day

优胜美地国家公园（Yosemite National Park）
死亡谷国家公园（Death Valley National Park）
约书亚树国家公园（Joshua Tree National Park）
旧金山国立海事历史公园（San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park）
威思基镇国家休闲区（Whiskeytown National Recreation Area）
美洲杉和国王峡谷国家公园（Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks）
穆尔森林国家纪念地（Muir Woods National Monument）
火山岩床国家保护区（Lava Beds National Monument）
拉森火山国家公园（Lassen Volcanic National Park）
卡布里约国家纪念区 （Cabrillo National Monument）
石峰国家公园（Pinnacles National Park）

Relocation tips (from China to the US)

想到接下来团队有几位同学要来美国加州旧金山湾区，就想整理个东西给新同学们，想到哪写到哪，主要还是衣食住行相关的，逐步完善吧。祝大家美国的工作生活一切顺利。

SSN 社会安全号

周五听说新来的同学去办SSN了，是的，这个是一来就要办理的事情，因为工资缴税等都要这个SSN. 这里的Social security number有点像身份证号码，但很少公开，平时用也大多是用最后4位，这个号码贷款等跟信用有关的都要用到。(非常多的scam电话短信，千万不要提供这个号码) 请妥善管理。申请office可以在 https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp 上查询，我当年去的是Mountain View的office, 后来发现 Campbell那边排队的人还好，估计是实在不显眼的原因，也离公司不远。

Social Security Administration

770 W Hamilton Ave, Campbell · (800) 772-1213

信用分

美国信用体系是根据SSN来查的。个人推荐装一个Credit Karma的APP, 可以很好的monitoring自己的银行账户活动和自己的信用分，免费的。新来的同学推荐办2张信用卡先，已开始不要太多，2张足够积累信用分。你的第一张卡一直保留着，这样可以积累credit history.

DMV 车管所

这个是刚来也必去的政府部门，以前的DMV以慢出名，现在也逐渐电子化，很多都可以网上办理，但考驾照还是不得不去DMV office的，具体情况看 https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/

对我来说，很久远的事情了，但应该还是有笔试和路考，笔试有中文的题目，只要提前熟悉记忆这边的交规，应该很容易考过。路考就因人而异了，我当时为了驾照可是去了N趟DMV的，每次都要2-3个小时，正常不过的，所以要有耐心，特别是在国内天天开车的同学。听说也有些教练，会很有帮助，可以考虑去比较偏僻的DMV, 一来排队时间短，二来路考的时候路上的车流量也少，不太容易遇到一些特别的，比如警车，校车，垃圾车等等。

加州现在推行的Real ID, 这个就是经常用的身份标识了，比如买酒的时候，就经常要Photo ID, 我们就用驾照。平时把自己的护照和SSN妥善的保管好，不需要随身携带。

保险

医疗保险公司都有，也有额外的意外险可以购买，都很便宜，不用担心。美国的保险可以一人购买cover全家的。

汽车保险，等买了车后，就需要办理，很多agent代理车险，这个是必须购买的，一般半年半年的购买。

非处方药物

有些非处方药可以很方便的从连锁药店买到

CVS Pharmacy

Walgreens

Rite Aid

Walmart Pharmacy
Costco

手机

美国有5大运营商，不管你是用iOS还是Android, 都有很多选择。公司有手机BYOD的报销，所以办理了后尽快去enroll BYOD, 这样就可以每个月收到报销的费用。湾区主要还是AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, 听说Verizon的覆盖率最好，如果你喜欢经常hiking, camping, 推荐这个。我是用的T-mobile, 还行吧，之前公司没有报销，所以办了个最便宜的。

租房

https://www.zillow.com
https://www.apartments.com

https://www.apartmentfinder.com

https://www.rent.com

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/

买房

https://www.zillow.com

https://www.redfin.com

https://www.realtor.com

购物打折信息网站

Dealsea.com (English)

Dealmoon.com (Chinese + English, 华人社区打折信息，信息量很大)

购物返点网站

https://www.rakuten.com/r/LUCOZH?eeid=28187 (referral & earn $30 using the link to register) 这个是我用下来最好的最方便的, 支持Chrome extension，可以在信用卡返点的基础上额外有返点。美国很多网购都有支持coupon code, 可以用这个插件来帮忙。

买菜

https://www.99ranch.com

Costco (会员制，但在我看来，是性价比非常高的一家wholesale, 忠实粉丝，每月必去。一来后就办理了会员，不过最近Costco也有新会员奖励活动，建议关注dealsea, dealmoon信息)

Safeway (门店很多，很方便)

Wholefoods

Lion market

Marina Foods

Weee!华人生鲜第一站，首单减$20 https://www.sayweee.com/invite_friends/landing?referral_id=2219&t=1&lang=zh

吃饭

DoorDash is a great way to support local restaurants with safe, no-contact delivery. Get $30 off ($10 off each of your first 3 orders) when you sign up with this link: https://drd.sh/AnGW7NreSDX22RUQ

Hungry? Get $20 off your first UberEats order of $25 or more. Terms apply. Use my code at checkout: eats-jimz272ue   http://ubr.to/EatsGiveGet

华人餐厅: Cupertino, Milpitas, Santa Clara, Fremont 等有很多, google上随便search就会发现天南地北的口味都有。

买车

建议新车，省掉很多旧车的烦恼，弄个loan, 还帮助积累信用分。

https://www.carmax.com

https://www.edmunds.com/

https://www.kbb.com/

打车

Uber (应该有支持注册奖励)

Lyft （有推荐奖励）

For $15 in ride credit, download the Lyft app using my referral link. It's the most affordable ride in town. Terms apply. https://www.lyft.com/i/JIM365509?utm_medium=p2pi_iacc

道路救援

AAA https://membership.aaa.com

购物中心

Westfield Valley Fair 

Westgate Center

Santana Row

Eastridge Center

Macy’s

Nordstroms

Great mall

Stanford shopping center

Gilroy Premium Outlets

Simon Premium Outlets (Livemore)

美国网购也是比较发达，几乎零售商都有ecommerce，我个人常用的是amazon, costco, safeway, target, walmart, macy’s, nordstrom, ebay (我很少用)

银行

美国这边的银行一般都有开卡奖励。我当时来的时候都不知道这些，后来才了解到的。跟国内不同的是，这里有checking and saving 两种账户，checking简单说就是支票账户，没有存取限制，平时写支票付房租或者什么的，都是从这个账户走，saving更多是是存款账户，每个月有取款6次的限制。另外很少用的就是CD,类似国内的存单，利率如此低，没有必要定期存款。

1. Bank of America （网点多，以前新开账户有奖励，不知道现在什么情况）

2. Chase （新开账户奖励活动经常有，google上找或官网上看)

3. Citibank (新开账户推荐有奖励，citibank官网显示现在的幅度很大, 根据存入的金额大小，有$300～$2000区间的金额。我个人觉得花旗不错，因为国内也有支行)

上面的三家银行很多网点都有讲中文的银行员工了，另外基本上所有的银行都有网上银行和手机银行。比较方便。

电子支付，这里普及度不高，所以平时出门还是要带着钱包(包括少量现金，因为有些地方是cash only)，我偶尔用的主要是以下的几个工具：

Paypal （支持推荐邀请，有注册奖励）

Venmo （也是Paypal旗下的）
Apple Pay
Zelle （转账/付款等，主流银行都已经支持电话号码或email绑定了）

信用卡，建议开始只办2张，找人推荐，双方都可以拿奖励，也添加申请的成功率。在Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover这些常见的信用卡网络中，Visa, Mastercard 应该是大多地方都收的。

我有个运通的卡，平时买菜返点3%, 但也有少数店不收运通的卡 Apply for an American Express Card with this link. We can both get rewarded if you're approved!

http://refer.amex.us/HONGJZbGCh?XL=MIMCP

另一个强烈推荐的是Chase Freedom行用卡，门槛低，Chase Freedom Flex季度有5%的轮换返点（麻烦的是每个季度要从email里点一下，而不是自动enroll的），我一直用，支持Friend Referral program, 双方都有奖励，办卡者是$200，推荐者是$50.
Earn $200 cash back with Chase Freedom Flex or Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card. https://www.referyourchasecard.com/18a/NUSYFKSF8G or
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/18a/DAL4LX30DB
另外一种是Chase Freedom Unlimited, 无限制最低返点1.5%。2个卡的具体对比参考https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/freedom/CFD2022g?CELL=6RRW

证券账户

公司用的Etrade就很好，有stock plan, 也有个人证券账号

我平时用Robinhood, 因为以前这家不收交易手续费，现在应该都不收了。推荐link如下

Join Robinhood with my link and we'll both get a free stock 🤝 https://join.robinhood.com/hongjiz4

Small towns across the US

Redfin selected 10 small towns

Portland, Maine
Sedona, Arizona
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Estes Park, Colorado
Hilo, Hawaii
St. Augustine, Florida
Port Townsend, Washington
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Montpelier, Vermont
Saugatuck, Michigan

https://www.redfin.com/blog/10-beautiful-small-towns-in-america/

Weekend Getaways (Trip)

When I read the magazine "MyTown silicon valley", I suddenly came up with an idea to put getaways options in a blog, so that I can reference to this in the future. California is a such a beautiful state with lots of places for weekend retreats, beaches, mountains, gardens, wild, trails and so many.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vision Quest Ranch
400 River Road, Salinas, CA 93908

Monterey Zoo

Listen to the lions and tigers roaring only yards from your canvas walled hotel suite. Each African tent style bungalow is creatively decorated and equipped with comfortable furniture and complete bathroom facilities. 

~1.5 hours drive from San Jose
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Great Wolf Lodge Water Park | Northern California
2500 Daniels St, Manteca, CA 95337

It was opened in June 2021. When you’re not splashing in our indoor water park, there is plenty of fun to be had on dry land. Embark on a magical quest at our interactive adventure game MagiQuest, win some prizes at the arcade, and discover new skills with our variety of attractions.

~1.5 hours drive from San Jose
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Fort Worth, Texas

Fort Worth Stock Yards
Hotel Drover
97 West (in-house restaurant)
John Wayne Museum
World's largest Honky-tonk
Provender Hall
Sidesaddle Saloon

~3 hours flight from SJC
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Mar Vista Farm + Cottages,
35101 S Highway 1, Gualala, CA 95445
https://marvistafarmandcottages.com/

Mar Vista Farm + Cottages instills that sense in nearly everyone who visits our magical site on the “secret coast” in Mendocino County, where life slows down so you can forge stronger connections with nature and the ones you love.

Stocking up before getting to Gualala ,with the well-stocked kitchen, you can definitely cook up some good meals.

~3.5 hours drive from San Jose
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Safari West
3115 Porter Creek Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
https://www.safariwest.com/

Discover wildest Africa in the heart of wine country! At Safari West, every day means adventure as we journey out in search of herds of wildebeest, romping rhinos and towering giraffes. From ring-tailed lemurs to the dazzling zebra, nearly 900 animals from over 90 unique species roam through our 400-acre preserve.

~2 hours drive from San Jose
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Filoli Historic House & Garden
86 Cañada Rd, Woodside, CA 94062
https://filoli.org/

Connecting our rich history with a vibrant future through beauty, nature and shared stories. Introduce yourself to Filoli, where you can explore 16 acres of formal gardens, step back in time in the historic house museum, and hike through the lush and varied natural communities of the estate. 

~30 minutes drive from San Jose
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mount Hermon Adventures
17 Conference Dr, Felton, CA 95018
https://mounthermonadventures.com/

For over a decade, we’ve been helping people adventure outdoors, creating lasting memories with loved ones.
We respect and care for our amazing forest, have expert local guides, and draw together like-minded adventurers who share your passions.

~40 minutes drive from San Jose

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Bodega Bay
103 Coast Highway 1
Bodega Bay, CA 94923

Sonoma county coast, The lodge at Bodega Bay, Drake's upscale restaurant, Bodega Head Trail, Doran Beach, Sebastopol Cookie Company, The Barlow, Eat Oysters.  Hotel, food and seaside view.

~2.5 hours drive from San Jose

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sonoma 

MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa
The Lodge at Bodega Bay
Sonoma Plaza
Cornerstone gardens
Free wine tastings (Adastra wine, Korbel Champagne Cellars, Sonoma Portworks)
Layla (located in MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa)
Drake's (located at The Lodge at Bodega Bay)
Taste of the Himalayas (Samosas, momos, lamb tandoori, naan - India food)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, Curio Collection by Hilton
2101 Mandalay Beach Rd, Oxnard, CA 93035
Beach town, Oxnard
Ox & Ocean onsite restaurant

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More to come

 

 

Drive from San Jose CA to Seaside OR

It took 2 days to drive all the way up to Portland, OR with the following stops

1. Redding, CA (city)
2. Lassen Volcanic National Park
3. Burney Falls
4. Shasta Lake
5. Lake Shasta Caverns
6. Mount Shasta
7. McCloud Falls
8. Klamath Falls, OR  (city)
9. Crater Lake
10. Eugene, OR (city)
11. Portland, OR
1. Lan Su Chinese Garden
2. Jamison Square
3. Powell's City of Books
4. International Rose Test Garden
5. Portland Japanese Garden 
12. Seaside, OR 
1. Seaside Civic & Convention Center
2. Seaside Carousel Mall 
3. Seaside Beach
4. Turnaround at Seaside 

Drive from Seaside OR to San Jose CA

It is about 750 miles drive, and here are some POI along the drive using 101 and CA-1

1. the Astoria Column (on the north of Seaside, about 19mi)
2. Cannon Beach / Haystack Rock - 7.8mi
3. Tillamook Rock lighthouse - 8.4mi
4. Yaquina Head Outstanding National Area - 114mi
5. New Port - 116mi
6. Thor's well - 143mi
7. Heceta Head - 154mi
8. Florence (Old town) - 160mi
9. Dunes National Recreation Area - 187mi
10. Gold Beach - 293mi
11. Eureka - 483mi
12. Redwood State Park - 453mi
13. The Avenue of Giants - 534mi
14. Fort Bragg Glass Beach - 616mi
15. Mendocino - 625mi
16. Santa Rosa - 683mi
17. San Francisco - 706mi

清明回国一周记

2019年清明节回国扫墓，安排的时间只有一周带2个周末。为了减少机场接送的麻烦，我还是买了海南航空的飞北京然后转上海的机票。海航的飞机整体是不错的，服务也好，只是国内的航班不太准点。3月29号周五下午的飞机飞到北京是国内周六下午了，出关后，得转T1国内航班, 办理托运手续，机场快速吃了些后，就到登机口等待飞上海虹桥的飞机了。一路上看了Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance这本书，Angela Duckworth 写的，非常不错。到了虹桥出了机场已经半夜12点了，然后又是等了一个小时，去苏州的班车。

中转苏州，是为了第二天的2次聚会。晚上没有怎么睡，因为这次回去的时间短，所以就不刻意倒时差了。第二天早上跟特地从诸暨赶来的Joyway一家4口吃了个早饭，还是到Alex Cheng家的朱新年点心店吃了。应该是他们结婚后就再也没有见过了，非常不容易，也感概时光飞逝啊。匆匆一见，聊聊彼此的境况，也回忆当初刚毕业的那会儿。他是子承父业，回老家发展，民营经济还是不错的。是微信拉近了彼此的距离，金鸡湖兄弟群，好多都好久没有见了，见个面真的很难。

跟Joyway分别后，我回到公寓酒店办理了check out, 然后就去跟David, Bryan, Sophy, Rain, Roger碰面了，我们一直有个惯蛋群，每次去苏州，总会聚聚，吃吃饭，打打牌，聊聊天。也不知道是大家都喜欢打牌呢，还是平时忙的很，刚好有机会一起聚聚，大多我们都会凑齐人，哈哈。吃饭饭，玩了一会牌后，就请Craig送去了汽车北站。苏州到老家的汽车基本上就是2个小时的路程，所以赶在晚饭前到了。

第二天是母亲一周年的忌日，亲戚都来了，我们要去墓地祭拜。一个上午的时间基本上都是准备祭拜和中饭，大姑忙里忙外，我基本上帮不上什么忙。每每想起母亲，总是无比的内疚，除了伤心和愧疚，我只好希望每年的清明都能回国祭拜了。很多事情，很多回忆，只有放在心里。

第三天从老家出发，先去镇江高铁站，然后坐高铁去合肥。过去的几年去了好多次合肥，之前的公司在合肥有分公司，现在的公司在合肥也有，感觉跟合肥还是蛮有缘的，合肥消费水平比较低，唯一遗憾的是当年想买个房子的，没有及时下手。合肥公司有个团队也10多人了，我是利用个人休假的空隙过来的，所以我第二天下午就返回了。因为时间很紧，我没有能够跟相关的团队都沟通，但跟自己的团队和相关的leader的交流还是很有成效的，公司的发展很好，大家都干劲十足，当然团队的个体水平不一，需要更多的打磨和提高。晚上的烤全羊还是非常给力的，好久没有吃到这么好的烤羊了。哈哈。

第四天我带了一盒巧克力给之前公司的同事，匆匆聊聊了下而已。有时候还是希望前公司有所发展，集中在一个点，有所突破。遗憾的是，有微信的同事没有一个人主动联系我或者说一句谢谢，人走茶凉说的应该是这个吧。中午约了Fei吃了个饭，他目前在Cisco工作，之前同事过，他的工作方式和能力我很欣赏，彼此一直有联系，之后他执意要送我去高铁南站，还是被我婉谢了。以后有时间会多聊聊，看到他买房结婚，忙的不亦乐乎，仿佛又想到了以前刚毕业的那个我。中国的高铁就是牛，1个多小时就到了镇江，侄女到高铁站迎接，然后去了北固山，跟其他人汇合。表哥带着我爸，小舅舅和另外一个表哥，也一起来镇江一日游。北固山是大家最后一站。几年思北固，不忍倦南游。北固上没有金山焦山有名，但真心不错，比较适合踏青。还赶上了海棠花展，各种造型的海棠竞相开放，别有一番风味。晚上在镇上吃了顿，喝了点白酒，最近发现自己喝白酒不像啤酒红酒反应那么大。

第五天是5月4日清明节，家里祭祀祖先，也要去墓地烧纸钱。 农村这个传统从我记事起就是这样了，一年中有些特殊的日子，都要同样的祭拜，除清明外，还有冬至和除夕夜。小时候盼望着过年领压岁钱，不知道从什么时候开始，突然觉得年复一年日复一日的过得很快，还没有怎么跟家人团聚，人生就过去一半了。所以这次我决定要陪爸爸出去走走。是的，无论飞得多远，别忘了回家看看！

第六天休整了一天，晚上跟高中同学开勇妹妹妹夫老表吃了个饭，在市中心，又吃河豚。蒌蒿满地芦芽短，正是河豚欲上时。 江南四月天，应该是一年中最好的季节了，漫山遍野的油菜花，到处都是春的气息。江南好，风景旧曾谙。日出江花红胜火，春来江水绿如蓝。唐宋诗词里不知道有多少都是描写四月的江南的。

第七天，无锡灵山大佛，jiansong (Peter) 全程陪伴，车辆门票饮食全包。也是好久没有见到jiansong了，尽管苏州和无锡很近，但大家都有自己的家庭和工作，真的说要聚在一起还是非常难得的。想来无锡玩玩的念头其实由来已久，这次刚好有个周末，所以说走就走了。江浙沪一带，我去的地方很多，但无锡还真是路而未停过。灵山88米高的大佛非常震撼，我们一日游大概中午到达景区，浏览了灵山大佛+九龙灌浴+梵宫等景点。晚上去了当地比较有名的清名街，古运河边的小桥流水人家景色，步行街上非常拥挤，不太适合我这样喜欢安静的人。

第八天，无锡鼋头渚，看樱花的，大多景点都转过了，中午在景区吃的小吃，据说3月底才是樱花盛开的时候，我们4月初过去，只能看到晚樱了。不过天气好，景色宜人，随手拍的都是美图。到达景区后我们先去了神仙岛，然后再回到主景区游玩，有樱花谷，万浪卷雪，鼋渚春涛等著名景点。本来还想去蠡园的，但爸爸说有点累了，所以我们下午2点多就回酒店了，晚上在边上的利华广场吃了个火锅。 无锡新区的人流比滨湖区少多了。

第九天，返美。我坐高铁去虹桥机场，爸爸坐大巴回家。虹桥高铁站到虹桥机场T2大概15分钟的步行时间，直接明了。遗憾的是，办好行李托运，通过安检，吃过早中饭后，突然接到晚点的通知，然后就是呆等在虹桥机场，而且赶不上下午从北京直飞圣何塞的航班了。哎，还是中国高铁靠谱。 我们到了北京被安排了飞洛杉矶的AA航班，5点多的，由于要再转一次，整个行程整整比计划的多了9个小时。本来12点多就到SJC，最后晚上9点多才到SJC.

这次行程包括来回路上的时间一共9天，非常的紧凑，所以时差都没有倒。以前回去都是至少2周，这次算是一个尝试了，以后说不定可以来个说走就走的长周末回国行。:-)

Hawaii Trip - Day 4

Nov 26, 2018

I got up at 6am because I planned to go hiking for a round trip between Waikiki beach and Diamond Head State Monument. The weather was so nice and scenery was so gorgeous. The sun was coming out and the moon was still in the sky. I can see people jogging, doing yoga, walking, biking and etc.

After passing Department of Defense Fort Ruger, I arrived Fort Ruger Pathway which leading to Le'ahi. The park opens from 6am to 6pm. There is $1 fee for individual walk-in, and the summit hike takes 60-90 minutes for a round trip. If I got up earlier and arrived at 6am promptly, I probably could see the sun rise because weather reported sunrise is 6:38am. Of course, I can take trolley or TheBus to the entry point, but I selected walking all the way for refresh.

After I climbed the summit, I could see the whole picture of crater. I could also see remote mountains, ocean, plants, houses, lighthouse and the city.

When I walked back to Waikiki beach, I passed Kapi' Olani Community College and Culinary Institute of the Pacific, they both be part of University of Hawaii. I also stopped by Queen Kapi'Olani Garden which is really a small one but for sure for memory of the queen. When I arrived at hotel after a quick breakfast at McDonald's, it was almost 10am. Sit by the hotel pool for hot tube to relax my two legs, I checked the photos I taken during the hiking. It totally cost 2.5 hours for 8.6 miles, excluding stop time for picture taking. I really enjoyed this experience.

After checking out from the hotel, I took TheBus to Aloha Tower. It is free to visit the tower at the 10th floor. From there, I could get a better view of the bay and city. This historic tower is just besides Hawaii pacific university. There are many dancing statues.

Walking back to the hotel direction was nice too though it was a bit hot in the noon. After passing Pier 4 US Coastguard and US department of Homeland Security, I took TheBus to Little Sheep Hotpot restaurant for lunch. It is located at 1200 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu. I chose All You Can Eat Menu which was so great at about $30 after tax and tip. Highly recommend this place if you like hotpot.

After the lunch, I went to Magic Island. From there, I got another view of the city, the beach and the crater. It was so peaceful and beautiful.

My last stop is Ala Moana Hawaii's Center, another shopping mall.

My return flight was at 10:30pm, so I got plenty time to visit Waikiki beach for the 3rd time. Today's sunset was different from yesterday.

After the sunset, I went to another shopping mall called Royal Hawaiian Center. There was traditional show with Hawaiian dance and music. I ate too much for the lunch, so I got some fruits and sandwich after window shopping the stores.

Roberts Hawaii travel agent picked me up at 8pm from hotel to NHL Airport. No any fruit allowed to other states, so I had to eat the fruits at the airport before security check. The traffic is light at night, so I waited about 1 hour for the flight from Hawaii to LAX via American Airline. I arrived SJC at around 8:30am, then arrived home for a shower and breakfast around 9:15am. After that, I drove to office for work. A new workday began and it concluded my 4 days' trip to Oahu Island.

Keywords: Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head, Aloha Tower, Magic Island, Airport

Hawaii Trip - Day 3

Nov 25, 2018

Oahu is the 3rd largest island of Hawaii state, it is a good planning to tour around the island by self driving or travel agent tour. I booked Grand tour of the island on Expedia.com which is from Roberts Hawaii travel agent.

We set off at 7:30am, the first stop is Hanauma Bay which is most famous for snorkeling. We got 20 minutes stay for photo taking and scenery viewing. This is really a great bay beach for at least half day relax. Entrance fee is $7.5, there are many 3-4 hours' tour for snorkeling here at around $30.

Next stop is Halona Blowhole, which has astonishing coastal view.

After first 2 stops, we came to a shop called "Hawaiian Coral Factory" which provides restroom and free coffee. I just bought some beverage. They sell coral brooch, earrings and Hawaiian clothes. Tour guide gave this stop 30 minutes. It is not uncommon tour guide gives more time stay at shops than POI. That is the cons of taking a tour, but tour guide introduction about the history and culture of Oahu island is the pros.

Nu'uanu Pali Lookout is the 4th stop. It has stories about Kings and last battle in the history. It also has great green mountain view. It was not windy, so we cannot experience the situation tour guide described.

Byodo In temple is our 5th stop. It is located in Valley of the Temples Memorial park. This is a place deserves visiting. The Japanese style temple was built in the park, with water in the front, and mountain at the back. It has very good fengshui from Asian tradition. There is Buddha inside of the temple. There are many big fishes in the pond. If we get more time to stay, we can feed the fish, take some short hiking around the temple.

The six stop came to Macadamia Farm Outlet at Kaneohe. This shop provides nuts tasting, free coffee, and of course all kinds of souvenirs. Again we got 40 minutes stay, so that we could shop around.

The 7th stop was Kualoa Ranch for tram tour and lunch. It didn't provide any surprise from the 20 minutes tram tour. This ranch also provides other activities like horse riding, Jeep ride, zipline and Jurassic Park tour etc, but each activity needs extra money and time. From introduction and my experience with the tram tour, I don't suggest to take their activities except for Jurassic Park (movie taken spot). We got 1 hour for the lunch, some tourists booked buffet lunch, and some didn't. It was a right decision to not book lunch for me. I like to purchase lunch from ranch cafe menu than the plain and simple buffet. This ranch was built from Kualoa Sugar Mill, but now it is purely for tourism and activities.

After the lunch, it was a long ride around the coastal line. Tour guide gave a lot of introduction about the beaches, bays and surfing at the north shore. We also passed Polynesian Cultural center which was closed on Sunday, passed Laie college, came to fruit stand at Kahuku. Tour guide (the driver) gave us 20 minutes stop for fresh fruit purchase. This was the 8th stop.

Back to bus, we headed to our last and 9th stop Dole Plantation. During the ride, we passed sunset point beach park, Waimea bay beach park etc. Dole Plantation has very beautiful garden and tasteful Dole whip. They also sell BBQ corn at $5 which seems to be popular. I bought one whip at $6.5 which is similar to Yogurtland here. Dole Plantation has train ride, maze etc activities, but we don't have enough time to play. Usually the tourists can take pictures, use bathroom, and taste some deserts.

We returned to Waikiki around 5pm, passing through pearl harbor, airport, downtown, Aloha Tower, Ala Moana etc. Heading to Waikiki beach to watch the sunset was the right decision. It was fabulous to lay on the sand and watch the sunset. The sky, the sea, the beach, the hotel, the diamond head, the people under the sunset, what a unforgettable memory and astonish view.

After it was dark, I was leaving the beach to international market place. There was daily night show regarding Hawaii tradition, the stories about king and queen, and of course the Hawaiian music and dance. After the show, I came to 3rd floor for a dinner. I selected Goma Tei Ramen Waikiki which is owned by Chinese, but it tastes so good, highly recommend it. In the Mitsuwa Marketplace, there is Hokkaido Ramen too. I really enjoyed the atmosphere at this shopping mall.

Keywords: Waikiki beach, Hanauma Bay, Halona Blowhole, Pali lookout, Byodo In temple, Kualoa Ranch, Dole Plantation