Having started my work day at 7AM and now finding it 7:30pm, I shut down my computer and tell my co-worker I won’t be checking email for the next two weeks. Looks of disbelief aside, I grab a taxi and meet Yang at a teppanyaki restaurant in Sanlitun.  Charlie and a woman I refer to as laoshi (teacher) join us. For 198RMB each, we have all the food and drink we can handle which by the knots on my belt is a fairly decent amount.

Food down, we take separate cars head over to the Russian nightclub Chocolate, once the hot club in Beijing but losing a bit of it’s vibe. The house singer walks by us as we walk in and I don’t recognize her at first; later i realize she must have gotten a boob job. Even though we left the restaurant at the same time and Charlie had been to this club maybe 15 times, he and laoshi arrive a good 40 minutes late. No, it’s not what you are thinking. They were just lost. Dance show over, we head over to The Elephant’s patio for a nightcap and quiet conversation before making our respective ways home.

The next morning, Yang and I attend Lydia’s piano recital. The place is packed, the parents of a boy who proceeded Lydia on stage are sitting to my right. They laugh in the that kind of happy he’s horrible yet we aren't patronizing laugh. Lydia comes into the room, sees us, smiles and waves. Her performance is short and to my fully biased ear, perfect.

After a quick run, it’s time to pack and then head to the airport. Air China direct to Vancouver, BC. Nothing like 12 hours on a plane with a two year old, a six year old, and a seven year old to put the vacation in a great mood. Yang, Elisa, and Lydia take the two seats by the window while Aidan and I take two seats in the middle aisle. Two men sitting directly behind Yang start talking. Well, one of them is talking. We take off, eat, try to rest. Yang later tells me the man behind her has been talking for four hours straight. That at first she thought the other man had fallen asleep but instead he did chirp up form time to time with encouraging remarks. Another toddler on the plane is screaming. And screaming. I think awesome, full absolution for our kids. Always great to have a low bar set. Later, Lydia and I trade seats. A young woman sits next to Lydia and they draw and do origami together. Aidan is watching Avatar with Lydia soon to join him. I sleep in five minutes bursts. Yang lies Aidan on the floor in front of our his seats and Lydia across the seats. Good thing they are still short. They sleep for a good four hours. Elisa is fussy, wanting to move around the cabin, only allowing Yang to take care of her. When I approach, she waves her arm as if to hit me but doesn’t know how to since I haven’t taught her how to punch yet.

We land in Vancouver, get a taxi and get to the hotel. Out to a pizza lunch which no one but me eats. Then back to the hotel for the most beautiful, deepest sleep ever, the day one jet lag nap. Awake at 8pm and then out to find an Italian restaurant because the kids want risotto. We find one, but they don’t have risotto. We order one pasta dish for Yang and the three kids and the waiter is a bit perplexed when he says “is that all?”.

Now Elisa and Yang are asleep on the coach in our hotel room. Aidan and Lydia are watching the Iron Man cartoon. And I came down to the hotel lobby to slurp the free wifi and check the Giants score (win, 7-4).

Vacation is here.