(975) Unexpected trip

I just came back from the very first package tour in my life. Prior to this, I have always gone to foreign countries where I either know the language or I have at least one contact who is a local. Perhaps I am no longer young and am rather set in my ways. It took me about ten days to decide to go on this journey when my husband received a coupon that entitled us to a five day four night free stay in three star hotels in four different cities(One of which is Shanghai), we were given guided tour and most meals were included. Since I was not really interested in any guided tour as a rule, I left it for my husband to decide. He prayed and declared he received his answer the next day. We found the cheapest fare within the stipulated period and booked the tickets by faith.

Interestingly, after we paid for the air tickets, an anonymous person passed $1,000 to us through a third party for the forthcoming trip. By then, I was convinced that we should go to this country on this package tour. As my husband was choosing the travel period, he mentioned that it would be during the brief rainy season. I remembered praying that if God is the one who wants us to go to this country during those few days, then could he please graciously give us good sunny weather that is not too hot.

During the journey, our beautiful tour guide commented a few times there was forecast of rain for the few days we would be in each city. But what happened was that as soon as we arrived in a city, the sky turned clear, and it often rained either at night or right after we departed from that city. A few fellow travelers claimed that we brought our tropical sun with us. When this fact was brought up a second time by another tour guide, I could no longer hold my tongue and said that God answered my humble prayer uttered as we booked our air tickets. He is a loving heavenly father who cares for little things in our lives.

Much to my surprise, I did not find this trip too tiring. Perhaps as we traveled in a small van, there is little wasted time waiting for errant late stragglers after each location we visited. It was rather fun to get to know the other family which included a grandma in her eighties and two teenagers.