N's birthday / A's trip

After pancakes for breakfast and N's delirious opening of prezzies, we packed for A's impending school trip. Tomorrow at crack of dawn she's off to Pingyao - 700km south-west of Beijing and a UNESCO World Heritage Site - for five whole days. She's never been away from us for more than a night so she's a bit nervous. But it should be great: a short flight, a mix of study and fun, staying in an old guesthouse, 30 children, and I'm sure plenty of pillow fights. Pity the teachers. What an opportunity. I don't remember going on a school trip until I was about 14... I think it was to an archaeological site near Birmingham.