This
is a
custom
designed trip for baseball players.
It's a one of it's
kind trip to provide a baseball vacation to China with
these type of
activities. Baseball
is one of many mediums between our cultures and the Chinese have become
very good at it. We'll eat like the emperor every day at local
restaurants, stay at nice hotels, be entertained by a full time agenda,
see some great
sights and Play Baseball, Chinese style.
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Trip
is open
to any adult person who plays baseball.
The average age of
our
adult teams is usually in the mid 40's with players ranging in their 20's
through their 60's. This
trip is also available for players of any age. The Baseball
Academy will be playing with other Chinese nationals of similar
age and abilities. Players, coaches, wives, girl
friends, family
members, kids and tourists
are all welcome. We'll be limiting ourselves to a maximum of 14
players.
We will need 2-3 good pitchers, a catcher or two and some good
position
players. Come as a team or come as a pool player and join the
team.
You
will
need a valid passport and be able to obtain a tourist visa.
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| The
trip is far
more economical than any travel agent could do.
This
is a unique opportunity that we have for local Chinese baseball
associations to sponsor
us and give us use of their fields, teams and parks. China is
a fairly economical country to visit. It has a stable socialist economy
with costs somewhat less than in the US. We'll be
going at a
reasonable cost that includes first
class
treatment in every step of the way. The trip will include
all
lodging, ground transportation, all baseball, all tours, lots of
sightseeing,
shopping sprees, and all breakfasts, lunches and dinners. |
Most
every day
we'll tour a different area, see the local attractions and play a local
baseball team. Some evenings will have evening outings or
dinner banquets.
Occasionally there may be joint meals with the local teams that
will
allow the Chinese and USA players to get together, swap stories and
make
new friends. You'll find baseball enthusiasts of a variety of age
groups and levels.
They are eager to meet and play ball with you.
Don't
be just
a tourist, be an International Baseball Ambassador, get to know
the people not just the postcards.
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Baseball
Baseball
has become a major sport in China. Recently, China beat Japan,
Taiwan and Korea in the Asian Games. Baseball is played by all
ages in China from youths to adult leagues. There are a number of
fields, small stadiums and school facilities that have baseball fields.
We will be playing against local teams of your age group and
abilities.
This
will be our chance to help bring American style baseball to them.
We'll
be starting our trip with a double header in Beijing on the first
day. After that, we will have a game each day with 1 full day off
for sightseeing and travel. We will travel to Shanghai for our
last 2 games. Our
team
will
be made up of US players from various leagues and organizations from
all over the country.
Transportation
You
will need to make your own flight arrangements to Beijing (PKG) and
from Shanghai. The flight from Beijing to Shanghai is included in
this tour package. Once in China,
you'll be met at the airport and transported to our hotel for check
in.
We will have a guide, translator and team bus
that will transport us to
the games, different venues, activities, meals and tours at each of the cities we visit.
Upon
departure,
you'll
be transported to the airport and assisted by the tour guides.
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Food
Breakfasts
are included with the rooms at the hotels. Mostly they will be
continental or buffet breakfasts. Chinese hotels offer both
Japanese and American style breakfasts. Though they may not be
all you are used to at home, they are close and do the job.
Lunches and dinners will be at various restaurants and at the
hotel. There will be 2 dinner banquets. Each day we
will explore a different place for lunch and dinner.
This trip should
be an Epicurean Delight if you like real Chinese food. You will
find there will be more to eat that you dare. Many of the dishes
are different than what you are used to seeing but there is plenty of
it and a lot of variety. Watch out for those black 100 year old
eggs, they taste like they sound. I have also requested that a
few meals be at Western restaurants to give us a break and variety of
diet. There are plenty of good restaurants from which to
choose.
Restaurants are in our hotels and most others within easy walking
distance.
Food
in
China is very good. Traditional Chinese food is similar to what
you might get in the US but not as spicy and certainly more
variety. There is lots of seafood, vegetables and of course all
the basic fast food places you are used to in the USA, including TGI
Fridays, KFC, McDonalds, Dunk'n Donuts, Pizza Hut and more. There
are
also many international
options that include French, Italian, American, Japanese and Indian.
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Entertainment
While
in both the capitol city of Beijing and Shanghai, you'll find lots of night time
entertainment including discos, plays, night clubs, movies, theater and lots
more. You'll
be overwhelmed by all the choices and activities. We'll have an
agenda that will
occupy you every day and some evenings. We'll also have some time
for you to explore on your own in each city. For one evening, we will be attending a Chinese Acrobatic performance.
China
is one of the best places to shop in the world. You will find
tourist things available almost everywhere we visit. You will
also find many beautiful pieces of art, jade, silks, ceramics,
textiles, pearl and lots more.
Bargaining is part of the Chinese culture to get used to it. You
will find every vender has a calculator and will gladly show you how
much he will reduce the cost for you. Shanghai is my favorite
place to shop.
With the baseball, tours and your own outings, you'll be exhausted by
the end of the trip. Sleep when you get back to work.
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Sightseeing
After
our
first
day of arrival, we'll be playing baseball in the morning and doing extensive
sight
seeing after the games. We'll
visit some of the most attractive and interesting places of these
interesting cities and their surroundings.
Beijing
and Shanghai are both
metropolitan cities with lots of new buildings, great restaurants, lots
of historical areas and beautiful surroundings. We'll spend time
visiting some of the
must see historic sites. Each day will consists of playing
baseball and visiting the many areas of interest in both Beijing and
Shanghai.
Beijing
is the capital of China and we will visit the Great Wall of China,
Tiananmen Square, Ming Tombs, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace
of the Emperor.
In Shanghai, we will visit the
Pearl Tower, Old Town Shanghai and have a shopping spree at Nanjing Lu,
one of the most famous shopping areas in Shanghai.
At
typical day will
consist of morning game, lunch and afternoon and evening tours.
Some days, there will be an evening activity. Other days, we will
tour in the morning and play in the afternoon. You'll have
lot's of
opportunities to see the cities as well as the surrounding areas.
There will be some
partial days off
for touring on your own, but not many. You are of course free to go out on your own in these cities, just let us know.
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Accommodations
When
you
travel a long distance to a foreign land, you want a comfortable place
to stay. Each city has a variety of hotels from which to
choose. We'll be
staying
in at least 3 and 4 star hotels, depending on who rates them. The hotels are
all modern with the necessities and amenities you are accustomed
to. Chinese rooms are much like American rooms in terms of
size and amenities.
In Beijing, we'll be staying at the Friendship
Hotel. This is a 4 star hotel with several restaurants, bowling,
tennis, swimming pools, gardens and much more. There are many
restaurants and stores nearby if you decide to visit these on your
own. It is
located in the downtown area and is an easy taxi ride to just about
anyplace in town if you decide you want to do this on your own.
We'll be having our breakfast and some dinners at the hotel
In Shanghai, we'll be staying at the Olympic Hotel. This is
located in the downtown area of Shanghai next to a large sporting
complex and basketball stadium. The rooms are modern and there
are restaurants in the hotel where we will be having breakfast and
maybe some dinners.
Requirements
This
trip is for
amateur baseball players. Most our players are members of local
amateur baseball leagues. Ages ranging in the teens through the
60's. Average age of the teams is generally in the
mid-40's. Wives, family
members, kids or
other tourists
may also attend as this is a family friendly trip. You will need
a valid passport and be able meet visa requirements.
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Schedule
and Agenda
This
trip is scheduled to take place in the Summer of
2007, July is the departure month from the US which will get you
into China a day later. Most flights will arrive in
Beijing in the late afternoon where you will clear customs and gather
your baggage. We'll
start the
trip when you arrive in Beijing where we'll be met at
the
airport by one of the representatives from our sponsoring sports
organization who will transport us to the hotel
for check in. There will be an evening welcoming banquet at the hotel. This
first day will be devoted to gathering us up and decompression.
All other scheduled activities will begin the next day.
Our departure flights out of Shanghai will probably be in the late
afternoon. You will fly all night and arrive back in the US on
the same day you left China. You are, of course,
welcome to
come earlier or
stay later on your own. If you do, you'll be responsible for your
own transportation and accommodations during those times. A
preliminary detailed agenda is shown
below. This is a general description and the actual order of
events may vary depending on local schedules.
The 1st day, you'll depart the US.
Most flights from the US will take a full day. You will depart
late morning, fly all day and arrive in China in the late afternoon the
next day. This is because you will be crossing the international
date line. The flight will be about 12-13 hours from the US west
coast. You'll be met at the airport where we'll pick you up for
transfer and check-in at our hotel. I is suggested that you
obtain some bottled water right after check in. After a little
rest, there will be a dinner banquet at the hotel.
The 2nd day we'll have breakfast at the hotel before heading out to the ballpark for our first Game #1.
After our glorious victory, we'll have lunch at a local restaurant
before beginning our second Game #2
of today's double header. These games will be against local teams
of similar age and ability. You'll be transported back to the
hotel for some rest and dinner either at the hotel or at a local
restaurant.
On the 3rd day, we'll have breakfast at the hotel before we head to the ball park for Game #3
and on our way to an undefeated week. We'll have lunch in Beijing before we head out to visit the sights of Beijing.
We'll visit the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace of the
Emperor. We'll return to the hotel to freshen up and relax a bit
before we have dinner at a local restaurant or at the hotel.
On the 4th day, we'll have a similar schedule as the 3rd day. After breakfast at the hotel, we'll head to the ball park for Game #4.
We'll have lunch at a local restaurant and head out of town where we
may visit a Pearl Factory and Quasi nay Factory on our way to climb the
Great Wall of China. We'll return to Beijing for an evening
entertainment of Chinese Acrobatics and then make our way back to the
hotel for dinner.
On the 5th day, we'll
need to have all our stuff packed and ready for our evening flight to
Shanghai. We'll check out of the hotel after breakfast and spend
the day visiting sights in Beijing. We'll visit Tiananmen Square
and the Forbidden City. We'll have lunch and spend some time
shopping at Silk Alley before we are transported to the airport.
We'll have a late afternoon or early evening flight to Shanghai, about
a 2-3 hour flight. We'll have a meal on the plane before we
arrive in Shanghai where we will be met by local representatives who
will transport us to the hotel for check-in. There will also be a
dinner waiting for you at the hotel.
On the 6th day, we'll
have breakfast at the hotel. We'll be transported to the ball
park for Game #5 against a local team. We'll have lunch and then
tour the Shanghai area. We'll visit the Pearl Tower and spend
some time shopping at Nanjing Lu. We'll be transported back to
the hotel for dinner. Later, we'll take an evening cruise through
town and see the Bund at night time, a very nice sight.
On the 7th day, we'll
have breakfast at the hotel. We'll be transported to the ball
park for Game #6 against a local team, our final victory. After
lunch at a local restaurant or the hotel, we'll see more of the sights
of Shanghai and spend some time at Old Town Shanghai where you can pick
up all those little souvenirs you have been eyeing all week. That
evening, we will have a final dinner banquet and say good by to our
local friends.
On the 8th day, we'll
have breakfast at the hotel. We'll be checking out this day and
then transported to the airport. You will have a late afternoon
flight. You will fly all night long, about 11-12 hours, and
return to the US on the same day you left, a new person, wishing you
were still on vacation and waiting to go back to work or school where
you can catch up on your sleep.
All
in all, between the baseball
and the tours,
this will be a very
busy schedule that will give you a great experience and a chance to see
some of the sights of China. You'll have lots of
opportunities for
evenings out after the games, tours and dinners. There may be
some nights where you go out as a group or on your own.
Outline
of Schedule for 8-days and 7 nights
Day
1
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Depart
US |
Day
2
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Arrive at Beijing International Airport (PEK), Beijing, China
Greet and Transport to Hotel for check in
Evening on your own
Welcome Dinner Party at Friendship Hotel
Accommodations at Friendship Hotel
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Day 3
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Breakfast at Hotel
Transfer to ball fields for Baseball Game #1
Lunch at Local Restaurant
Afternoon Baseball Game #2
Transfer to Hotel
Dinner at local restaurant or hotel
Accommodations at Friendship Hotel
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Day
4
|
Breakfast at Hotel
Transfer to ball fields for Baseball Game #3
Lunch at local restaurant
Afternoon tours of Beijing
Transfer to Hotel
Dinner at local restaurant or hotel
Accommodations at Friendship Hotel
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Day
5
|
Breakfast at Hotel
Transfer to ball fields for Baseball Game #4
Lunch at local restaurant
Afternoon tours of Beijing
Transfer to Hotel
Acrobatic Performance
Dinner at local restaurant or hotel
Accommodations at Friendship Hotel
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Day
6
|
Breakfast at Hotel
Transfer to morning tours of Beijing
Lunch at local restaurant
Afternoon tours of Beijing
Transfer to Hotel
Flight to Shanghai
Accommodations at Olympic Hotel
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Day
7
|
Breakfast at Hotel
Transfer to ball fields for Baseball Game #5
Lunch at local restaurant
Afternoon Tours of Shanghai
Dinner at local restaurant or hotel
Accommodations at Olympic Hotel
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Day 8
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Breakfast at Hotel
Transfer to ball fields for Baseball Game #6
Lunch at local restaurant
Afternoon Tours of Shanghai
Dinner at local restaurant or hotel
Accommodations at Olympic Hotel
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Day 9
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Breakfast at Hotel
Transfer to Airport
Return to US, fly all night and arrive same day you left
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Stone Lions Guard the entry
to many buildings in China
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Ancient Pools and Buildings |
The Bund by Night |
Stroll like the Emperor
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Dates
July , 2007 - Baseball Adventures
You will depart the US on Saturday in July and arrive in China
on Sunday in July. You will depart China on the following Sunday and
arrive back in the US on the same day. This team will be made up
of independent players and will play local Chinese nationals of similar
age and ability.
You are,
of course, welcome to come earlier or
stay later on your own. I may come a few days early or stay
an extra day or so. If you do, you'll be responsible for your
own transportation and accommodations during those times.
Cost
We need at
least 10
players for this trip to happen, plus any additional non players.
Costs is $1,395 not including air fare to and from China. These
costs are based on staying at 3-4 star hotels in double
occupancy. If you want a room to yourself, add
$350. Flight costs are currently about $800
from the west coast in the USA including tax.
Currency
Converter
Approximate exchange rate:
100 Chinese Yuan = $12.38 USD, $1 USD=8.08 Yuan
1000 Chinese Yuan = $123.849 USD, $10 USD=80.8166 Yuan
10,000 Chinese Yuan = $1238.49 USD, $100 USD=808.166 Yuan
Current Weather in Beijing
Current Weather in Shanghai
If you
would like
more information on playing in China send an email to Dennis@DennisMc.com
Included is: Transfer to and from Airports in China
Hotel accommodations for 7
nights. All local transport to
scheduled activities.
Admission to scheduled tours and eventsTours of Beijing Metro Area
Tours of Great Wall
Tours of Ming Tombs
Tours of Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square
Tours of Summer PalaceTours of Temple of Heaven
Admission to Acrobatic Performance, or similar
Tour of Silk Alley
Tour of Quasi nay Factor
Flight to Shanghai
Tour of Pearl TowerTours of Old Town Shanghai
Shopping Spree at Nanjing Lu
All Breakfasts, Lunches and Dinners
All baseball costs, 6 Games (umpires,
fields, etc.)
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Not
included is:
All Air fare to and from China
Non-scheduled
trips
(taxis, buses, trains etc.).
Additional beverages and foods
Each
player to bring 6 leather baseballs (to be verified)
Each
player to bring
their own playing gear & uniforms.
International travel, import or other similar costsAirport taxes or any other government travel fees
Visa FeesExtra luggage weight fees
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Contact
Dennis
McCroskey,
Baseball Adventures
P.O. Box 707
Mendocino, CA
95460
707-937-4478
707-937-2349
fax
email: Dennis@DennisMc.com
Sign
Up
To sign up for
this
trip you need to fill
out the application form and send a $500 deposit, obtain a visa and make your airline reservations. The balance
of funds will be due by the first week of May
2007. If
for some
reason, the trip does not happen, all deposits held by me will be
returned in
full. Any deposits forwarded to the travel agents are subject to
their return requirements. Other than threat of war or natural
disaster, the only
reason it would not happen is if we do not the min of 10 people on the
trip.
This trip is for amateur baseball
players of all ages.
Wives, girl friends, family members or other tourists may also
attend. You will
need a valid passport and be able to obtain a tourist visa prior to entry into the country. We'll help you with this.
Application for Adult Team July, 2007
Roster
We
need a minimum of 10 players and have that already. We'll have a
maximum of
14 players plus coaches. We can take an unlimited number of friends, wives,
relatives, girlfriends, kids and others on the trip. These are encouraged and
may
attend as support staff or tourists.
Roster of Participants-Baseball Adventures
| Players |
Status |
Positions |
Dennis McCroskey
David Gordon
Tony Shimitz
Paul Raymond
Mike Baldwin
Jim Swiatko
James Clayton
Alex Rosario
Ed Watkins
Mike McClellan
David King
Darrin McElroy
|
Yes
Maybe
Maybe
Maybe
Maybe
Maybe
Maybe
Maybe
Maybe
Maybe
Maybe
Maybe
|
P,IF
IF,C
C, IF, OF
IF
P,IF
P,IF,OF
P,IF,OF
P,C
OF
OF
|
| Non Players |
Status |
Positions |
Chris Raymond
Alex Raymond
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| Waiting List |
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Tiananmen Square Peoples Hall
Ancient Art
The Forbidden City awaits you
Ming Tombs
Chinese Food, always plenty to choose from
Beijing Rail Station
Pearl Tower in Shanghai
Shanghai Lamasery
The Bund at night in Shanghai
Old Shanghai City
Olympic Hotel Shanghai
Some of the best shopping in the world at Nanjing Lu in Shanghai
Downtown Shanghai
Old Town Shanghai
Plenty of handcrafted artwork is available
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