We’ve been back from China a little over a week now.
The first 24 hours in Shanghai quite literally felt like we’d been there three days, so it’s no wonder it has taken me a week to decompress and process the amazing trip.
So what did I take away from the seven-day excursion?
Departure
From the moment we arrived at the airport, we could tell we were in for an incredible trip!
Driving into McClellan Airfield, there were huge purple Kings signs with balloons directing everyone to the private jet way. Our cars were valeted and luggage seamlessly checked. Flanked by two private jets, there was a huge purple carpet filling the hanger.
It felt very much like a VIP party, although it felt like a hot July afternoon rather than a crisp fall day one might expect in early October.
After bag check and security screening, we boarded the plane.
It was huge, beautiful and luxurious!
Of course, I was seated next to my best friend, Carmichael Dave, who is what I consider to be a travel rookie, as he started traveling the friendly skies in February of this year after overcoming a fear of flying.
By travel rookie of course I mean the kind of person who is overly excited about everything. ‘The seats turn into beds! There’s a game console! We have our own TV screens! Look at this swag bag! Wow, are those headphones with Kings logos on them?!’
Not only was he excited… He was sloppy, and sitting next to him for 14 hours was a problem. His bags were spread out all over the floor. He was getting up and down to put things up and take things down from the overhead compartment, as well as frequenting the in-flight buffet of food.
He had already played poker and golf on the game console, while I was typing up notes (otherwise known as WORKING). Meanwhile, Happy Gilmore was on his fourth glass of Gatorade.
Shanghai
The Pudong district of Shanghai where we stayed is only 24 years old. Development of the area began in 1990 and it’s now the most luxurious area of the city.
For one of our first tours, we took the underwater tunnel to an older part of the city – Chinatown and Yu Garden. Even now, I’m at a loss for words to describe the area -- the architecture, ambiance and cultural experience was fascinating.
We walked through a garden older than the U.S. – work on Yu Garden started in 1559 (Ming Dynasty) and it took about 20 years to complete.
The juxtaposition of a building inside the 455-year-old garden, along with a modern day crane perched atop the Shanghai Tower directly behind it in the distance, was anything but ironic – in China, a crane is a symbol for longevity.
We had some free time after our guided tour to take in the shopping and sights. My idea of experiencing any country I visit is about the food. If you want to really experience a culture, you must actually taste its local fare!
I’ve always considered myself a bit of a daredevil, so I went all out.
I didn’t hesitate to try a kabob with unknown meat – it tasted like chicken and, who knows, maybe it was?
I also tried sparrow-on-a-stick. It was presented in full form – head and all – and I’m pretty sure it was smoked and seasoned with curry.
Now I know sparrow tastes like duck, but I didn’t find it worth the effort to get to the meat!
Great Wall
Believe it or not, “Great Wall” is an understatement. There’s no denying the sight of it brought out the history buff/nerd in me, so bear with me for a moment…
It was built between 220-206 B.C. and, without a doubt, is the most impressive fortification system this world has ever seen.
An archeological survey concluded that the wall – and its natural defenses, such as rivers and hills – stretches over 13,000 miles.
How it was constructed without the use of modern building capabilities is what makes it truly remarkable.
When I learned about my opportunity to tag along on the trip, the chance to visit the Great Wall was something I couldn’t pass up.
We had a limited amount of time to spend there, so I had to make a choice – hike as far as possible one direction or go the opposite way and take a toboggan down. I, of course, opted for the hike, and much to the chagrin of my poor cameraman, Jeff, I took off with a goal of making it to the top.
We got to the second to last platform right beneath the highest point of the wall. I could’ve kept going but determined it was time to turn back to make sure we caught the bus.
The athlete in me wanted to conquer it all and push myself to the extreme, especially when I later found out that a medal is given to those who make it to the top!
Forbidden City
There’s no denying it, by the time we visited the Forbidden City, I was exhausted. But who can resist a chance to visit a place that served as the imperial palace for almost 500 years?
The sheer size of it was mindboggling. The architecture was beautiful. The history is completely fascinating.
But, what stuck out to me most was that I seemed to be as intriguing to some visitors as the sight itself.
For the first time on the trip, locals bombarded me for pictures. At one point, I felt I should have just set up a booth and charged per photo!
Favorite Memory
Being a part of the Kings organization going on five years has been a true blessing, and the trip provided an opportunity that doesn’t come along very often.
We traveled with a group of 150-plus people that included owners, team members, players, coaches and partners. It was a group that never gets a chance to spend time together for an extended period, let alone during a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
On tarmacs, the plane was like a mixer – players and coaches mingled with owners and guests, as well as chatted with our flight crew. The pilot even hung up my garment bag and knew me by name!
One night, a group of 20 or so of us went out to karaoke. I never imagined being in the same room singing with Pete D’Alessandro, Ryan Bowen, Hakeem (our director of team security), and team members from basketball and business operations!
I also never thought I’d be sitting in the airport with Vivek, Andy Miller, and additional owners talking about what I saw during the game.
I never imagined being at a party talking basketball with Mitch Richmond and Phil Oates, or talking with Peja Stojakovic about when I lived and played in Greece and apparently frequented a couple of his restaurants. Even watching Vlade embrace G-Man at a party and kiss his head was unforgettable.
Those memories made the trip!
Return
As many of you may know, my best friend in the world is Carmichael Dave, and we were so thrilled to get to go on the trip together.
It was the first time we’d spent even close to that much time together, and we learned a lot about our friendship over the course of the week.
Traveling with anyone can be stressful. Traveling with your best friend I learned could be gut wrenching… But we made it through!
On one bus ride, we had a spat and stopped talking. Halfway through the day, though, we made up because that’s what best friends do.
We normally talk and FaceTime multiple times daily. It took six days after we arrived back in Sacramento for us to finally reunite!
Speaking for Dave, spending seven days with me was probably way too much. But, a picture he posted of me on Facebook sleeping on the plane added a few days to our much needed bestie detox!
Now, we can return to our routine, and thankfully, we’re able to look back and feel grateful we experienced the Kings trip to China together!