In China, it is very common for large corporations to hold
group outings to promote team unity.
My husband’s company is no exception.
Once a year Chris and his colleagues trek into the woods for a weekend of hiking,
boating, eating, chest beating, and bonding.
This year I got to join the corporate outing, a family affair at Qiandaohu
(Thousand Island Lake).
 |
| The fresh air and clean water at Qiandaohu was a welcome break from Shanghai. |
 |
| Nongfu Springs sources their water directly from Qiandaohu Lake. |
 |
| I was excited to finally see a Chinese Truck Stop. They are very similar to American stops, but have lots of street food. |
 |
| Life at the Hilton wasn't too rough. |
 |
| I enjoyed the soup, but avoided eating the fish head. |
The first day’s paper itinerary stated we would be taking a
cruise around the lake. When I heard the
word cruise, I thought I would be taking a
nice boat ride. I had no idea we would
be in for so much more!
 |
| Our first cruise stop was Longshan Island. |
 |
| Longshan Island had many anti-corruption sculptures. In this sculpture, the hand of justice is arm wrestling with the hand of corruption. |
 |
| The kids had a great time monkeying around with the statues. |
 |
| At our second stop, we had a chance to feed some koi. |
 |
| We also had a chance to hold a python. Don't worry Mom, it's mouth was rubber banded shut. |
 |
| We had a great time cruising the lake in comfort. |
 |
| When going on corporate outings, make sure to wear sturdy, comfortable shoes. Chris climbed 3000 steps at the third island to take this shot. |
The second day we went to the Vertical Cloud Tongtian
River. Again, I was expecting a quiet
boat ride down a river. Instead we went
spelunking.
 |
| The cave I saw in China was much different than the caves I visited as a 5th grader in the States. All of the walkways were well lit and paved. |
 |
| I never saw such colorful stalactites and stalagmites! |
 |
| Nonetheless, the formations were quite breath taking. |
 |
| We cruised around the cave in small boats. Midway through our trip, an elevator lowered our boat to a different part of the cave. I felt like I was on a slow amusement park ride. |
 |
| Some of the kiddos paddled their families' boat. |
Even though the trip wasn’t what I expected, Qiandaohu was a
great mini-vacation. I highly recommend
it for folks who want a quiet, family-friendly get away. I’d return for some fresh air and clean
water.
 |
| No corporate outing is complete without the traditional group picture. I had a great time getting to know Chris' colleagues! |
