I'm sure D.C. isn't all that tricky when you live there or have spent a nice chunk of time there, but for someone like me - shall we say, "compass-ly deficient" - it was a nightmare.

A good friend told me that the roads are designed in such a way to make it difficult for an invading army to reach the Capitol. I don't know if that's true, but it's totally awesome, so I'm going to go with it. Surprisingly, I took no solace in this intriguing fact as I drove aimlessly around looking for Rhode Island Avenue NW or Massachusetts Avenue SE.

I do however know the alphabet and how to count. So the grid part of the city wasn't so bad. I could get from P and 17th to U and 11th, no problem. But when you start throwing in so many diagonal streets, some traffic circles (sorry, U.K., "roundabouts"), and state names that don't seem to go in any discernable order - yeah, its official, I'm lost.

It would have been neat if they had the state avenues in order of their addition into the union (hey hey, history lesson!) - or alphabetical - or ANYTHING other than totally random. The only real pattern I could find is that New York and New Jersey intersect at some point. Just like real life!

Other things I've learned while studying the map are that Montana and West Virginia are not near one another; neither are Massachusetts and Louisiana. YET, you'll find a very lovely train terminal called Union Station at the intersection of the latter.

Luckily, we had a local production assistant and a GPS unit to get us around our shoot. However, the morning after our final shoot day, I was on my own. Instead of flying with all of our gear, I figured it'd be easier to just drive from - and back to - New York. After all, Google told me it's only four hours. Not so with Mini Magellan at the steering wheel. It took me two hours to get out of the city. Don't ask how, because I don't remember. All I know is I passed the same liquor store three times before figuring out that circular isn't the fastest way to Maryland, and subsequently Delaware and Jersey. Even if those states converge by the Library of Congress.

My skin is about three shades darker than normal, and my eyes are darkened by black and purple eye shadow that mingle together not only on my eyelids but in thick lines below my eyes, as well. I can't decide if this makes me have a smoky sexy look or if I look like the clear loser in a barroom brawl. I decide in an instant that there is so much that is wrong with my new look that we couldn't possibly attend to it all and start on time, and so I ask for a heavy powdering and head out.

I arrive to shoot the rickshaw scene in the hutong, and the camera is already set up on its rig. I meet my guide, Fred, and he is a very cheerful-looking young fellow that wears a permanent smile on his face. He tells me he's nervous because he has never done anything like this before; I tell that I'm nervous, and I have been doing this for eight years.

It's hard when you have to start a travel show after only just arriving. As Fred and I were driven through these fascinating back streets, no bigger than alleyways, I just wanted to take it all in. I'm not the type of person who is at once inquisitive and begins immediately with questions like "what are these hutongs?" "how long have they been here?" "who lives here?" etc. For me I am naturally a quiet observer not yet wanting to know how everything works and what it all means but wanting to be caught up in the moment, to be simply fascinated by something without knowing it. What you don't know barreling through these hutongs like a pin ball in a machine is the beauty that exists behind the stark grey cement walls. Luckily, many families have realized the money potential of the nosey neighbor syndrome and have opened up their house to visitors. Unless on foot, you can't choose which one as there's a deal worked out between rickshaw man and the family, but I will say the two times I did the tour, each house was equally impressive and each similar in its floor plan in that there were jewel-box-like rooms that surrounded a small courtyard landscaped with small perfectly pruned trees and caged birds that sang. The experience was enchanting, and I wonder if these women who run the homes know what a bed and breakfast is. We still have a night scene to do, but jet lag hits me like a ton of bricks. And my brain is operating so that my speech resembles announcements made in the NYC Subway. "The--r is _____ service running from Grand Cen -- al to Wall St. -- please take the -- train instead." When I have jet lag, I can literally feel my synapses not making connections with their corresponding neurotransmitters. Then my director Greg Tillman and producer Mike Gattanella say to me something I have never heard in the eight years I've been shooting a travel show. "Sam we can cancel and reschedule if you want; it's up to you" I was in bed in 45 minutes.

Day 2

Easy and uneventful day until we arrived at the Peking Duck restaurant. At first we were not allowed to go into the kitchen and see the 50-some-odd chefs each preparing their own thing, but when we arrived, we were told no, then yes, then no, then "She can go into the room where they put the ducks in the oven" Okay, a hot oven filled with ducks -- now that's just great television. I was supposed to have the manager of the restaurant or someone like that with me to talk to and tell me what was happening. But that was a yes, then no, then yes, but they don't speak any English so we said no. I had girlfriends with me for the scene, so one of them got the short straw and had to go into the oven room with me. We were told not to talk to the chef in charge of putting the ducks neatly into the oven. But Chung started to ask him questions, and he responded, so we went for it.

The man then handed me the long wooden tool he uses for the ducks. I wasn't expecting this and also wasn't expecting how heavy those birds were. My 2 1/2-inch heels that already naturally thrust me forward weren't helping me brace for the weight either and my knees buckled but I didn't drop the bird. So table 45 got to eat. Back at the table with me and my girlfriends (a group of fabulous women from the Chinese production office and our hotel), we started the ritual of eating duck with a few traditional starters. Duck feet and duck tongue were two of them, and I thought I would go for the tongue as it looked rather meaty while the other just looked slimy. When I bit into the tongue, I wasn't expecting to crunch down on bones, the unexpected sensation triggered my gag reflex, which I tried desperately to calm.

This was all caught on camera, so I am looking forward to seeing my reaction and how I tried to handle the situation without offense to my very gracious company. There was no need for me to be so kind as when I said in a rather non-emotional tone that I did not like that (as opposed to "that has to be the most disgusting thing I have ever eaten"), my tablemates all said that they would NEVER eat that, It's Gross!!!! Well actually one girl really liked them, and so the plate of five duck tongues was passed over to her like a bowl of Life cereal to Mikey.

The best thing I have ever gotten to do with my amazing job is to hold a Panda. They really do feel like warm stuffed animals, His fur was soft and smelled like baby shampoo, his ears were fluffy to the touch. It was impossible not to fall completely in love.

This is a one year old, who cares less about me and more about the bamboo stick dipped in honey.

This one is my screen saver. After the somewhat frightening incident in the Panda Pen I have no idea why all of a sudden I felt perfectly safe to stick my face right next to his

This is one of my favorite photos of the 100's I took while in China. The Panda sitting upright and looking directly into camera is just hysterical.

My Executive Producer at the Travel Channel Lori Rothschild-Ansaldi pays for a turn as well. Here it seems like she is talking softly to the Panda as if it's her child and the Panda lovingly is looking on.

This morning I woke up and enjoyed my last day in my little apartment in the middle of Beijing. I made my traditional morning cup of cocoa and checked my emails until it was time to pack up to check out of the hotel.

The hotel arranged a car service to pick me up and take me back to the airport. As soon as I entered the door, I realized that I was back in that crazy airport that started this whole experience. I was not taking any chances this time, so I quickly found an English-speaking traveler and asked if they knew how to check in. I filled out a few papers and I went through customs and immigration fairly quickly. I then went through security and in minutes was heading to my gate. No problems at all.

I was flying business class, so I was given access to the Air China lounge. I went in and had a glass of juice and sent a few emails to my family, letting them know that I was safe and ready for my flight home.

When it was about time for me to board the plane, I walked over to the gate and found out that they moved the flight to GATE 25! If you read my first blog, this was the EXACT same gate that I arrived at, and it was CHAOS! There were hundreds of people all screaming, and all of them were in line for the flight to New York! After about 30 minutes of being pushed and shoved, I realized that there was a separate line for business and first class passengers. PHEW!! Thank you, Travel Channel!

I am now on the plane, and I am snug in my big seat in the "bubble" of the plane. I have a nice gentleman sitting next to me who is a federal judge and lives in Washington, D.C. Meeting someone on an airplane is sometimes painful, but on a 12-hour flight, I was sure glad to have someone this interesting in case he wanted to start up a long conversation!

12 hours later...

I am still in my seat on the aircraft and I am now looking out of my window and over New York City. Travel offers such amazing context. I have such a sense of pride overlooking the United States right now. When the video screen said that we were over Anchorage last night, calmness came over me -- a feeling of great relief to be back in the country that was familiar to me. I really loved my trip to China; the food was good, the history was amazing and the people were nice. I enjoyed exploring new cities and experiencing their way of life. I realized how important it is to study the history and culture of a place before you travel; it adds so much to your overall experience. I also realized how important it is to keep up to date on world events and understand that there is more to this world than just what you experience at home every day. Lastly I learned to be flexible. From the first day when I missed the connection to Beijing, to having to use a Chinese toilet in the middle of the Forbidden City. Travel offers you an amazing perspective on life, and I hope to take this feeling with me on the rest of my travels.

I met the crew down in the lobby of the Ascott at 10 a.m., and we all walked over to Starbucks before loading into the van. Ummm, here's a tip: Starbucks -- not so good in China! The coffee is Nescafe, so you have to order an espresso drink if you want anything to resemble what you would have in the U.S. I made a HUGE mistake and ordered a green tea latte. Sounds yummy, right? Not so much. The best way to describe it is that it tasted like chopped up grass in watery milk. Yuk.

We all piled into the production van and made our way back to the Forbidden City. We did a few stand-ups outside of the gate with the large portrait of Mao in the background. We then walked and walked to our second set-up inside the gates of the city. Remember, this place is huge, and we are a large crew with a lot of equipment. So moving from one set-up to another takes time and patience. It got so bad at one point that we decided to hire a bunch of rickshaws to bring us to our other locations.

After our morning shoot, we took a lunch break at a typical Chinese restaurant in the middle of Beijing. We had pork that we wrapped in tofu, pork ribs, noodles and "gyouza," dumplings filled with fennel and more pork. There were a few strange dishes like a soymilk soup that I tried and a few other tofu dishes that really did not have any flavor at all. Most of the dishes were very spicy, so I stuck with the gyouza and some steamed rice. (All this rice is really adding on the pounds! It makes you wonder how the Chinese stay so skinny!)

After lunch, we made our way back to the hutongs to shoot some more promo material with Sam. It was a hard day of shooting and Sam was getting really tired and just ready for a break. Shooting in a hutong or even in the Forbidden City is challenging. First you have the government that comes every couple of minutes to make sure that you are allowed to be there. Then you have to deal with all of the people on the streets and just moving from one location to another. Lastly it is really hard to keep our battery lives; there is no place to plug in when you are in a building that was constructed thousands of years ago! So we were all glad when we made it to our final set-up for the day!

We also had to stop on time today because this day was a holiday in China! It was called the Mid-Autumn Festival or the "Mooncake Festival," and the tradition is to eat Moon Pies! If you were to ask an elder for the history of this festival, they would tell you of the sacrifice made by Chang'er, a beautiful concubine of a wicked Chinese emperor who ruled over his people with injustice. Under an empirical edict, physicians in the emperor's court were ordered to create an elixir of immortality for him. Chang'er saw the sorrow of the people and did not want them to endure an eternity of suffering. She stole the elixir from the emperor, swallowed it and turned into a fairy. The Mooncake festival, thus, commemorates the brave act by Chang'er, which resulted in the liberation of her people from tyranny.

A more modern version says that the Chinese observe this day as a remembrance of the overthrow of the Mongol rulers. The rebellion succeeded largely because the people were able to coordinate their efforts by smuggling to one another messages hidden in mooncakes, a pastry filled with lotus seed paste, melon seeds and egg yolk.

Either version is amazing, each illustrates how a 5,000-year history translates into amazing traditions, rituals and beliefs that have been passed from generation to generation. This is like their version of Thanksgiving, and our Chinese crew really wanted to go home and spend it with their families.

The rest of the crew was invited to dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate with one of the girls from the Ascott, Mae. She took us to a very traditional Chinese restaurant for some of her favorite Chinese foods to celebrate the Mooncake Festival! We had an assortment of dumplings and noodles and then they brought out a beautiful Peking duck that was baked in a clay oven right outside of the front door of the restaurant. You can actually smell the duck being baked as you walk in the front door. Yum. They also brought out a full fried fish topped with a sweet sauce. Everything was amazing! BUT, the dessert was the absolute best and the most memorable dish of the entire trip! It was fried apples that are drizzled in a hot caramel sugar sauce. You basically pick up a piece of the apple and then dunk it into a cold cup of water to crystallize the sugar and pop it into your mouth! It was like candy and the most unique dish of my entire experience in China.

We stayed at the restaurant for a few hours just talking and enjoying our last evening in China. I have only been here for a week, but most of the crew is on their third week and ready for the long flight back to the United States.

In my last blog, I board a 747 and head back over the North Pole to the other side of the world.

It is really easy to get to as it is right in the middle of Beijing and is accessible by their amazing subway system! The subway is super-cheap, and all of the signs are in English, which was a complete shock to me. When you come up from the subway, you are only a few streets away from the front gate of the city that overlooks Tiananmen Square. Above the front gate, is a large picture of Chairman Mao, and the place is just flooded with tourists from all over the world.

As we made our way through the center courtyard, I snapped pictures of the people just hanging around here. There were school children out on a field trip, mobs of tour groups and random people selling everything from bottled water to T-shirts and bags with Chairman Mao's face. There were also a lot of Chinese military groups. I remember turning to Sam and saying, "Wow, we are in China!"

We walked through the various palaces and gardens that make up the Forbidden City. You can spend hours in this one spot, so make sure that you have plenty of time to explore it. The one thing that I took away from this experience was that, as an American, you can never really grasp a five-thousand-year history. Americans talk in decades and Europeans talk in centuries; the Chinese talk in dynasties. It is just too much history to really grasp in one trip. (TIP! Make sure that you do a little reading on Chinese history before your trip to bring all of this amazing history to life.)

Reader beware: I am about to take you on a "real adventure" in this blog. So, please do not say that I did not warn you! In the middle of our walk through the Forbidden City, I started to feel a little sick. I realized that I had a bit of an "issue" and I needed to find a bathroom -- quick! There was no getting around it this time, I had to use a public toilet in China! I found one right in the middle of the Forbidden City, and I found an open stall and there it was: the dreaded hole in the ground. I said a quick prayer and closed the door behind me. The rest is travel history! Lori Rothschild Ansaldi has now officially pooped in a hole in Asia! (I immediately called my mother.) I have to say that it is really not that bad. The squatting seems strange, but it really is a very natural position to poop in. So, try it -- ya just might like it.

After the Forbidden City (yes, I am feeling much better by now), we walked a few blocks and entered a hutong. Hutongs are the most authentic Beijing experience you can get, so be sure to set aside plenty of time to explore them. Sam, Caroline and I walked for hours into tiny shops, explored hidden alleyways where we could peer into real Chinese homes. We even stopped for lunch at a small cafe and ordered pizza and fries! The pizza was of the frozen variety, but a welcome departure from the Kung Pao and dumplings that we had been eating at every other meal.

After a bit of walking, we decided to hire a rickshaw and have a real tourist experience. The tour through the hutongs was great, and the driver even brought us into a typical Chinese home where we could walk through the rooms and a central garden. They even served us tea before we made our way back to the bike.

At this point of the day, we were all really tired and ready for a nap. So we walked over to a main street to hail a cab back to our hotel. This might have been the hardest part of the entire trip! Here's what a guidebook will not tell you: taxi drivers in Beijing do not pick up anyone who does not look Chinese. Why? Because they know that you do not speak Mandarin, and they do not want to try to negotiate with you in English. It's that simple. That is why you should always carry cards with you with the name and address of your hotel or destination in English and in Mandarin. Those cards are the only way to convince a driver to give you a ride!

After all the excitement of trying to find a cab, Caroline and I decided that we wanted to go over to the silk market to do some shopping before we headed back to the hotel. So we dropped off Sammy, and we went to the Silk Market.

The market is like a huge indoor flea market. If you are a New Yorker, think Caesar's Bay Bazaar or The Busy Bee Mall. There are hundreds of vendors selling everything from fake Prada bags and Seven jeans to perfume, shoes, Chinese art and jewelry. The vendors all yell at you as you walk by their stalls. "Hey, lady ... Hey, lady! Come over, and buy from me." If you stop or even catch their sight, they will walk right up to you and pull you over to their stalls. It was so loud and chaotic and, after a long day of exploring Beijing, I was just not ready for an evening of shopping. However, I did pick up a few knock-off bags, which are definitely the best I have ever seen. Chinatown, eat your heart out!

Caroline and I decided that it was definitely time for a drink. So, we headed back to the hotel and met up with Sam and the crew at the Italian restaurant located right inside of the Ascott. Now, I was a bit weary of eating Italian food in the middle of China, but they did a good job. I had a mushroom risotto and a glass of Merlot.

After dinner Greg, the director of the show, suggested that we all get foot massages at the 24-hour massage parlor located right in the lobby of the hotel. Now, listen up people: this is one of the must-dos when you are in Beijing! You must get a foot massage! Think of it this way, it is a 90-minute full body massage (fully clothed) where they concentrate on your feet, and it costs $17! The best part? They are always open -- 24/7! So right after that nice dinner and wine, I went in for an hour-and-a-half massage before taking the elevator up to my room to my cozy bed. I woke up eight hours later for another shoot day.

In the next blog, we head out to celebrate Thanksgiving in China and experience our first Peking Duck.

After some breakfast of dragon fruit and cereal and a hot shower, I went down to check out of the hotel and make my way to the airport. When I got to the front desk, they handed me a bill for 256 RMB, which, I believe, was about $40 US! This is a five-star luxury hotel, which I would put on par with a Ritz Carlton!

I met up with the crew, and we all headed to the airport for our flight to Beijing. The airport was no problem at all -- got there in plenty of time and jumped on the line for security. As we were standing there, I started noticing that all of the babies and toddlers all had the pant split thing. This is where the parents cut the inner seam of the child's pants so that they can squat to go to the bathroom! No diapers here!! Yup, there were a bunch of bare bottoms staring us down as we had our passports checked! Definitely not back in Kansas yet!

After we went through security, one of the producers and I decided to go get a cup of coffee before the flight. We were lured into what appeared to be a teahouse in the terminal and were quickly escorted to a table and given Pepperidge Farm-style chocolate chip cookies. The other producer and I just shrugged it off and took a seat. A few minutes later, a girl came over to take our order. We told her that we just wanted a cup of coffee, and she quickly wrote something on the palm of her hand and showed it to us. It looked like a price, and we both just nodded and she went off to get our coffee. The girl came back a few minutes later with two cups of steamy Nescafe (YUK! No offense, but sooo not a Starbucks!) and two bottles of water. We "enjoyed" our warm dirty water and then asked for our bill on the way out. Guess how much? 256 RMB!! The same exact amount that I just paid for my hotel room at the Shangri-La in Chengdu! I asked the girl if this was a golden cup of Nescafe in my best Long Island accent and we left! (TIP! Traveler Beware!! Always negotiate your price for ANYTHING before you order in China! We agreed to a price that was just outrageous!)

Our flight took off from Chengdu, and we arrived in Beijing on time. We were then whisked away by a car service to our next hotel, The Ascott Beijing. This hotel is awesome because all of the rooms here are mini-suites. So, it is like having your own apartment in Beijing! I had a full kitchen, living room, two baths and a large bedroom with views overlooking the city!

Beijing is a sprawling metropolis. It still has that gray cloud cover that I noticed in Chengdu, but what amazed me the most about this city was the differences in the architecture. There were beautiful Chinese pagodas next to state-of-the-art sky scrapers! There were also buildings that reminded me of something you would see in Eastern Europe sitting next to a Dunkin' Donuts or a Burger King. Just surreal.

As soon as I put my bags down, I just plopped into my beautiful 600-thread-count sheets, and I went to bed! Sam called me at 6:30 to check on me and let me know that we were going to all go out and grab a bite. So, I got up and got ready for my first night in Beijing.

We decided to go to a Hong Kong-style dim-sum restaurant for dinner. This place was a giant five-story pagoda with each floor separated into smaller compartments with large round tables. All the compartments had doors, making them really private. Maggie, our makeup artist, made the reservation and asked a few of her local friends to join us. It was amazing. We had radish cakes, dumplings, steamed pork buns and chicken feet! Yes, chicken feet! Sam and I both tried them, and I have to say that they are not that bad. They are like smaller versions of chicken wings with thicker chicken skin and soft bones. You actually bite right through the bones like you would a soft shell crab. They are served in a brown garlic sauce, which makes it all really tasty. That's my bizarre food for the trip!

Read on -- tomorrow is our day off, and Sam, Caroline and I head to the Forbidden City and explore the ancient hutongs.

Our first stop was the nursery to see the infant pandas. There were three cubs sleeping in a large wooden crib. At first glance, they looked like stuffed animals until you noticed the rise and fall of their little bellies. They were so sweet. After we shot a quick bit with Sam, we made our way to the 1-year-old area, where Helen told us that we could hold one of the Giant Pandas! What? It's true! For around $125 (1000 RMB) I was able to hold a giant 1-year-old panda for about two minutes!

(TIP! We were at the Panda Preserve in Chengdu in September of 2007. This was almost a year before a devastating earthquake rocked this area. Please check to make sure that the preserve is open.) First, they suit you up in a medical robe and give you plastic gloves for your hands. Then you sit down, and they plop a bear on your lap! He just sits there eating away at a bamboo shoot dipped in honey and you, well, you simply have one of the coolest moments of your life! The panda that was on my lap was really big and I thought he was going to be soft and cuddly. His fur was actually really coarse, but there were a couple of times that he looked back at me, and you could see that he just loved being snuggled. What a thrill!

After the pandas, we went to a typical Chinese restaurant for dinner. One of the producers ordered for all of us. I really liked the steamed flounder in soy and the duck. (TIP! If you are a little scared of ordering in China, you can never go wrong with the most common dish on every menu -- Kung Pao Chicken! The dumplings are also a safe bet!) Most of the dishes in this region are spicy, so I was careful with my choices. The last thing I needed was an upset stomach.

After dinner, we then set up the last location for the day at the Marco Polo Bridge. There was a beautiful pagoda all lit up with red lanterns. I quickly realized that this is the pagoda that I was looking out at this morning where the people were doing their Tai Chi! It was really beautiful and very Chinese. We all lost steam fast after dinner and we were all relieved when Greg called wrap at 9:30. Sam and I walked back to the hotel, and I went up to my room for a hot shower and a good rest, because tomorrow we travel to Beijing!

Surrounding the pagoda was a giant concrete area -- almost like what you would think of as a city park without a basketball court or jungle gym -- with about 30 people doing Tai Chi. Now, I have watched people practice tai chi before, but this was different. This was a group of people doing tai chi under a pagoda across the street from my hotel in Chengdu, China. At that very moment, I knew that I was about to experience something amazing.

I planned to meet Sam and the crew down at the breakfast buffet in the hotel. So, I quickly dressed and brushed my teeth with the bottled water before heading out for our first day of shooting. I took the elevator down to the lobby and met everyone from our crew. Sam was freshly showered after her morning workout and was heading back up to her room for hair and makeup. I sat down with Scott, the other Executive Producer, and Caroline, one of our marketing producers, for my first taste of real Chinese cuisine.

The breakfast buffet was really amazing. They had all sorts of foods to choose from. The one thing that I noticed right off the bat was the fruits. There were fruits on display that I had never seen before. There were prickly little balls the size of marbles that I learned were lychee. I also noticed that there was a huge jug of green juice on the juice bar. I walked over and found out that it was kiwi juice. I filled a glass right up -- it looked so good.

There were all sorts of other foods available. There was a pastry bar, a noodle soup bar and an array of dumplings to choose from. There was also the typical Western fare -- eggs and bacon, waffles and cereals. I really wanted to jump right into the Chinese adventure, so I chose a few dumplings, a few Chinese pastries (an egg custard cup and a custard roll) and then a big bowl of rice. What? I am going to be lugging equipment and walking around the city for 10 hours. These are like negative calories! Almost like eating carrots or celery and besides, my next weight watcher weigh-in is like 10 days and three continents away. I'm good.

Now here is a tip that is super important for you coffee drinkers. The coffee in China is awful. Think of going to your favorite Chinese restaurant and ordering a cup of coffee. Would you do that? Nope. This is where tea is king, and you should take advantage of the many tea services that are available in this country. There is a huge variety of Chinese teas and it becomes part of your Chinese culinary experience to try as many as you can! (TIP! Do not worry about the water in your tea! As long as they are boiling the water, you will be fine! Also, Western-tyle hotels tend to use filtered or bottled water for their guests.)

After breakfast, we all met back in the lobby of the hotel before jumping aboard the bus that we rented for the crew. I have to be honest and say that after the many hours of travel and all of the "fish out of water" experiences I went through the day before, it sure was comforting to see some familiar faces and hear people speaking English! It's amazing how many times I stopped what I was doing and realized that I was in China. It was like it kept hitting me over and over again. It was never a feeling of homesickness, just pure awe at how far away we really were from home.

Our first location in Chengdu was a traditional Chinese teahouse. Now, I am not sure what you are picturing, but I had a small restaurant in mind. I pictured it having small tables that you would kneel around to enjoy your tea. I then thought that we would probably have to take off our shoes. What color are my toenails? Geesh, I am sure glad I stopped for that pedi in JFK!

The ride through Chengdu was amazing. The first thing you realize is how very grey the sky is here. It looked as if it were about to rain. So I asked one of our guides if we should be worried about shooting outside today. (TIP! When traveling in China, it is best to hire a guide that can also act as your translator. It is rare to hear a drop of English here.)

The guide quickly explained that they were not expecting rain and that the sky always looked like this in Chengdu. Apparently, China burns coal for its power and fuel, so this entire country is plagued with pollution. This was not just a grey day; this was a grey country! And you can smell it! The air in Chengdu smells like exhaust so, traveler, be warned! (TIP! Make sure that you bring your allergy medication!! You will need it in China! If you wear contact lenses -- make sure you have plenty of solution and drops to keep them clean.)

After a 30-minute ride, we pulled into a large parking lot of what appeared to be a shopping mall. It reminded me of the Caesar's Bay Bazaar in Brooklyn. I asked why we were stopping, and one of the producers said, "I think we are here!" Our guide then told us that the best teahouse is located right in this building. I have to tell you, it was hard to believe!

We all jumped into an elevator and took a ride up to the third floor. When we got out of the elevator, we were in front of what looked like a carved large front door to an elaborate Chinese home. When they opened the door, you had to step over the frame! That was how big this door was. Apparently the frame of the teahouse was centuries old and it was transported from its original location to this mall. Talk about paving paradise and putting up a parking lot! Weird choice for a new location!

When I walked over the frame and through the door of the teahouse, I experienced a real slice of Chengdu life. People were sitting and having tea (at normal-sized tables), slurping noodles and having their ears cleaned. Yes, you heard that right. Let me try to explain.

First, the slurping. You can actually hear it from just outside the dining room. It's a sound that you really cannot place at first. Then you see them. People were sitting at the tables with large spoons (or sometimes drinking right out of the side of their bowls) slurping down oodles and oodles of noodles. I have to say, it was almost like watching Britney Spears on Access Hollywood. I could not take my eyes off of them. It was all I could do, just sit there and watch them slurp away without a care in the world. And then it happened -- "ting."

I heard this tinging sound, and when I found out what was making that noise, I was stunned! There was a man sitting at a table with a woman sticking long silver needles in his ears!! I'm not sure if I was more stunned or completely grossed out. So these men and women were walking around the teahouse with long silver wires that looked like sewing needles with cotton balls on the ends. They stick those long silver q-tips in someone's ear (who pays them to do this) and hold a tuning fork to the end. Just when the q-tip is in the right place -- "ting" -- the tuning fork chimes, and the ear is clean. How bizarre is that?

We decided that the interior of the teahouse was too dark for our shoot and decided to check out another one that was outdoors. So we all climbed back in the bus and headed to a nearby park.

The park was crowded and people were really interested in what we were doing. A crowd quickly gathered as we unloaded all of our gear and we all made our way to the teahouse. The park itself was kind of amazing. It was greener than I expected. The trees all appeared to be weeping willows (Note to the reader: I am not a gardener and I tend to kill anything that resembles a plant. These could have been maples for all I know.) that had these vines that drooped off of the branches and cascaded into a small lake below. People were out in rowboats and sitting on benches watching the world go by.

When we made it to the teahouse, there was one thing that immediately caught my eye. Yes, there were people slurping noodles and having their ears cleaned -- been there, done that. What really caught my eye was the little baby bottoms running around. Literally! All of the babies from say eight months to toddler do not wear diapers! The parents simply cut the back seams of all of their pants and allow them to do their business wherever they want! As I watched these parents holding their bare-assed children, I thought of my own daughter back at home and wished that I could have shared this moment with my husband.

I once read that the Chinese do not queue. In other words, they refuse to wait in a single line for something. The Chinese simply all gather and push and shove to the front. I could not imagine a world without lines -- until I made it to baggage claim at the Beijing airport. As I was waiting for my bag, I was nearly knocked down like three times. People just push and shove their way through the crowds and never look back. It's creepy and really frustrating. As Americans, we are told to be polite and respectful of others, especially in other countries. However, the New Yorker almost burst out of my mouth a half-dozen times at that baggage claim. One woman almost found my right foot ... (TIP! Traveler be warned! It is the norm to push and shove in China! You will need to embrace this and go with it, or it will get under your skin the minute your plane lands.)

I finally found my bag and checked in for my connection. They told me that the flight would be boarding from Gate 25. As I made my way to the gate, I stopped at one of the shops to buy a bottle of water. I asked the girl at the counter (in English) if they took debit cards, and she looked at me with pure disgust. (TIP! The Chinese do not believe in credit cards. In fact, they despise the thought of being in debt. Make sure that you come into Beijing with a little RMB -- the Chinese currency -- in case you get hungry at the airport. Or simply exchange a bit of money as soon as you arrive.)

I found Gate 25 (parched and tired) and quickly realized that this was not going to be an easy leg of this journey. I had to walk down a series of steps that led me to Gate 25, which was a room that branched off into four other gates at each corner of the room. None of the gate attendants from the airlines had microphones to announce the flights and when to board. So, how do they let you know when it is time to board your flight? They scream their heads off in Chinese! They have to! There were hundreds of people waiting in this holding pen of a gate and it was loud! It was also warm. Talk about chaos!! I made a vow to never complain about JFK airport ever again. It was a full-on spa compared to this!

Since I had about 45 minutes to wait, I decided to go into the bathroom and change into some fresh clothes. (TIP! For long flights, be sure to pack a change of clothes in your carry-on case, as well as some basic toiletries. It will help you feel refreshed and ready for the next leg of your journey.) The bathrooms were Western-style, meaning they looked like porta-potties and were "above ground." Had not had the opportunity to try the other type (hole in the ground) as of yet and was so looking forward to the experience.

After I changed, I just kept an eye on the screens (there were two little ones) until my flight number was finally called. I sat in the middle of the gate and just watched the world go by. I remembered feeling like a total misfit. For the very first time, I was the minority. I caught people staring at me and looking at my duffle bag that had a Discovery Channel logo on it. They totally knew that I was out of my element.

I was really relieved when they finally started boarding and led us out to a bus to take us to the airplane. The bus was packed to the rim before they finally closed the doors. There was an older couple standing a few feet away from me, and I made eye contact with the woman. She reminded me of my friend's mom, and for a moment I missed home. I quickly got up and insisted that she take my seat. She was very grateful and her husband thanked me several times in English. (TIP! There is nothing more sacred to the Chinese than their elders. Understanding their culture will help you feel more at home in this foreign land.)

Once I was on the plane, I settled in for the two-and-a-half-hour flight to Chengdu. Chengdu has a smaller airport, and it was really easy to find baggage claim. I was not even pushed!! I quickly grabbed my bag from baggage claim and met my driver from the hotel. He had a sign with my name on it. Just the kind of ease I needed after that trip! He seemed really nice but did not speak a word of English, so we had a blast laughing at each other's stupid hand gestures. Ah, the magic of travel and the feeling of being a fish out of water! I arrived at the hotel around midnight and checked into the beautiful Shangri La Hotel.

The Shangri La Hotel is really nice. It appears to be brand-new as it towers above the other buildings in this area of Chengdu. When my driver dropped me off, I walked through the front door and noticed how clean this hotel smelled. I was clearly not prepared for the smog of China. People told me about it, but you can never really understand it until you see it for yourself. There is a dusty residue in the air at all times of the day here. So when you walk into a hotel that has filtered air, you can really tell the difference. (TIP! Bring your allergy medication with you! You will need it, especially if you are sensitive to air pollution. If you wear contacts, be sure to bring plenty of drops to keep them clean.)

I checked into my hotel room, and it was really beautiful. The room was modern with a hint of Asian influence here and there. The bathroom was all marble and had a deep soak tub, a stand-up shower and a private commode. (Just in case you need to go in private.) You will be happy to know that there were no holes in the ground in this hotel! I did notice a few weird things right off the bat, though: 1) there was a gas mask in the closet (Why? I was not going to ask); 2) there were bottles of water everywhere -- I'll get to that in a second; 3) everything is state of the art, from the flat-screen TV to the cool digital board that controls your lights. That was kind of cool.

Here's the deal with the bottles of water: you cannot trust the water in China. So you need to use bottled water any time you might ingest it. I used the tap water for my bath and I showered without a problem. I just made sure that I washed my face and brushed my teeth with bottled water. It was cool; I felt like Madonna when she used to request to bathe in whole milk. What?

(TIP! Be safe -- see your doctor and make sure that you get all of the recommended immunizations before traveling to Asia. Chengdu is considered one of the "remote" regions, and you will need to get a few extra shots if you venture out this way.)

You think that was fun? In the next blog, I meet up with Sam and the crew and we get quite the surprise when Sam "steps in it" in a traditional Chinese Teahouse. Oh yeah, you can get your ears cleaned there, too.

*L*

Reality hit when I made the reservation. I would fly out of D.C. to New York and jump on a connection to Beijing. From Beijing I would take a short flight to Chengdu where I would meet the rest of the crew. Done. There was no backing out now.

The production team booked the hotels. We were staying at the Shangri-La in Chengdu and the Ascott Beijing in Beijing. I knew both of the brands, so I was sure that I would be well taken care of once I got there. The problem became getting there.

Three weeks before my trip, I started researching the vaccinations that were suggested for traveling to and around China. All for safety: none were required. So, I held out my arms and handled about three shots in each arm ... ouch. (TIP! Be sure to check the CDC's website as well as the US Department of State site -- travel.state.gov -- to find out which vaccines they recommend prior to travel and register your itinerary with the US embassy.)

As I pulled out of the driveway on September 19, I waved goodbye to my husband and 2-year-old at the front door. The baseball in my stomach became a swarm of butterflies. I was really about to head to the other side of the world. I blew her a kiss and, with a tear in my eye, was on my way.

Airports are really amazing places these days. Dulles International is going through some revamping, but they have some cool places to eat and hang out in while waiting in the terminals. I picked up a Lonely Planet guidebook at the Borders Bookstore and grabbed some sushi (pretty good for airport food!) in terminal B and waited for my short flight to NY.

The good news is that I eventually made it to NY, the bad news was that it was a day later and I missed my connection to Beijing. So I ended up making a brief pit-stop for the night in Manhattan.

There's something about waking up in New York ... especially when the plan was to sleep on a 13-hour flight to Beijing. I was really glad to be in New York though. I'm a New Yorker. I grew up on Long Island and lived and worked in Manhattan. While I was a bit disappointed to not be on my way to Beijing, I couldn't help feeling a bit relieved that I could spend one more night in the same time zone as my family.

Let me take you back to Dulles. After I stopped to grab food and the book, I walked over to the gate and boarded the plane. Grabbed my seat, pulled out the iPod and started preparing my clean journal for the trip ahead. (TIP! I always take a small notebook on every trip. I try to write something every day, and I usually find myself using it to record fun facts, authentic feelings, contact information for friends that I meet along the way, and even recipes.) That's where things started to turn. I quickly realized after 15 minutes of sitting on the plane at the gate that something was going on outside. The Captain came on the loud speaker and told us that there was a hydraulic leak. Now, I am not a nervous flyer (anymore), but that made me want to get the hell off the plane. I'm not exactly sure what a "hydraulic leak" means, but I was not about to fly on a plane with one. So I was relieved when they told us that they would be de-boarding the plane. The people on the plane with me were not so happy. Apparently, this was a continuation of another flight coming out of Texas that had been delayed for hours on the ground there. They could not have cared less that the airline had 36 channels of DirecTV available at each set! They were furious and it reminds me to look up my travelers' rights before heading out for my next trip. I know that there is a bill in front of congress right now to regulate how passengers are accommodated if there are cancellations.

I started to get nervous when they announced that they were not replacing this plane for another; instead they were going to go ahead and service this one and delay our flight to NY by hours. They said that they were expecting a 3 p.m. departure from Dulles and that we would likely touch down in JFK by 4 p.m. My flight to Beijing was scheduled to leave at 4:30 p.m.

My first instinct was "call your mother." My second was call the airline and figure it out. So I jumped online, grabbed the number for Air China (TIP! Keep the numbers to your airlines, car rental companies and hotels handy when traveling -- you never know when a delay will cause a headache) and called the customer service line. I spoke to a very charming Chinese woman who was really helpful and very funny. Especially when I told her that I thought I could make that Beijing connection. I explained to her that I just had to grab my bag and run over to the International Arrivals building! And that I could make a run for it. She thought I was kidding and laughed as she started to reschedule my flight for the next day. (TIP! All passengers need to be checked-in and cleared one hour prior to departure for all International flights. So make sure you leave plenty of time to get to the airport!)

Once she had me booked on the flight for the next day out of NY, I started to think about what I would do now. Should I pack up and head back home and enjoy a pizza with my family tonight and try again tomorrow? Or, knowing that there was no way that I could get my bags back from Jet Blue (woops ... I was trying to keep their name out of it) at this point, do I follow my suitcase with my Louis Vuitton bag and my fabulous new Prada flats to New York? Decision made. I'm going to NY.

During the long wait at Dulles, I managed to secure a reasonable hotel rate on sidestep.com for a hotel called The Empire on 63rd and Bway. I never heard of it and I was a bit hesitant, but I really did not have much of a choice at this point. So I went with it and boarded my 11:45 a.m. flight to NY at 3 p.m. and arrived at 4:15. So much for trying to make a run for that Beijing flight!

When we arrived at JFK, we were told the number of the carousel to find our luggage. I stood there for over an hour, waiting for my bags and when they finally came, they told us that they were just "too busy" outside to get them out any sooner. Service with a smile.

I jumped into a cab outside of the terminal and headed into the city. (TIP! Taxis to and from Manhattan and JFK are a flat rate of $45 -- so no worries about being taken the "long way." Just make sure that you have cash on you -- NYC taxis still do not take credit cards.) I love talking to cab drivers. This one was from India and had been living in NY for over 12 years. I knew he was from India by his last name: Singh. Singh is as common as Smith in the U.S. He told me about his move to the U.S. He now lives in the Bronx and finds it hard to find good Indian food there. Lots of Latino cuisine though and he told me about his favorite rice and beans dish. (TIP! If you have enough time in NY -- try to get to the Bronx for some of the best Latino cuisine in the U.S. Just be sure to do your research -- this is the boogie-down Bronx after all.)

When I arrived at The Empire Hotel, I was pleasantly surprised by the décor -- very NY boutique, nothing that I was expecting. The bell guy (not a boy, definitely a guy) addressed me as Mrs. Ansaldi, which I thought was strange and then realized that he was looking at my luggage tag, which I thought was smart.

I then tried to check in and when they could not find my reservation, I had enough. (TIP! Be sure to tell the check-in agent at the front desk how you booked your room if you do a last-minute reservation online. It will save you this headache. Remember, I had only booked hours before, so my reservation had not hit their system yet from Sidestep.) I handed the guy my AMEX and said in my clear Long Island accent, "I'm going to the bar for a drink. You come and get me when you figure this out." I then wandered over to a very cool bar in the middle of the lobby where I ordered a Cosmo with Chopin. Just what the doctor ordered after this travel day. What was even nicer was when the bartender told me that it was compliments of the front desk. Now I am liking this place.

I went up to my small NY room -- totally expected -- and found it to be really comfortable. Good air quality, colors were chocolate brown and creams with rich textures like leather-covered chairs and a thick blanket on the bed. The bathroom was small but designed to look like a sauna. The bathroom walls were light brown and made to look like warm woods. They also had planks of cedar on the shower floor to finish the spa look. Toiletries were nice, too. Note to self: pack those for China -- ya never know! (TIP! Take home the toiletries! With all of my travels, I have a nice stock of travel-sized shampoos, conditioners, soaps, lotions, etc., that I put out when I have house guests.)

After a warm shower, I went to log in to my computer, so that I could check on my itinerary for my delayed trip to China. I called the front desk to ask for a pass code for the wireless service and they told me that the hotel offers complimentary internet service. WHAT? I promptly asked the woman on the line, "Can you please tell me what city we are in?" And she responded, "New York." And I said, "And you just said the word 'complimentary.'" And she said, "yes, ma'am." Can you even take it? I just spent around $400 for a room in NY that booked only hours before and they gave me wireless service for free. Genious. Even better, she told me that when I wake up, there is a complimentary breakfast in the lobby. Fabulous.

After I checked email and confirmed that everything was set for my trip, I decided to meet my cousin Melissa for dinner. She was heading out on a blind date, but wanted to grab a bite before she met the dude for drinks. We went to the Rink Bar which is the bar/restaurant that opens in the summer right on top of the ice rink at Rockefeller Center! Our table was right below the 12,500-pound bronze statue of Prometheus. (The statue was later covered in 24 karat gold leaf, so it is cool to sit below it and look up and see "30 Rock" right behind it.) Dinner was OK, not fabulous, and the service was questionable. You pay for the experience of dining on the rink. The company was great, though.

The next morning, I grabbed a Starbucks (did you really think I was the free breakfast type?) and packed up to make my way to the airport for my flight to Beijing. I got to JFK without a problem and checked in. The international terminal at JFK was great. I had access to the Air China business lounge, but I was not into chatting with random business dudes on their way to Asia. So I walked the terminal and found what was called The Express Spa. I was very early for my flight, so I had plenty of time to grab lunch over a mani-pedi. It was the perfect way to wait for a 13-hour flight to the other side of the world.

The flight started boarding on-time, and I was guided to my seat up on the top floor of the 747. (TIP! In my opinion, the "bubble" is the best area of a 747 when flying business class because it is super quiet and you get really personalized service.) I had a huge seat that converted to a bed, my own TV, champagne service, a really nice meal and two pillows and a blanket! Now, if I told you what we paid for this ticket, you would have said, "That's all they gave you!!" So, I'll leave it at that. (TIP! Whenever I fly, I always pack a large pashmina in my carry-on. It can be folded and used as a pillow, pulled out and becomes a comfy blanket and doubles as a floatation device. Kidding! It can be used as a scarf or a shawl on your trip!)

The trip was easy; I ate dinner and then fell asleep. When I woke up, I figured that we had about five more hours until landing, and I was shocked to learn that we would be landing in an hour and a half! Buckle your seat belt and stow your tray table, because we are about to come in for a landing in Beijing.

Day 1

I'm thrilled that we are here as I have wanted to show off the New Hampshire seacoast ever since I started at Travel Channel. Of course, it's understandably hard to convince the execs when your series take place in Europe, Latin America and China, but now that we are doing a lot of American travel, I tell anyone who will listen how we HAVE to do my hometown. But it is a little strange being home and having to work. For the last 15 years, this has always been the place I returned to to clear the mind, be by myself and spend some time with the family. Very strange to look up and see a camera crew. I have to fight to keep from daydreaming, because it's just so automatic when I come here.

I got the producers' notes for the show and read some of the historical points and thought, "WOW that really happened here?" I had no idea, well maybe at one time I had an idea, say in the four or fifth grade when we really covered the early years of America, but John Paul Jones, the father of the American Navy, lived in Portsmouth? Who knew? During my formative years, there was no time for history as boys and trying to dress like Madonna took up all my time.

I think I'm fighting an ear infection since I have vertigo. I feel very odd, like I'm always on a rocking ship and even to look at food makes me nauseous. I have felt this way for five days now, and it's really starting to wear me out, but while shooting at Portsmouth Brewer, Todd the Brewmaster offers me a small glass of his masterpiece, Catherine the Great. It's a beer that was voted the second-best beer in the U.S. by "Beer Advocate." As he pours me the glass, I think that I couldn't be rude enough to turn down the drink, but I know this could make me feel even more ill. I take a sip, and it's really good, wholesome, almost nutritious in its full frothy brew. I drink the whole glass because it really is an amazing beer, and I actually start to feel a little better. My head just feels like it's more aligned. By the end of the night, all feelings of vertigo are gone. I'm positive it was the beer, and drinking it was certainly a more pleasurable experience than going to the doctor and getting antibiotics.

Day 2

Great day with a walk on the beach with my family. The entire night there was such wind that it shook the entire turret that my room was in. I've never heard such a ruckus in all my years of living on the seacoast. I thought the beach scene might be scrapped, but the skies are beautiful, and aside from some strong gusts, it's a great day. This scene was the most important to me as that beach has been a part of my family ever since we moved to the seacoast. Every time I come home, I either bike to that beach or drive, I'm alone or with my sisters, mom or my dad. There's something neutral about a beach, and this is where as a family we have always come to do our talking. It's also such an inspirational and uplifting place, so every trip there ends with an affirmation of hope.

We shot a scene at a Portsmouth local favorite hangout the Pressroom. These are a few of my buddies from High School: Eric Morrow, Gregg White and David Olson. This scene was later cut from the show (don't know if it made it to the web) but since they have ragged on me since High School I had a lot of fun telling them they made it to the editing room floor.

The crew at lunch. Just look at how good we are trying to be ordering salads with our sweet potato fries.

The crew at Nubble Light in Maine. Boy it was cold, we had to do the stand-ups there many times because my teeth would chatter in the middle of me talking.

Me with Gail of Flo's hot dogs. My must stop place when I come home.

It seems so untouched that if I hadn't heard the news in the last few years and my soundman John wasn't from the Big Easy, I would have never known anything had happened. While the look is definitely the same, the feel is altogether different. And I really like the change. Gone are those fair-weather tourists who come in search of cheap neon-colored drinks and year-old beads; in their place are people who love this city and want to do what they can to help it succeed. The feeling is much more personal as the locals understand that, as a traveler, you are making a conscious decision to come to their city that hasn't gotten much good press in a long time.

When I talk to people who live in N.O., there seems to be a healthy conflict with the way their city is being portrayed in the news. When it's constantly reiterated how badly the city is doing, it sends the signal to visitors around the world that New Orleans is still in dire straits. And yet, just walking around the most popular areas of this city, you'll find that the very opposite is true. I am positive both sides of the coin exist, but from my point of view, there is absolutely no reason not to go to New Orleans.

Started the day at the farmers' market, which is just outside the center of San Jose, down a long dusty path to an open field -- the Mexican version of where the Grateful Dead would play. I was a little nervous when all I saw were stands selling clothes, local crafts and honey, but we walked to the end of the field under a tall Mesquite tree where we found the fresh vegetables. The scene was like something out of a painting, it was so beautiful.

First I hadn't seen a tree this tall in Mexico and marveled at its size as well as the shade given by its ample arbor. Then there were the big wooden crates filled with tomatoes: red, teardrop, plum and cherry. There were beets and radishes and lovely lettuces in large galvanized pans, and the whole place smelled of freshly picked Mexican basil. When we were done shooting, we all had a handmade sopa from the woman with a tiny coal-burning make-shift stove, who kept repositioning her freshly made corn cakes over the hottest part of the fire, smearing them first with beans, then salsa and then cheese. Wash it all down with a honey lemonade or mint hibiscus tea and you have a perfect meal. A single acoustic guitarist was doing a very good job capturing the vivacity of the Gypsy Kings with his six strings. We were all sad to leave.

Day 2

While in Cabo, I got to do some pretty fun activities, like zip-line tour across the canyons, which I was excited about from the start. I have done a few zip-line tours now, but always through the canopies of rainforests. Gliding across a canyon sounds a lot more thrilling to me, and it was. Being out in the open like that and seeing birds of prey circling not much higher than you is very cool. At the end of the tour, participants are treated to handmade blue corn quesadillas with fresh salsas. I think my favorite activity was a ride in a clear-plastic kayak. I've never hidden my fear of being underwater, and in the eight years I have been with the Travel Channel, I have had to go snorkeling more times than I care to remember. The clear kayak allows you to see what's below you. It was a very difficult scene to shoot, seeing that cameraman Paul and soundman Tony were in a kayak of their own, paddling while doing their jobs, as well as doing their best not to get their extremely valuable equipment wet. We were hugging the coastline and then paddled farther out to sea.

We were facing the coast when my eye caught something moving right where we once were. I dismissed it as a wave when the wave suddenly reared higher, and it turned into the beautiful and awesome sight of a whale passing by. I instinctively let out an excited scream. What a fantastic way to see a whale, in an unobtrusive kayak, so close to the water that this mammoth elegant creature was in. We all felt better after seeing the whale and were hoping that we would see him come up again, but we saw that three other motorboats, including one large catamaran, were all zeroing in. My guide, Michele, said that the whale would know the sound of the motorboats and would not come back up until it absolutely had to. I thought about how amazing it would have been to be in the exact same place as the whale, had we not moved. Oh well, even from afar, it was wonderful.

The Cabo Crew Michael Petrella, Ginny Somma, Mushy, Christina, Paul Kloss and Tony our audio guy for the trip.

Eating hand-made Sopa's sitting on a grassy field. It's the best lunch break you could ever ask for.

I was standing next to this man who was selling these balloons when he just handed it to me to see what it would feel like to hold 50 of them. It felt pretty great.

My cameraman this time around is a very talented man named Alan Deutsch. Even though this is our first time working with one another, he is already following me with the camera as if we have been together for a long time. He already knows my sense of humor and when he should stay on me a little longer. When you're on-camera, there's always a dance you do with one another. When you are not in step with one another, it becomes awkward, and the camera feels like something foreign, but when you are in sync, it's like having a friend right by your side. With all the changes that have happened to the show, it's a relief that at least something feels right. Alan and Dave come by to share a cake that a woman admirer of Alan's sent to him. I have a nice bottle of wine and so we make plans to have dessert and conversation in my room.
They buzzed the door and when I opened it, there they were with a jar of Pringles tied with a big red heart balloon. I'm so touched and I think it is one of the sweetest things I have ever received, until I realize that the balloon came with the admirer's cake. "You gave me another woman's balloon?" I ask Alan. "You re-gifted a balloon?" "Think about it, Sam," Allan replies with a mouthful of cake. "Where do you think we would be able to get a balloon in downtown Orlando at 9 p.m.?" Okay, you have a point, but I can dream can't I?

February 15

Johnson's Diner has to be the best thing in Orlando. What a fantastic time talking to everyone. Clarence is the third generation to run the Diner, and he just had the most tender and caring personality of anyone I have ever met who has to be in charge. He loves his diner, his staff and his costumers. And his costumers were fantastic. Bural, Pastor Ron and Ed, right from the beginning, set the stage for a great morning. We were only supposed to be shooting there for a few hours but stayed for four. I don't think anyone on the crew really wanted to leave. Simply sitting down with people and sharing food, conversation and community, filled me up like a tall glass of sweet tea.

Cameraman Alan Deutsch steps away from his camera to make the face that every passerby gives to him.

The offending re-gifted balloon. See journal.

The whole crew is sharing a large house on a plantation, and we are all excited as we have a formal living room, as well as one very cool bar that is in its own room. It's very masculine with cork on the walls, leather couches and a full bar area with an ice machine. I think immediately to the fun cocktail hours we will have as a group decompressing with gin and tonics in hand after a hard day of work, the wonderful dinners we will fix as well as sharing breakfast on the lovely screened-in porch that is shaded by trees dripping in Spanish moss. But this is TV production, breakfast is scarfing down an egg sandwich in the car en route to the first location while you pray you don't drop anything on your on-camera wardrobe (my stylist, Christina, praying even more) and dinner is a Sonic Burger at 10 p.m., because it was the only restaurant open. They did look like great burgers, luckily I bought a can of soup, which I heated up and we all did spend a nice hour sitting in our formal living room while Alan, our camera man, played the grand piano.
On our first evening there, we made a trip to the nearby Piggly Wiggly, a name that instantly endears you to this place -- it was me, our director Emma, Christina and our producer Leslie, and we became so smitten with the idea that a supermarket could be called such a great name that we all bought Piggly Wiggly socks. I believe Leslie even bought Piggly Wiggly key chains for the folks back at the office.

Day 2

On Friday evening, we get to go to Family Kingdom, an old-time amusement park located right across from the beach. It's a bit on the "it's seen better days" side, but the nostalgia of it all just makes it more charming. The amusement parks I've been going to lately are impossibly modern and meticulously kept. They are great fun, but I haven't been on the Himalaya ride or bumper cars in decades. At the end of the shoot, we all go on the roller coaster, which is so rickety and jarring that you swear your liver has dislodged from its internal moorings and is now just banging around in your body like a pinball in a machine. While shooting B-roll, Christina and I had a break. Both of us are the same age and, like all women from our time, we share a love of video games. Playing video games was about independence, it was also a way for us to show off in front of boys and so we became athletes of Ms. Pac Man, Centipede, Dig Dug, Qbert and the best game ever made: Galaga. Christina and I get along as if we have been best friends since grade school, but the mere mention of the name Galaga, and our eyes narrow as we hold each other's gaze staring the other one down. If we were in school, there would have been a fight at recess. We play each other for the first time, and Christina dies before even the first stage is done. If this were junior high school, she would have never recovered from that. In the second round, she plays the game of her life, breaking the 100,000 score. This is what is so endearing about Family Kingdom, it was our youth. And the video games still cost what they did back then -- 25 cents.

My stylist Christina, thinking she could beat me at Galaga. ...she did.

Christina, myself and Leslie Grossman our fearless producer stand in front of a rumbling mini golf volcano. I told them that it was just like the one's in Hawai'i.

There's really not a whole lot I won't do, but going on the human sling shot ride did give me pause.

For some unfortunate reason, our hotel in Myrtle Beach is a solid 45-minute drive away from nearly everything on our schedule, in sleepy Pawleys Island, SC. On the upside, this means that painful 8 a.m. start times are tempered with a nice car nap. On the downside, when we wrap at 9:30 p.m. in Myrtle Beach, not only does it mean heading 45 minutes back the way we came, but even better, no dinner, since all the restaurants close up shop at 9:00 p.m. unless tater tots from Sonic are your thing (Who doesn't love tots?).

After the first night of fried treats shaped like sticks and balls, we were over it. Between the bug bites, the never-ending lines at That One Starbucks in Town, and the endless treks back and forth and back ... and forth ... and back ... on Route 17 and Route 17 Business (seriously), we were ready to hide out in our plantation house for four days and blame the lack of footage on a hungry gator.

And then we found it.

Piggly Wiggly.

Being the Northerners that we all are, our collective knowledge of The Pig (as it's affectionately known) comes from "Driving Miss Daisy." Before we knew it, we were spotting them everywhere we went. Our PA, a local resident, found it endlessly hilarious that we were all so fascinated by a grocery store. We had to go. We HAD to.

At the close of evening number two, at the very civilized hour of 9:45 p.m., hungry and more than a little punchy, we piled into the minivan and headed for The Pig.

And it was, in a word, beautiful.

The happiest little pig greeted us as we walked in, rubbing our eyes in the bright lights. Never had a grocery store been so amazingly apt, welcome and loved, all at the same time. We took off, the four of us tearing around the store like we'd been living under a rock all this time. Soon, the cart was loaded with the kinds of treats you crave when on the road for weeks at a time, getting most of your chow from a rapidly leaking cooler: fresh fruits and veggies, cold milk for cereal, cheese from many lands, sushi and popsicles.

On the way to the check-out, we passed a souvenir stand, loaded with Pig merchandise. I won't go into detail about just how much of that made it into the cart, but just know that my keys now dangle from a little pink pig and there's a strong chance they had to order another batch of Piggly Wiggly socks. Maybe.

According to pigglywiggly.com, there are stores in 15 states. Hmmm, I've never been to Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, or Wisconsin ...

Travel Channel has told me they would like to do a girls' weekend getaway as one of our weekend trips. South Beach is looking like the perfect destination. I immediately fire off emails to Nancy and Liz, we've been good friends since college but our friendship was locked in forever when all three of us moved into a one-bedroom apartment in Hell's Kitchen, NYC. I can't believe my luck when the both of them with their crazy schedules can make it down in February.

We are worried that much of what we say is not television appropriate. Not because of content, but talking about people's ex-boyfriends, bad girlfriends, bad jobs. We need to protect the innocent and, of course, when girlfriends get together, things get very personal. Do I really want my personal life on television? Not really. As soon as the cameras
roll, it's obvious that there's so much to talk about, finding things that can remain somewhat generic for the camera will not be a problem.

We had a really special time, all of us together, something we haven't done in almost 15 years. That's what makes girlfriends' weekends so important. You really honor each other as women. You are each other's history, a mark of where you were and what you have become. I am so proud of Liz and Nancy; each one has independently created for
themselves their best life. Nancy was always the leader of the pack. She was the first to get a waitressing job in NYC, the first to land a high-paying acting gig and the first to get blond highlights. She was also the first to have children, one of the bravest acts one can do. Still after four years and two beautiful girls later, I will turn to Nancy and say, "Can you believe you're a mom?" "No!" she'll say with a glow to her smile.

And as for Liz, I remember at Syracuse University that there wasn't anyone more beautiful than Liz. She simply had the best perm I had ever seen. When we moved in together, we were all dirt poor. Nancy and I both had waitressing jobs, Liz had many jobs, but the only one I remember was that she was the coat-check girl at the restaurant with the view of the ice-skating rink at Rockefeller Center. At the end of her shift, her arms would ache from the weight of the heavy wool and fur coats of the upper class. Even though none of us had any money, Liz would always treat herself to high luxury items, like a box of Champagne truffles or a nice pair of Donna Karan panty hose. Liz was and is the most composed, elegant woman I know. She also has a razor-sharp wit. She is someone who has five projects going at once and still finds time to volunteer, being a big sister to a few
high-school-aged girls and taking Spanish on the side so she can communicate better with them.

The Today Show

Before the Miami shoot, we find out that I have been asked back on The Today Show. The first time was back in January and was such a surreal experience. It is absolutely nerve-racking knowing you are going on the #1 morning talk show, about to see the people you have watched almost every morning of your life for the last 10 years. The first time I went on, I as so nervous leading up to it that I lost weight. I couldn't eat and I certainly couldn't sleep. After my first segment with Al, I honestly had no recollection of what I said, it was if I was channeling someone else. The second time they asked me back on, they wanted me for three segments for a show they were telecasting from Vermont. The only problem is, I am shooting in Miami. But for the Today Show and a chance to talk to Al Roker again, we'll do anything, including cutting the show by a day. The only way to make it work is for me and Christina (my stylist and very good friend) to shoot for Great Weekends in the morning from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. then get in a car and get to the airport
for two connecting flights to Vermont. We arrive at 7:30 and still have an hour's drive to the ski resort where the show will be broadcast live. Waiting for us is Karen Hansen, one of the hardest-working women in publicity, who has arranged for a ski shop to stay open past its closing time so that I may get some clothes, as all I have for my trip are summer things for the Miami, Carnival and Orlando shoot. The warmest thing I have is a sweatshirt that reads Brooklyn across the front. The 70-degree weather change hits Christina and I like a ton of bricks. It's REALLY cold! Karen gets me suited up, I'm given a nice warm down coat, ski gloves, warm socks and cool new boots that look like the kind you would ride on a motorcycle. We go out for a nice dinner and that's when we get the call. The Today show would like us camera-ready (that means hair and makeup) by 5 a.m. My mouth drops. That means Christina and I have to start the clown process at 4:30, it's 10:30 now, and we still have to find a ride to our condo. The bus service stopped three hours ago and so, asking around, we find that a very nice line cook who has finished his shift has agreed to give us a ride in his jeep. When I wake up for my 3:30 alarm, I feel like death. I think to myself "How did Katie Couric do it? Matt? Al?" I have a lot of respect for what they do. A car is set to pick us up at 4:50 a.m. It's black outside, except for the snow and the glow of the moon. We have no phone and no cell service, and we all worry what will happen when no one comes to pick us up. What will we do? We see headlights in our icy driveway and leave with our bags. I think five hours is the shortest time I have ever spent in an accommodation. When we get to the mountain lodge, we are told to go into the "talent room." When we open the door, it's a room filled with people from production to Matt, Ann and Meredith themselves. There's a kitchen, and there is quite a spread laid out, as well as a caterer preparing omelets. All three of us feel we are definitely in the wrong room, these are the stars! But we are told we are in the right place, and all three of us sort of slouch by to not create a disturbance. From that moment on, it's like we are all experiencing a snow day from school. The entire atmosphere is
completely convivial and festive, and we have fun talking to all the guests. Being from New Hampshire, this is my kind of weather and being at a ski lodge is unbelievably energizing. The entire crew of The Today Show are so good at what they do and they go out of their way to make sure you are okay. We all had such a great time. I am on for three segments, two with Al,, one with Ann and once I am done at 10:05, we rush to the waiting car, which will drive us the hour to the airport and get us on the 11:50 flight. Eight hours later, I am back in Miami. Now I knew when I was asked to do the Vermont show that they were also doing one in South Beach as part of a Fire and Ice special. When I went out for a jog at 7 a.m., there on the beach right in front of my hotel ... was The Today Show. Man, they work hard. At least I have the morning off. I laughed at the irony of it all, but was still so glad I got to be in the Vermont show as that was sooooo much fun.

Our first night together again. Just like 15 years ago all of us completed our night on the town look by borrowing something from each other.

It's not a girl weekend getaway unless the nails and toes get some sprucing up.

It's also not a girl weekend unless there's copious amounts of eating.

It's great being back in San Francisco, and I realize that the last time I was here was in 2001. It's also strange realizing that I have been to Italy, France, Spain and England more times than I've been here. It's just a gorgeous city. We arrived late at night, Christina and I coming from a Disney event that day in Orlando. In four days, I have been in six airports and three time zones. It all catches up with me during our connection in Salt Lake City. Coming out of the plane, I go to check where our next gate is and can't find it. I start to panic, because I know we had a short connecting time. I run up to a gate attendant and ask where the flight to Salt Lake City is. As soon as the words left my mouth, I realize my mistake.

I am, of course, in Salt Lake City as I speak, and the flight I should be looking for is to San Francisco. Even though the flight from SLC to SFO is an hour and a half, it feels like ages. It's a small plane with a row of one seaters next to a row of two, the air is freezing, and when I go up to use the bathroom, I bang my head hard on the overhead. This never happens to me, I think to myself as I contort my body in a foot of space to put my laptop down in my seat. Once my laptop is secure, I lift my head only to bang it again on the overhead. I start to swear under my breath in a sort of Yosemite Sam mumble. Flying just stinks, and I've been on too many flights in not enough days, and because of the connecting flight, my head is in a fog and the fog is rolling through the rest of my body, leaving it feeling damp and achy.

Day 2

The next day I wake up, and not seeing what the weather was going to be like in San Fran, because I just assumed it would be cold and overcast -- I can't believe my eyes. It's a beautiful day with sparkling blue skies, and the weatherman says it's going to get up into the 80s! I run out for my detoxifying jog and am immediately hit with a burst of sea air. That combined with the sound of seagulls makes me run faster. It feels great to feel like a whole person again, and I breathe in and let out the last breath of stale airport terminal air. After my run I'm not finished taking in San Francisco, so I start to walk through the neighborhoods. I think I know the direction I am going in, but it turns out to be completely opposite,and by the time I ask someone where the Embarcadero is (where I'm staying), I have walked three miles out of my way. I didn't bring a phone or money since I just thought I would be gone for an hour. My husband, Kevin, who has joined me for this trip also thought I was going to be gone for an hour, but due to my bad planning there was nothing I could do. I walked through the Tenderloin district, which is pretty rough, but it's during the day, so no big problems, except for the fact that I am wearing a Travel Channel T-shirt that says "I Look even better in HD." A lot of the people I pass look wasted away by liquor, drugs, or both and yet their vision and reading skills are superb as they all read aloud my shirt back to me and then insert some very graphic comment after. Surprisingly I am relieved that I am wearing this shirt and not the other one I have to jog in that is from a cupcake company that just says "Hey Cupcake!" on the back it reads "Who you calling cupcake?" now that would have been fun.

Day 3

Shooting in San Francisco during a glorious spell of weather was such a great experience. It's easily one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The Ferry Market building is a new edition since I have last been here, and I would have to say, if you only had a few hours to enjoy this city, you should come here. With all the local produce, cheese, meats, Vietnamese food, Japanese food, seafood, it represents the incredible bounty of riches San Francisco has access to. It's also located on the waterfront with a gorgeous view of the bay. I think the most fun I had was in Chinatown. My guide was a vivacious and hysterically funny woman named Shirley Fong Torres, with an absolute passion for this tourism mecca. With her you see another side, one that is personal and full of wonderful characters whom she has known for decades. I ate so much that I started to feel sick, and my stomach got the look and feel of a kickball. Shirley recommended a big bowl of Congee, which is what all wise Chinese women suggest when there is a large imbalance in the system. It works with the same speed and efficiency as homemade chicken noodle soup, but then I start to eat again, and my stomach reacts to the fact that I am eating easily four times as much as I usually do. Thankfully our last scene of the day, as well as the entire shoot, is at a lovely tea house called Red Blossom Tea Company. We sit down and just the simple act of preparing the tea makes me feel calm. The proprietress, Alice, makes me a cup of tea especially for my large swollen unhappy stomach. In a short time, I feel soothed. Great way to end this trip.