Over the past few years I’ve managed to pare down my luggage requirements to a single carry-on bag and a briefcase.  (Rick Steves offers some useful advice in this area.)  My present trip has seen a similar reduction in the amount of stuff I carry with me on a daily basis.  To select a particularly appalling example, I climbed the Great Wall carrying both a bag (containing lunch items, water, and other “essentials”), Nikon D40, and a generously-sized umbrella from the Beijing Intercontinental.  To be fair, the umbrella doubled as a walking-stick and there was a decent chance of rain, but the combined weight in the face of oppressive humidity suggested I seek alternatives.

I have since traded my passport for a photocopy, the Nikon for an ultra-compact Canon IXUS 100IS, and left the bag at home.  The IXUS 100IS (the SD780in the U.S.) is the smallest of Canon’s current line, can hide behind a credit card, and easily disappears into a pocket thanks to its rounded corners.  While I still bring the Nikon when the situation demands, the Canon has become my daily carry.

…apple pie made from Polish vodka, in this case.  We need to keep our heads down for a few more days, but at least we’re outside the perimeter.

Yesterday one of the teachers called to ask us to keep contact to a minimum.  The day passed most quietly.  That night I could hear music streaming in from a party across the street.  Today is day 4, and my temperature this morning was 36.2.

The hallways feel empty, but those small panels between the rooms aren’t just decorative.  You could conceal a small army in them, and some appear to connect between floors.

I’ve attached pictures of some of the quarantine measures below. The windows open to a limited extent, but the interior vents have been sealed.  Emergency exits have been sealed with strips of paper to discourage casual use.  The front of the hotel has two layers of barricades and high levels of visibility.  The periphery of the site has guards at fixed points and on patrol, but dense shrubbery and outbuildings serve to significantly reduce visibility.