The Red Bus filled with good friends in China

When we arrived in Hong Kong and were heading into China we were assigned to "The Red Bus". Thirty of us, mostly strangers. Some of us stranger than others. I was skeptical about bonding with this bunch. Bond we did. I loved the Red Bus Bunch. Of course we had some of our good friends with us, Chuck and Linda Porter and Shan and Gary Summers. They were perfect travel mates. 

 Michael Wilcox of LDS speaking and writing fame was the educator on our tour. He was a very nice person and we learned a lot from him. He is below with Jeff, Gary and Chuck. 

 Chuck from the window of the famed Red Bus. 

 In each city a guide would spend a couple of days with us and tell us all they could about their city. Nena was in Beijing and we loved her. 

 This was our guide in Xian. He was chastising a Buddhist monk for drinking beer. 

 Our buses were not really red. Just the little sign in the windows were red. 

 This is the man who discovered the Terracotta Warriors on his farm. 

 One evening we got to go to the theater and watch a great Chinese dance and music show. I think it was called the Ming Dynasty Theater. 

 Whenever we had a long drive on the bus we got up and told things about ourselves. One day we had to tell our most embarrassing story. You can see that Jeff really got into that. 

 The man below told the most embarrassing story of all. I cannot repeat it but it had to do with being ill in Egypt. We were all sworn to secrecy, you know what happens on the Red Bus stays on the Red Bus. 

 Spouses told stories on each other. 

 Gary takes his turn with the mike. 

 This is Trevor. He sang a song for us. 

 Then there was Jeff. He entertained us the whole trip. He is an audiologist from Hurricane Utah. 

Reagan was another returned missionary. He was with his Mom and siblings. 

 We had entertainment at night that created even more embarrassing moments as this guy who dressed up as Dolly Parton. 

 This is Bill. Bill was a single man on the trip who's wife passed away a couple of months ago. He was a sweet man who needed some help. We took him under our wings and made sure he was where he should be and had someone to walk and talk with. He sat with us on the Red Bus. 

 Jeff and Gary with the locals. We learned to love the Chinese people. 

 Cameron is Jeff's son recently home from his mission. He had a little romance with a young lady on the bus. We started calling it the Love Bus as there were a couple of romances that started up on the bus. 

 Of course our Panda friend. 

 Carol Tyndal is the wife of Jim and they are the owners of the company. Funforless is the tour company we went with and we HIGHLY recommend them. 

 One morning we walked thru the park and some of our Red Bus group did some Taichai with the locals. This is Shelly, she is a single lady full of fun and energy. 

 Group photo of our Red Bus group. 

 We tried to get a group of our 6 people and Jeff and Carol Manwaring jumped into the shot. She is running by. Carol is a triathlon runner. 

 While we did our tourist thing the bus drivers gathered in the shade of the buses and played games. 

 This is Trevor who could not wait to see the Panda bears. This is his souvenir Panda Bear hat and gloves. Can you see why we loved our little group in China?