Latest Advance-Planning Drama

So since my last post, here's the latest on things:
***Brian T won't be coming at the end of the Olympics for a few days of sight-seeing as we'd hoped. It was going to be incredibly expensive to bring him over for such a short period of time, plus China's never been high on either of our lists of destinations so it didn't make sense to spend all that money when we could save it and put it toward a destination that we both really wanted to see. Sent a cookie gift box to the travel agent to say a combination "thanks" and "sorry" for having gotten her to spend time researching hotel, flight and sight-seeing guide arrangements for us.

***In light of the above, I was able to convince United to change my flight back to its original return date (and at no cost, woo hoo!). I even managed to get aisle seats on all the flights, but my return flight from Beijing to Washington Dulles looks to be the last row in front of the rear galley, and if memory serves me correctly, those seats might not recline (d'oh!).

***The hassle over getting my Visa continues. Since the Chicago Chinese Consulate turned me away with my intial application, (vaguely) suggesting I needed a letter from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG), I was given two methods to request a letter/document: an email address with a list of things to include and an online form to complete. Try as I might, that online form will not process, so I've scanned and emailed everything to the email address of the Beijing 2008 International Media Centre. I'm told it takes up to 10 days to hear back, so hopefully something will come through there.