China by the numbers

• Number of amazing daughters with us on departure: 1
• Number of amazing daughters with us on return: 2
• Hours of back-to-back travel time on return trip from Guangzhou: 37
• Days required to overcome jet lag: 7
• Days required to overcome mutant Asian flu virus: 5 (and counting)
• Approximate percentage increase in cost of Chinese products due to inflation and the dollar's decline compared to two years ago: 20
• Number of extra suitcases required to bring home cheap kids clothes: 1
• Percent difference in the cost of a $3 pair of kids squeaky shoes bought on the streets of Guangzhou and an identical pair at U.S. boutique: +1000%
• Number of short Chinese men who told us they planned to move to the U.S. to play basketball: 1
• Number of people in China who remembered us from our last visit: 1
• Time of day, as expressed in military format, that we listened to UNC's losing NCAA semi-final game: 09:30
• Number of months earlier that 3 people died in stampede for cooking oil in the Chongqing Carrefour where we shopped: 5
• Number of different Carrefours we visited during our two trips: 3