LA Kings forward Nic Dowd will be keeping his own blog throughout the 2017 China Games presented by O.R.G. Packaging.
In his first entry, Dowd writes about the Kings' 14-hour flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai on Sunday and their first practice at Mercedes-Benz Arena. The Kings play the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday (4:30 a.m. PT; NBCSN).
This is my first overseas trip. I've never been out of Canada or the United States and the longest flight I've taken before this one was 6 1/2 hours, when I flew from Minneapolis to Anchorage while in college.
I tried to prepare as much stuff in my bag as possible for this trip. I have my iPad and, of course, headphones are huge. I bought a book, but I only got through about 25 pages.
It felt like one of the quicker 14-hour flights. They had us on a pretty good plan. I slept for about five hours right away. I felt like every time I was awake, I was eating. Basically, I was either eating or sleeping.
DOWD DIARY: Nic Dowd on Flight to China, Cultural Differences, New Food
LA Kings center shares his 'must-haves' that he brought on the trip, the sights and sounds of Shanghai, and his first meal in China
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