adieu, adieu

Oh how I dislike farewells! I don’t want to go home. I’ve realized that I won’t really be able to start over at UGA, despite what people say. I can feel the burdens already!!

I’ve never experienced so much freedom (not from my parents and supervision but from my own worries and obligations). I mean, I’ve read book. Real ones cover to cover! I’ve laid out on a beach just for fun! No cell phone. No schedule. I think this is why I enjoy traveling so much. It’s the one time I can get the closest to starting anew.

But you know, I came hoping to find myself and answers, but I’m returning as a lost soul instead. Life’s a journey- that’s for sure. It’s just too bad you only get 1 shot. Only 1 life to live and do everything.

I love my family, don’t get me wrong. I think I really lucked out with them. And thank you to all of my friends, as well as everyone that’s crossed my path. I love y’all! And God knows I need y’all! 

market chaos

Today I went to Mong Kok. Aka chaos. It’s supposed to be the most populous shopping area or something. The main road is called Nathan Road! There was a bird market. It smelled like shit and totally freaked me out. I may have nightmares tonight. But the flower market and goldfish market were both a bit better.

This afternoon, I met up with Uncle Tim and Skye and we all went to the HK Art Museum. Unfortunately, pretty lame.


tomorrow

wrong way

cows at the temple

I’ve spent most of my days here in Hong Kong wandering and exploring the city and surrounding areas.  


This morning, Uncle Tim told me to take the 970 bus all the way around to Stanley (the beach/village/market I wanted to go to). As soon as I came up to the bus stop, the 970 bus pulled up so I just jumped on. Well I stayed on until it stopped at the Cyberport in some sketchy underground bus terminal. The bus turned off and everyone remaining got off. Not going to lie, the place freaked me out. There was no visible way out! So, I sat down on the ground and read. I finally found a bus going to Stanley and eventually made it. It was a beautiful bus ride along the coast.

I shopped in the market and made my way to a side beach. It was one of the most beautiful beaches with little pebbles instead of sand (which was nice, especially because I didn’t have a towel). I couldn’t think about what might be floating around in that water, but the temperature was perfect. The sunset was beautiful- probably because of all the pollutants in the air, but it was still colorful and pretty.

I did catch the right bus home- 973! It was pretty effortless and took me straight home.


tomorrow

viva [china's] las vegas

streets of macau

Joel left and Uncle Tim, Jin, Skye, and I all went to Macau today. It’s basically China’s Las Vegas. The Venetian there makes more money than all of Las Vegas combined. The place used to belong to Portugal so it has a very European feel in architecture. It was too hot to walk around much. Everyone had umbrellas. Damn the umbrellas! I’m just tall enough that they all hit me right in the face. Of course they don’t’ pay any attention until their umbrellas whack my head. I want to rip them all out of their hands!

Uncle Tim and I tried our hands at gambling and made enough in 2 hands of black jack and slots to pay off lunch. Nice!

even busy at night

tomrorow

tea tastings

 Last night’s bed was hard as a rock. We were laying there, trying to get some sleep and I was joking at how the pillow was so hard that it felt like a bag of rice. When I pulled back the Hello Kitty towel at my head, I found a bag of barley. Awesome.

We got up at 5 to fly back to Hong Kong. Mom sent us off with milk tea and handfuls of zampa for the ride.

We said our goodbyes and now we’re on our way to Guanzhou.

Uncle Tim went straight on to Hong Kong to see Jin and Skye and Joel took me to the tea market in Guanzhou. It was amazing. We spent hours shopping and tasting different teas. I had no idea it was so elaborate!


tomorrow

the full experience

Tonight we’ve decided to stay at Joel’s girlfriend’s parents’ home in Xinings. Think of the most stereotypical Chinese house and you’ve got the image. Origami, lanterns, pictures of cats and fluffy dogs, ugly sandles. The parents are so cute! 78-year-old Grandma was there too. We had lunch for over 3 hours! They shoved food down me as if I was going into hibernation and wouldn’t be eating for months. It was probably the hardest thing I’ve had to do the whole trip. I honestly thought I was going to explode. They must’ve made at least a dozen dishes. And one toast of Baizho after another! They’ve given me a Chinese name because Elly is too hard for them to say. It sounds kind of like nnie and means something like midnight concrete/clay/mixture. Again, we had to go over the whole vegetarian thing… they really don’t get it.

After we ran some errands around town, we came back home only to be greeted with the offer of even more food. At least this time it was a smaller meal of barley in wine and yogurt. Joel bought some movies about Qinghai life that are supposed to be really funny. We let Grandma pick out which one to watch and she chose the one that translates to ‘fuck wife.’ (We only found that out later.) It ended up being standup comedy so we didn’t understand anything- it’s all in Qinghai dialect. Grandma thought it was absolutely hilarious though. She kept elbowing me at the funny parts to laugh, as if I knew anything that was going on! I just smiled and laughed- but mostly at her.


tomorrow

mental exercise

We went to an antique/junk and wood market today. I would love one of their motorized bikes for school next year!

We spent forever in the Tibetan Medicine Museum. A Chinese girl who’s studying in Beijing befriended us and gave us a personal tour of the place. The place is home to the longest Thangka- ½ a mile long1 It was mentally and physically exhausting to follow! So, when we finished, Uncle Tim and I got blind massages. My back really hurts from it. I thought the woman was going to go right through my back. And Uncle Tim looks like he got seriously beaten up- he has huge bruises/welts all over his back.

Tonight we went from a club to bar to restaurant then back to the hotel room only to see the sunrise across the horizon. We laughed, talked, and enjoyed one another’s company. I feel like I’m starting to understand more and more Chinese. I wish I could talk back though.


tomorrow