We won't stay in touch

This is just a quick little post. I've just kind of been chillin' in Tibet for the past few days. It really is just great being here. I've mentioned all that before.

I'm going to be out of touch for the next week most likely. I'm taking a 4x4 through Tibet with 4 other people down to the Nepalese border. I was thinking yesterday. Wow! I'm in Tibet! I'm going to Nepal! I don't know if I can really believe it. I went to Potala Palace today. It was quite amazing. I didn't really feel like I belonged. Kind of like I was intruding upon the Tibetans and their religion. The outside was much more impressive. I might be able to post some pictures soon but hey, no promises.

I'll be sharing a landcruiser with a guy from Amherst, Massachusetts (age 23), a guy from Brandon, Manitoba (29) who had also been teaching in Korea, and two French girls (26,27) who are actually from Mauritius. So we'll have 8-9 days together in a little jeep going around Tibet. So far we have 3 bottles of wine and one of vodka. Should be some good times.

Out of China, well not technically

I've left Chengdu. I'm so glad I did. Yesterday, I had to wake up really early for the second day in a row. Well, I suppose 7:45 isn't all that early but yesterday I woke up at 5. That's right 5am. I needed to be on the end of the alley by 5:20. I managed to make it by 5:15 but I had to sacrifice one of my t-shirts. I could've gone back for it I suppose but technically it's just an undershirt and I have at least 2 others the same in my bag. I also lost the key to the room and despite there being a key deposit I didn't lose any money. They even gave me the key deposit back. I'm glad that I reported the loss to some young guy working there who either didn't know or didn't care to charge me and just gave me a new key.

Right, I needed to be on the street by 5:20 because I was catching a shuttle bus to the airport. I was catching my flight to Tibet. I hadn't been on a plane in over 6 months which is the longest I've gone for 5 years or so, maybe more. It was a typical flight except the food was really terrible. It was basically some type of rice gruel that barely looked fit for prisoners. I had a bit. I think it was because I knew that I should be eating but I looked around and didn't see anyone else eating it so I folded the aluminum foil back over it.

I arrived at the airport in Tibet and was pretty worried. It was freezing. I don't have a jacket either. I just have all these layers. Then, they warned us all about altitude sickness. I was a bit paranoid about that. I actually went from being about 500m above sea level to 3700m. One woman fainted while we were waiting for the luggage. Then we got on this bus to head to Lhasa (the airport is over an hour outside of town) and someone had puked in the back seat. I didn't look but someone said it looked just like the plane food. Of course, puked up rice wouldn't have looked any different.

Tibet so far though has been amazing. Everything looks so different. I think I was a bit down on China just because it didn't seem all that different from Korea. Tibet feels nothing like Korea. The people look different. The food is different (much better in my opinion). The buildings. The air. The atmosphere.

I took it a bit slow yesterday. I stayed at the hotel and watched a movie, "Kingdom of Heaven," with some guys I met. One had been staying at my hostel and I'd gone out for pizza with him and some people. The other guy had been teaching in Korea for 3 years on and off. I met him on the bus along with an Aussie girl who's been traveling for 8 months now. We had gone out for lunch shortly after getting here. It was such good food. I love meat and potatoes. It was more than that though. I haven't really eaten potatoes in 6 months, I guess almost 7 now.

I walked around town by myself for awhile. I had a bit of a headache actually, because of the altitude I think. It was so nice. I actually felt like I was traveling. All these people in traditional clothes, actual traditional. Everything just feels so authentic. Not like in China or Korea where you might see something traditional but made it new ways so it was only superficially authentic. You know what I'm trying to say. The hostel in Chengdu, Lonely Planet said that it dated back to the Ming dynasty or Qing at least. Turns out the building dates back all the way to 1993. Nothing felt authentic in Korea. Well most things technically weren't since most really old things had been destroyed by wars and fires. "This temple dates back to 1338 but was destroyed many times, the current structure was built in 1974." I bought a bit of bread and was eating it while I walked around. I saw some little Tibetan boy who was also eating bread and he stared at me for a bit and then said hello to me. Some other kids said hello to me also. It didn't annoy me at all and actually made me a bit happy. In Korea or China, I was either indifferent or annoyed. I usually wasn't indifferent by the way.

So even though I really haven't seen anything in Tibet aside from the street life, I'm really enjoying it. They speak English much better than the Chinese also, which is interesting/unusual. I've been disappointed by a few things here but mostly just how much more modern it is than I would've imagined. Of course, this is Lhasa, Tibet's largest city. They have ATMs, electronics, internet obviously. I bought some stuff from an old lady today and afterwards, she got a call on her cell phone. I don't even have a cell phone and I don't imagine many old women around the globe carry cell phones with them. It's nice for the people though, just a little depressing for the traveller. I've realized though that even if I go the ends of the Earth, I'm still going to find someone there blabbing away to someone on a cell phone.

Panda-monium

Lame title I know. I don't feel like writing anymore and really have been a bum today. I woke up early and went to go see some pandas this morning at the Panda research and breeding centre with the San Fran girls. Pandas are pretty cute but also kind of lazy and uncoordinated. They were fun to watch but after awhile they were kind of boring. I guess Pandas don't realize when they are pregnant and so this baby popping out of them (literally popping in a little burst like out of canon）is a bit alarming. They don't know what to do with them and kind of throw them around a bit. New born pandas (I only saw them on video) are hairless and look like deformed kittens.

After that I went to some buddhist temple and ate a bad vegetarian chinese meal. Afterwards I went back to the hostel. I was a bit tired. I woke up at 7:45 to go see the pandas. Then I just thought about my travel plan. It's still pretty loose but I'm hoping to get back to Korea in about one months time. We'll see what happens.

PS There's a guy next to me smoking. Chinese cigarettes seem a lot more potent and the smoke seems to linger in the air for much longer. I wonder if it's part of the Chinese government's efforts to reduce the population. Air pollution is pretty visible too. The sun yesterday was just some glowing yellow orb barely visible through a hazy white sky.

Chengdu Check-in fiasco

Fiasco might be a bit of an overstatement.

I left Xian on Saturday around 1pm. I didn't do anything that day really. Those girls had booked the same train as I did. They were in the same compartment. It was nice to have someone to talk to for the 16 hour train ride. Nothing much of interest happened on the train. Saw some countryside and little villages from the train but that's about it. I managed to finish 2 books which really isn't that fair to say since I only read about 250 pages total. I didn't sleep very well on the train.

I've been thinking that maybe I should go back to college since I feel like I didn't learn anything. Really, I think it's more about me feeling like I missed out on the college experience since I intensely disliked most things about my school. It's probably not worth spending a semester in university but I thought about it anyways.

So the fiasco began once we got to Chengdu. I had no reservations but the 2 girls did and the hostel was supposed to pick them up. We waited and looked around and decided to take a taxi there. The driver let us out on a poorly lit street and pointed down a dark alley. We read in Lonely Planet, which is apparently given to you when you get the Chinese visa since every single tourist has one, that the hostel was down an alley so we trusted the guy and off he went. The alley was pretty frightening for 530am with no sunlight. Most of the alley was a giant pit and we had to walk down it for a few hundred metres hoping the hostel would magically appear. I was pretty surprised that it was actually there.

The bad thing about reaching the hostel though was that nobody was there. There were some people that we had met at the train station who told us that the guy from the hostel eventually showed up and that they had all taken a cab back. The guy, however, was in a different cab that took some turn somewhere and never showed up at the hostel. I still don't know what happened to him. So anyways, there was no one at the hostel except all these people who had just arrived from Xian and some old American man with crazy beliefs prone to ranting (different from rambling) and his Australian wife who were waiting to go on a tour. I don't know why they showed up 2 hours early for the tour. So anyways we had to sit there for 3 hours in a chilly courtyard waiting for the check-in to open. It was not fun. Eventually they opened though and I was able to get a room.

The rest of the day I didn't really do anything. Walked around with these 2 girls from San Francisco who had met each other in a bar in Guatemala. No romantic potential though, in case you were wondering. They are paranoid about getting avian bird flu and Japanese encephalitis. One girl was going to get a shot for the latter that morning. We went for a western breakfast at a place called Grandma's kitchen and I had 'fluffy pancakes.' You had to be there really. I didn't find it all that funny. Erica requested hers not to be fluffed. My mind didn't go there.

Then I bought some tickets for Tibet that I should go pick up soon.

I met a guy who is also going to Tibet so we could be traveling together for a bit. Actually, we are kind of going to the same places but I might be going through at a faster pace. I've kind of decided on a basic route to take but I'm going to keep it secret for now. I'm going to have to take a couple flights I think.

That night a group of us went out for pizza. I'm such an adventurous eater don't you think. Tonight I might be actually. The pizza was pretty good. I even had a Carlsberg. I don't know why it's so prevalent in China. Then we ended up at some bar that was some odd combination of western paraphenalia. There was a Victorian waltz mural, a santa claus, a giant windmill outside, with banners of European football teams, and fancy porcelain figurine lamps playing boyz II men music. We went back to the hostel instead and drank beer there. I also ran into a guy who had been in my hostel in Xian the night before last thereby not knowing about the light incident.

Last day in Xian

I guess it's been 4 days since I last posted anything. So let's go back in time 4 days.

I went to go see the Terra Cotta soldiers on whatever day that was. I think today is Monday so that would make that Friday, October 21st. I went on a tour and had to follow a lady with a green flag around. We went to a few places but aside from the warriors, none of them were all that interesting.

One place was the site of the Xian incident. They were some hot springs and bathhouses used by the emperor and his concubines in the Ming dynasty I think. Fascinating, I know. So the Xian incident happened on December 12th, 1936 and involved Chiang Kaishek of the Kuomintang and some gun shots. The English section on this was very vague so if you want to know more you'll have to look it up. It involves Kaishek's priority of trying to stamp out the communist threat while Japan was invading. So there was that. Nice garden I guess, not that I would want to pay to go to a garden.

The Terra Cotta soldiers were interesting. I heard from this girl that I'm kind of traveling with now (until tomorrow at least) that her neighbour had said the soldiers really evoked the spirit of the heavenly father. Being that no one in China had even heard of Christianity when these soldiers were made, it makes very little sense. I wasn't overwhelmed with emotion about them. I kind of expected to be in awe of them but I had very little emotional response to them. I always feel like I don't appreciate what I am seeing. I can't be blown away by everything but I wish it happened more often. The Great Wall was pretty spectacular though. I was more impressed with the mountains themselves and with myself for walking along it for such a long way than with the actual wall but anyways.

So after the soldiers we went to the mausoleum of the guy to whom the soldiers were built to help protect. He's the same emperor who begin construction of the Great Wall. Xian is China's former capital. Oh yeah, I think this emperor had something like 3000 wives. That's what the guide said at least but anyone who's been in Asia has run into people who confuse numbers so maybe it was only 300. I remember being in a restaurant and a waitress told my father the bill was 50 million won or something. It's really only funny because she said it with such a straight face because she didn't realize she'd made a mistake. It was basically just a giant hill that covered the emperors tomb and had the bones of slaves, animals, and whoever else he decided to have buried alive with him.

The street vendors in Xian were quite funny. They weren't really aggressive or anything but they would just come up to you and say 'Hello....hello' in these high-pitched little voices. They sounded just like parrots. It must have been the only word they knew. They hadn't learnt the phrase 'Buy my crap.' We'd be sitting on the bus waiting for it to leave and all these women would come up to our windows and say hello and show us things. Fake jade, fruit, little warriors, whatever. I really don't think I could handle a job like that. Being rejected so often. I would take it personally and then go home and cry or something because no one bought any of the crap I was hawking. Those little hello's will haunt me for awhile. I suppose you would have had to be there probably. Hello....hello.

I also met the girls I was going to the train station with. I don't know if I mentioned them. Anyways, I ran into them at the warriors and they invited me to go out that night. I got quite tipsy but found my way back to my hostel.

The only troublesome thing about that was that I woke up at like 5am and the lights were on. I don't remember turning them on or off but I've presumed myself guilty. Luckily I didn't talk to any of the people in my room because I never saw any of them outside of their beds. I turned it off though when I realized it was on. I wonder if that absolves me.

Rain in Xi'an

As you could probably guess, I'm in Xian right now and it's raining. It's a little cold outside too and my fingers are feeling a little stiff. I've finally left Beijing. I did absolutely nothing on my last day. I really should've left the day before I think.

I walked around trying to find cheap internet but couldn't find any internet places. And then I did find one and it was the same as the hostel. Then I saw a giant temple high in the sky so I ventured over there and it was just a phony temple atop a giant shopping centre so I became a bit disillusioned.

It's so much stranger traveling by myself than I has been any other time. I haven't even been traveling very long but for some reason it feels like I've been in China a lot longer than 10 days. Actually only 9 days. My emotions have been all over the place. I've been bored and lonely, I've been happy and find myself laughing at nothing really (maybe I'm becoming insane). I was going to go to a Taoist temple but once I got there I really didn't have any interest. I think it was the ticket booth with all these photos and people just standing around inside the temple in faux little Taoist outfits. Then I went and sat down on a slab of concrete beside some grass and read "The Essence of Buddhism." I'd actually read a few chapters while I had some coffee too. Some parts of Buddhism make a lot of sense to me. Well, this guy's interpretation at least.

It was talking about how everything is connected because nothing arises spontaneously but has to come from somewhere. No man is an island kind of stuff really. I'm thinking that maybe I am a bit disconnected. I don't know if I'm just feeling that way because when I walk down the street I don't see people who look like me or people who can speak the same language. I also can't read anything. I should've made this post after I'd just read the book. I was going to actually but couldn't find the cheap internet place. The book also talked about repetitive emotions. It was similar to what I'd seen in "What the bleep do we know." About how if you always have negative thoughts you'll just always be negative. I really need to work on thinking more positively. That's part of the reason I've been laughing for no reason. Well, just chuckling to myself really. It's not really about nothing either, just things that have happened to me or to other people. I also find my self portraits in front of great monuments to be both hilarious and depressing. Depends on my mood.

The other thing about Buddhism that I learnt was that things have no permanence or what the book called intrinsic existence (I think). I'd already learned that nothing has permanence through my rotten July or was it August. I think late July to mid-August I had my iPod crash, my bike stolen, my external hard drive fall to the floor, and some other things that I don't recall right now. I also lost some interest in this newer passport of mine after my treasured one went up in flames outside of Ithaca. I kind of just expect to lose things now so I don't put that much value in them. I'm sure that seems depressing.

I've also been having different thoughts about my relationships with other people. Actually, I don't really feel like going into that at the moment. Maybe another raining day in some other city.

So after reading, I went back to the hostel and sat in the lounge. I kind of had a conversation with a group of people. I mean I did, but those that know me know that I don't contribute much to group conversations. I'd put myself at 10% of the words in a group of 4-5 which isn't that bad for me.

It's so funny being from Canada. I don't know why me being Canadian automatically makes me interested in someone's cousin living in Halifax. Maybe if Canada were smaller and Halifax weren't a 7 hour flight away. I actually don't know how far it is considering there actually aren't any direct flights. I should start doing that with Americans. Oh you're from California, I've been to Detroit. Never happens. I ended up taking a taxi to the train stations with these 2 girls. I left the hostel at 5:30 and we got to the train station at 7 right as my train was leaving. Beijing traffic is horrible. So I missed my train and was going to go to Xian with these 2 girls. I didn't have much interest in Pingyao so I wasn't too upset aside from the wasted ticket and money. I didn't even pay them back for my share of the taxi. I had to take a later train. I thougt I was getting a hard sleeper but instead I just got a hard seat. The train cleared out a little after 2 hours so I was able to get a row of seats to myself. This Chinese family tried to tell me what was going on. It would be so much better if I were fluent in at least one of the Chinese dialects. But alas, I have become like a dog so only points and gestures have any meaning for me. This guy gave me a bottle pillow. A plastic bottle wrapped in newspaper. I used it for awhile. I managed to sleep a little since I remember having some weird dream. I don't remember much of it now of course.

Xi'an is the city of the Terra Cotta soldiers but they are out of town somewhat and I'm feeling a lack of motivation to get there on my own so I'll probably book a tour for tomorrow and go on to Chengdu tomorrow night. It might not be possible. I guess we'll have to see.

I haven't decided how I'll get back to Korea either. My previous plan is a bit workless being that I've had confirmation of my suspicion that the road from Pakistan to China has been destroyed by the earthquake. There are also no border crossings between India and Myanmar for non-residents. So I'll either be stuck in Nepal or India. Unless I somehow go through Pakistan and then Iran and Afghanistan or something but something tells me that it's not the best idea for non-muslim me. Plus it'd take so long. I could handle a few days in Pakistan but I don't imagine things would go all that smoothly in Afghanistan.

Mao and the Forbidden City

I woke up a little late today. Well, not that late actually just later than I planned. I left the hostel around 9, I guess, to go to Mao's mausoleum. The line was so long. The mausoleum or memorial hall is huge and the line wrapped around all sides of the building. I was going to take a picture of one side but I forgot. I started at the end of the line and had been in it for maybe 10 minutes when some guy told me I needed to check my bag. I didn't want to waste the 10 minutes I'd been in line but decided to follow him anyways. I checked my bag and then he offered to let me jump to maybe first 5th of the line. I swear I jumped like 1000 people. I had to pay about $8 but the admission was free and I saved over an hour, maybe several hours. I talked him down from 100 yuan to 60.

The mausoleum was much busier than Lenin's. Mao is still revered by quite a few Chinese. I saw some woman praying in front of it. Then there was a point where you could buy some flowers for Mao. So many people bought flowers. I really couldn't believe it. It seemed like such a big waste too. When you entered, there was a giant statue of Mao and a little table to put the flowers on. It was more like a cupboard that could be rolled away. I think the top of it must lower because every once in awhile they would crank it and the flowers would sink and they also rearranged them to allow for more flowers. I'm guessing they must take the flowers out and then resell them. Then of course, I got to see the body. I heard there are replicas but I think I saw the real thing since it had such sunken skin and droopy face. Of course, that's the part of the line that moves the fastest. They zip you right past the body. I must say that it was cheerier than Lenin's tomb. Some sunlight and brighter walls. I didn't get in any trouble either. Oh, when they put the flowers on the counter, they all did this bow and brought the flowers up over their heads and then down again several times. I ran into some Chinese girls later and one said that when she went some old woman was in tears. Funny to think of how Mao is so hated outside of China.

Afterwards, I went to the Forbidden City. It was a little disappointing I must say. The buildings mostly all looked the same to me and there were throngs and throngs of people. People everywhere. Fat people, skinny people, you get the idea I'm sure. I also became skilled at the art of self-photography. No point asking someone to take my picture when half the time they don't end up even taking one. My camera isn't that hard to work, it just takes a few seconds of holding the button down to take the picture. I asked Avena to take 3 pictures of my on the Great Wall. She actually only took one. Self-photography will have to be the way I go I think. I'd hate to have to chase someone down to get my camera back. Plus I look completely ridiculous in the photos and get to feel equally ridiculous taking them. It amuses me. My head is also massive since my arms aren't long enough and I block most of what I'm trying to take a photo of.

So anyways, Forbidden City was so-so. I think it's better for me to have no expectations. I hate the anti-climax. That's probably why I wanted to go to strange locations since I had no idea what I would see.

I've also formulated a new travel plan. I thought it was much better a few hours before I realized something but we'll see I guess. I think that I'm also definitely going to go to Tibet. It's too bad I'm not really that spiritual so some aspects of Tibet will be lost on me. So after a few days in Tibet I'll probably head across the border to Nepal. Then I thought I'd be going east but actually it makes more sense to go west. I thought maybe I'd fly from Nepal to Hong Kong or something but flying doesn't seem very exciting. Seems too easy. So now I might go through India and Pakistan and go back through China, through the part I meant to go through all along. Then I can spend a few days on a train heading back to the coast and the eventual ferry back to Korea.

After the Forbidden City, I met some girls who were from outside Shanghai. We walked together for a bit. I was surprised actually. They didn't try to take me to an art exhibition (I went to a third one today, arghh, oh well). They just wanted to practice their English. They asked if I had any siblings. I don't know why everyone always assumes I'm the youngest. No one has ever guessed that I was the oldest. I wonder why that is. I read some birth order psych book and it seemed pretty accurate really, well for me, the oldest brother of sisters. I always think I would've been so much different if I'd had a brother. I took some stupid online quiz that said I must've been a 4th born. I thought about that as I was walking along to the Temple of Heaven. It wasn't a long walk and I was almost there but then no longer felt like going. I've been Beijinged out I think. I think the key to avoiding loneliness is to keep on trucking. The whole self-photography business, funny as it may be, makes you feel a bit lonely after awhile.

I'm in Beijing for another day as well. I could go back to the Temple of Heaven or the Summer Palace. Hopefully, I'll feel more up to it tomorrow. Maybe I've been walking too much. I'm going to sleep in tomorrow I think. I'm taking a train to Pingyao tomorrow.

I climbed the Great Wall

I climbed the Great Wall today. I had to wake up at 6:45 this morning, ok it was 6:55 when I decided to get out of bed. Then I had to ride the bus for about 4 hours. There are closer spots to climb the wall but they are much more touristed I think.

I was on the wall for about 4 hours. I trekked over 10km on the wall and some parts were really steep with tall stairs that weren't very deep. It was quite hard at some points but I made it through and by the time we reached the end it was pretty touristy. We could've taken a zipline to get back on the bus.

I met an Australian girl who speaks a useless Chinese dialect. She said most people in Beijing haven't even heard of it. She was quite nice though. I can't imagine going all that way alone, especially for the whole day. She was able to speak some Mandarin, I guess, and had just spent 6 weeks in Mongolia.

I had my own personal guide for a time. She was Mongolian and just kind of followed me for quite a ways. I really don't know how to spell that even though I say it a fair bit. She would tell me stuff in Chinese and I would just nod along. The only thing I really understood was when she pointed to one side and said Mongolia and then pointed to the other and would either say Beijing or China. I don't think I actually saw Mongolia though. Anyways, after quite a bit of time had passed, she pulled out some t-shirts for me to buy. I didn't want a crappy t-shirt. I politely declined to buy them. She started to get a bit upset and pushed them at me saying "Buy! Buy!" I guess in all my nodding, I'd agreed to buy something from her. Avena, the Aussie, explained that I didn't understand anything she had said but I ended up buying some postcards. I paid more than I should've for China. I really need to get better at haggling. She had been by my side for an hour probably and even took my garbage from me. I can't imagine walking along the Great Wall everyday just trying to sell things to tourists. Oh, she would also tell me to be careful and to go slow. I understood that part. I still don't know at what point I agreed to buy something from her since she didn't even show me anything she was going to sell.

I also met some guys who had just been to North Korea. They were more keen on talking to Avena so I didn't say much to them. I should've asked them about North Korean kimchi and soju. It's funny how in North Korea reunification is a much bigger issue than it was in Daegu. I don't remember anyone ever bringing the subject up except me and only once because the subject was changed so quickly.

Anyways, that was all I did today since the hike was exhausting, 4 hours, and the bus rides were long 4 hours each way. I'm doing some laundry now and it's probably done by now. I also don't know how I'll be getting back to Korea now since the trans-siberian appeals to me less and less. Yeah, no idea since the more I think about the more options seem to pop into my head and just make me more undecided. Decision-making is not my forte, as some of you know more than others.

Lazy Day in Beijing

I had a very leisurely day today. I woke up late. Was on the internet for awhile and then headed downtown around 1:30. I really didn't do much of anything. I went to a bookstore, felt a bit tired and sick so I got something to eat. Then I walked past Tianamen square, the only thing I've really seen in this city, to another bookstore since I didn't find the book I wanted. I guess I should explain.

I've decided to skip out on the 'stans. Actually, it's not definite but that looks the way it's going at the moment. I'll probably miss Urumqi and Kashgar too. It's all up in the air really so maybe I'll go there. China's just so big. It would be a 53 hour train ride there and then back. 106 hours is a big investment plus there's another 24 hour bus ride between the two cities. I guess it's mostly a money thing, maybe time. 106 is a bit excessive, maybe masochistic. Anyways, my plan now is to go to Tibet and spend some time there and then head over to Nepal. From Nepal, I guess it would be India, then Myanmar, and Thailand. I don't know whether I have any desire to go to Bangladesh. I guess I'll see how much a visa is. I don't know how long I'd be in India either. The image I have in my head of India is just chaotic, full of beggars, and merchants looking to get as many rupees as possible, or rip you off to put it more plainly. Of course, I'm really just ignorant so it might not be like that at all. It's got to be somewhat like that. I really don't know I'd get back to Korea either. I'd either have to go back through China and get another visa or just take a flight from Bangkok or something. I'm not too sure. My lack of concern seems like cause for concern.

The reason I was at the bookstore is that in addition to not knowing much about India, I know precious little about Buddhism too. I managed to find a decent book. 'Essential Buddhism: Introduction to Philosophy and Practice' or something like that. It seems interesting at the moment. The word Buddhahood makes me smile for some reason. I also bought a Harry Potter book since Ulysses is a bit too mind consuming for me. I'd rather not have to read each sentence word by word to discern who the speaker is and then have to read through 3-5 pages of notes at the end of each chapter for all these references to Irish history and other things that I just don't get. I felt like I was learning but it felt so draining. Plus the book is huge so it'll lighten my load a little.

I also bought a knee support thing. My stupid right knee, that's right it;s stupid, has been bothering me. In Shanghai I took a taxi back to my hostel because I couldn't bear the thought of walking much more, plus I was completely lost and it would've taken days to find the way back. I'm supposed to hike the Great Wall tomorrow (I have to be ready at 730am) and it involves a lot of energy I would imagine. All parts of the wall are different and I guess this part is near vertical in some places. Hopefully, I'll feel like less of a geezer tomorrow. It's probably a bad idea to go even but I won't let that stop me. I was hobbling down the steps of the subway station just like this old woman in front of me. If only I were more active, it would make joint pain less embarrassing. It must've been all that standing I was doing. A relic of Wonderland.

What else? I didn't end up meeting those Aussies again. I hung out with the guys from my room last night and this American girl. Two of the guys were Swedish and they'd taken the Trans-Manchurian from Moscow to Beijing. One was Peter (Peder probably) and the other was Alex. I just can't escape running into Alex's in Asia. I think that makes 4, mind you one wasn't really Alex but I didn't learn his Korean name, Pak something I think, Kim maybe. Doesn't matter. (Best I could muster, Thompson, nothing that witty pops to mind). The 3rd guy grew up in China but had been living in New York since he was 12 or 13. The girl, I don't know how to describe her really, she was from Kansas originally but has been bumming around China since August.... of 2004. She also speaks virtually no Chinese which seems really weird being that she's been here so long. So the 5 of us went out for eats (feeling slangy I guess). I had a taste of Peking duck, bad Peking duck I was told and some other things. Then we had a drink at some bar and the Swedes and I were too tired to do anything else so we went back to the room and a disappointed James and.... oops forgot her name already came back also. Anika I think. Yes, Anika. The Asians or East Asians at least like to have the whitest shade of skin possible tell Anika that she is 'too black.' Pretty face but too black.

Anyways, it's been a slow day. There were so many people walking around that I was glad I didn't go to any of the tourist meccas. I'll have to go to bed early tonight for the Wall tomorrow. As I was reading my Essential Buddhism book, I thought about writing all this stuff about what I thought and whatever but it hardly seems worth it now.

Oh, I also got my haircut today. For only 5 yuan, all but maybe an inch of my hair got to decorate a whole section of flooring. Ah, my 75c haircut. I don't even miss my hair, I thought I would.

Beijing for a few days

I've made it to Beijing. I didn't arrive until about 10:30 this morning. Another overnight bus. It went alright. I feel special on the busses because the drivers take good care of me. I know it's because they think I'm stupid and don't understand anything that is going and basically they are right.

For some reason, in the middle of the night, well around 23:30, we just switched busses. That I was strange, I thought it was just going to be another trip to the bathroom. The new bus had better beds but I still don't understand why we switched.

So far, I haven't done much in Beijing. I've been to Tianamen Square (I should learn how to spell that probably) and I met 2 Aussies and an American who are all studying in Shanghai. I'm not sure why exactly. They've been in Shanghai for about 6 weeks. I hung out with them for quite a few hours. They rented bikes and I had to sit on this little metal rack for too long. I'm surprised I'm not more sore from that. Later we switched and Lana from Melbourne hung on to the back and I wasn't the best driver so she rode with her boyfriend, Alex, on a smaller rack. Basically, that's what happened. Lana was sick of Chinese food so we ate at McDonalds and had a run-in with an old woman. I'm not sure why but there's a 10 yuan fee to park your bike outside (meals were like 20 yuan). Anyways, we left and refused to pay. I think it was a bike guarding fee or something. Anyways, she held on the back of one of the bikes (not mine) and wouldn't let go. Eventually, we wrestled the bike from her and sped off. She grabbed hold of Lana I guess and Lana punched her in the bum or something and got away. Someone was snapping pictures to give to the police later. It was all very bizarre. I'm supposed to meet them and some other foreigners(Beijing residents) later tonight. Actually, I should've already called them. My sparkling insights into Beijing will have to wait until tomorrow.

I've been blocked

I was going to reply to the comments/questions on the comments section but I can't view my blog from China. I could in Yantai so I don't know whether it was my anti-china comment that got my blocked or what. It seems a bit strange that I can't view it from here only a day or so later. Probably just paranoia. I also have to show my passport to use the computers here but to buy a bus ticket no ID was needed. I wonder if it's like Cuba where only foreigners can access the internet. The wrote my name and visa number in a little log book too. Very strange, indeed.

Anyways
Cal: I didn't buy any art and the exhibition was little more than a small room in some building full of those vertical Chinese banners. They were nice enough but weren't anything that special. The drinks were a seperate deal after I'd left the art exhibition.

The Canada - US thing was more about her not listening to what I had told her. I wouldn't have cared about her comment had I not told her I wasn't American. The other part of that was that to some people America means US-Canada or the whole of the Americas. I don't care for that defintion but in Korea, America typically just means the US. Not important really.

Alex: I misread your email. You wrote 'other stalker girls' which I guess doesn't make sense either since there were only the pair. The s threw me. Maybe I no longer have a stalker. I might not have to be afraid of going back to Daegu. Also, I forgot the mention in that entry that the girl's appearance made want to go out and get drunk. I somehow over drank and ended up making quite the spectacle of myself. I made quite a good friend but I remember neither his name or anything we discussed except that we had a lengthy conversation and he helpe carry my limpless body to a cab. It was bad. Never have soju cocktails after 4 other drinks on an empty stomach. Let that be my advice to all of you.

Yes, I wrote wondered. A homonym. My goodness. Maybe you can become my editor or proofreader or something.

Ah, those cultural differences.


I've become a bit disillusioned with Shanghai. It feels too modern to be that interesting. Financial capitals aren't that interesting. I think all that was interesting about Shanghai faded after the founding of the People's Republic. Not that I'd be up for gangs, gambling, and prostitution. Actually, I ran across the latter two wandering around last night. I don't know whether they were actually gambling or just playing but I'm pretty sure about the prostitutes. The gangs I haven't seen nor anybody in traditional Shanghai wear. Only mannequins which isn't exciting/interesting at all. It feels a bit too touristy here. Beijing will be the same I think. I'll be heading there in a couple hours, wasting my last few hours in Shanghai on the internet. I'm tired, feeling a bit sick, my knee hurts, and what's left to be seen doesn't interest much in my current state of mind. Until Beijing then.

Ode to My Korean Stalker

That's right. I have a Korean stalker. Her name is Hwang-Su. I don't know what she does though she tried to tell me 3 times. She speaks hardly any English and has a cousin whose English is hardly any better.

Luckily I met her a few days before I left. I was eating a restaurant near Alex's apartment. I'm too good-looking for my own good sometimes. That's all she could've been interested in really. Definitely wasn't for conversation. Sometimes, I like to pretend I'm very attractive but honestly I don't think I could live up to any hype as I'm pretty average looking. Anyways, they ask if they can come to our table. We had a warning before-hand from the owner who was doing the asking. We said yes, not knowing what we were getting into. They had a lot more confidence in their English skills than their skills would actually merit. We had such bad small talk. She likes all American movies, that's right ALL every single one. It was pretty bad, I didn't even know what to say to her since she had a vocabulary of maybe 30 words. She was ballsy, I'll give her that.

Somehow, they ended back at Alex's apartment. That was just as awkward. She was kind of nasty and pretended to lick the behind of this stuffed monkey. More bad conversation and they left. The next day, or maybe the day after, she showed up at the apartment. Taking them there was a really bad idea. Anyways, she had a phrasebook this time and a page worth of dialogue she had written from it. She called her friend who spoke English and gave the phone to Alex. He told the friend that we had been trying to watch a movie and the girls were bothering us. So they kind of stormed out leaving the phrasebook behing. She had circled several phrases including "I'm lovesick" and something about falling in love the moment we met. She came back and got her phrasebook the next day. I didn't see her, Alex just shoved the book at her and she left.

Anyways, since I've been gone and I figured she'd have given up, she's returned to Alex's apartment bearing flowers. How bizarre! I told her I was going to China. I guess she just pretended to understand. It's very strange. I don't even know what to make of it. Hopefully, she'll have given up by the time I get back to Korea. We'll have to see how determined she is.

One of her phrases was 'I've always wanted to American friends.' She doesn't even listen to me. I told her I was Canadian. They know that America and Canada are different places. If only I were a bit uglier. The guy today too told me how handsome I was. Model. Italian boy. Maybe I should've been a bit gayer acting with him. He might have paid for my share of the drinks if I had. Yes, no more friends for me in Shanghai.

Actually, I met one friend who cost me nothing. She just wanted me to buy art. Took me to her school's exhibition. Good thing she wasn't pushy. I was even alone for 3 minutes between these 3 encounters. At least the art would've lasted. Expensive drinks go right through you and without good memories are a complete waste of money.

Yantai, Shanghai but not beyond

I've had one half-interesting day yesterday and today was pretty interesting but expensive, unexpectedly expensive.

Yesterday, I stayed at a place without showers. So I decided to leave Yantai as quickly as possible. It didn't seem like that interesting a place to be. I left the hotel and got to the bus station and met some man. He didn't really speak English but got me on a bus to Shanghai. He tried to get me to stay at a hotel for the 5 hours until the bus. I don't know what that was about. I'm always suspicious of prostitution now. I don't think it had anything to do with that. Anyways, instead of that we went out to eat. He had like 3 beers at 9:30 in the morning. Possibly more, there were 600ml bottles. I had some too but drank very slowly. The bill was reasonable so I didn't mind that much. I saw some prostitutes working from their little homes. Oh, the finger through the hole sign. International, I guess. Then he took me to the bus station and I just waited on the bus for hours. I was told the bus was leaving at 1:30. I didn't end up leaving until 3:30. What a waste of a couple hours. I perused my travel guide. I'm getting a bit sick actually. I think some English teacher gave me some illness he had. I suppose there's time to blame later. Maybe it's retribution for something. I will make another post if my time doesn't run out. I don't like this pay in advance business.

The bus ride was pretty long. It was about 12 hours. I slept for some of it. There weren't any seats. I had to lay down the whole time which would've been nicer if the busses weren't designed for tiny Chinese people. The bus to Yantai from Weihai was the same. It's like they aren't meant for people with femurs. I saw some Chinese movie 3 times in a row. The same one. It wasn't even the whole movie. I don't know what that was about. Then a few hours of Chinese variety hours followed by Terminator 2 so now I can say 've seen it.... in Mandarin. Good thing it's not a dialogue heavy movie and basically full of just guns and explosions.

I got to Shanghai at 3:30 in the morning. I really haven't done very much. I tried to get into the 2 hostels in town but they were both full... sorry. They said it very quickly too and I could tell they weren't sorry at all. I stayed at a different place again paying too much money. My 'fuck it' limit is too low. I should strive to be more frugal. I might have to after today.

I spent a few hours with some people from X'ian. They were here travelling. They spoke decent English. We went to a traditional tea house and sampled all kinds of teas. They were 38 yuan per sample and we had 6 plus some side dishes so my share came out to something like $50. I thought you were supposed to be poor people of China. I guess they figure foreigners are just loaded all the time. They didn't even flinch at the price.

After that I met some Japanese teacher from Okinawa and we went for coffee. I knew I shouldn't have really but it was just coffee. Similar story except we didn't have coffee at all. We had hard alcohol. Again, only I was shocked by the price. I suppose the divide between the rich and the poor is sharper in Shanghai than the rest of China. Mind you, the people I met weren't even from Shanghai.

I had to take a taxi from the 'coffee house' to the ATM to get more money. It was so ridiculously expensive, too expensive to actually tell you. She told me what she thought of Korea. The Korean women are beautiful but lots of times it' only because of plastic surgery and that Korean men are wifebeaters. I'd known that already but really it's only older men who do that. I don't think it's a big problem among younger people but what do I know. I find it hard to believe that a man that carried a purse would beat his girlfriend with it. I never thought that much about it and don't have much of an opinion on the matter but will say that the definition of masculinity in Korea is different for different ages.

So far, I've only walked around for a bit and spent too much money for too little. I did learn how to tell people I wasn't interested in buying watches but haven't been asked since I learnt it of course. I'll have to explore the Bund a little more. It's full of European architecture and the Chinese flags are the only indication that I'm in China. Go back to the square where I met the young people from Xian. I've been told it would be quite easy to get a job teaching English here. I guess there are 10,000+ students at their university and only 12 English teachers. English teaching wasn't so bad now that I look back on it. I would definitely make a smarter decision before I signed. I really do make poor decisions. No more friends in Shanghai for me unless they are poor travellers like me. These local people think I must have money oozing out of every orifice. They each paid their share. What expensive shares! I'll have to eat very cheap tonight. I don't know how many more days I will be here. I guess it depends when I get a train to Beijing and when said train leaves. I think it's a 14 hour ride.

Also my Korean bank card, I believe is useless outside of Korea. No machines I've found will take it. Surprising that my Bank of Montreal card will get me further than the one from a neighbouring country, well not money wise but you know what I mean.

China so far

Back to the travel aspect.

I got off the ferry and I had absolutely no money. Not a single Chinese Yuan. I found some ATMs and they had the little Cirrus and Maestro logos but no money came out. Some kind of error. I still don't know what the problem was. I could understand my Korean account not working since I've never used it outside of Daegu (Korea at least). My Canadian one worked in Korea though.

Then I remembered that I had about 70,000 Korean won ($70). I found a bank but they wouldn't change it since it wasn't a major currency. Not a dollar, euro, pound, or a yen. They told me to go to the Bank of China to exchange it. I thought I had found one and they refused it. It might have been a different bank. They are all Bank of China. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. Agricultural Bank of China. Commercial Bank of China. Anyways, the logos for some are similar. I was really discouraged though and imagined either becoming homeless in Weihai (already penniless), resorting to begging and thieving, selling my camera, or using my credit card to stay at a nice hotel and having my parents wire me money. I guess only 1% of China has a credit card so the last plan may have been iffy, that's why it needed to be like a 4 star hotel.

I walked down the street going the wrong way of course since I did't imagine it was down the other way since it was short and people kept pointing up this other street rather than down the one I was on. Eventually, I found it though and all that wandering around for ATMs with my logo that would actually work and for the mythical Bank of China let me see enough of the city so I took a taxi from the bank to the bus station.

I'm such a retard here. I can't speak the language and am totally illetirate. That doesn't look like the right spelling but unlike in Korea I wouldn't even be able to sound things out. I should've learnt more Chinese. I had my bus ticket and I had no idea what it said. The door number, bus number, time, anything. I'll just have to get good at place names. That was all I could manage in Weihai (too bad I'm not a pothead, that name could've meant much more) in order to get to Yantai.

I arrived in Yantai and was looking for this hotel. I was sure I was near it but these girls decided to help me and told me I needed to get on this bus and the driver would tell me when to get out. I don't know who didn't know what they were talking about but I ended up in the middle of nowhere really. Actually it was a nice drive, the coast was on one side and some building being guarded by military police. I got back to where I had been and being on the other side of the street can grant so much perspective sometimes. In big letters on a sign I must have walked by 5 times but invisible when you walk right under it, the name of the hotel.

I bought a bit of food for very little money and then came here. Nearly $0.50 for 2 hours of internet. Anyways, that's what I've done today. I also slept a bit on the bus ride over and depressing thoughts I had been having in Korea have stopped because I've been actually doing things that require way to much mental energy for what I'm actually trying to accomplish. Getting on a bus at home or the subway require virtually no mental effort whatsoever. I've also felt much more confident in my Korean since that is what I want to speak now. There's not even a word for no in Mandarin. You have to take the verb and add a negative modifier. How I'm to decipher the verb when I can't distinguish words even will be impossible. Good old headshake, it'll have to be. I should buy a phrasebook probably. This is the least touristy city I will probably visit though (transit point to Shanghai) so I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WORTH IT. Time to go, sorry for the caps there.

Ethical concerns (or how China might banish me also)

I had this great entry that I was writing being all critical of China... but I guess I need to pay in advance to use the internet here so after an hour it cut me off and my entry vanished.

I'm sure you all know about China, the repression of political dissent, the lack of a fair judicial system, the valuing of economic output over the environment, the three river gorge dam, etc. Maybe I'll try to write it again but this time I will watch the time.

I was reading my travel guide last night (I went into a little spiel on Lonely Planet but despite everyone using them and thereby making it practically tour like in some aspects they are useful). It was talking about the Uighurs in the far west of China. They really have very little to do with Chinese culture and are much more similar to Central Asians in virtually every respect but government. So anyways, in 1997, the Uighurs had a large protest that turned violent (by whom?) and 200 people were killed according to the Chinese media (reliable?). Then some rioters(?) who weren't killed were arrested and then executed the same day as their trial. Then after September 11th, China was able to term many of them Islamic Extremist and was able to exert more power and this time with US support. It really made me wonder whether I wanted to be in China.

I thought about going to see the titanic dam that they are building that will flood an unknown amount of land, bury national treasures, dislocate people. It will also probably slow the river allowing for increased accumulation of chemical waste. Then I realized, why would I want to go see something that I am opposed to. It didn't make sense. So I've been thinking about what responsible tourism is. If I come to China, does that mean that I am condoning its actions. Am I a supporter of the government of China? I don't know. If I were in the US it wouldn't mean that I was supporting the invasion of Iraq but it seems different here (in my whole 12 hours of experience) just because no one is able to speak out against the government. I'm even a slight bit paranoid about writing this. What if the government reads this and comes after me?

I just don't know. I was thinking about it in the context of other authoritarian governments as well. Maybe I shouldn't go to Uzbekistan who recently violently suppressed a protest (700-800 killed, I think). Really though, the government has so little to do with the people. It doesn't really represent the interests of the people. Does the average Han Chinese (dominant group) care about what happens to their Muslim countrymen. Probably not? Does it mean they support the actions of the government? Probably not. Maybe, that's what bothers me about China. The fact that everyone is either complacent about what is going on in their own country or doesn't realize. I think in Uzbekistan, it's probably different. More people are probably against the government than in support of it. I'm sure they might be complacent too but I guess they are used to the government not doing much for them. Here it seems, perhaps falsely, that everyone supports the government so long as it improves their lives. I guess the Chinese don't see why the people of Tibet or the Uighurs resent them since they built them all these roads, schools, and hospitals. At the same time though, they create all these government positions and give them to Chinese and encourage migration to areas where Han Chinese are minorities. I guess the Uighurs went from being about 90% of the population of their province to about 40% today. It just seems like the average Chinese is consenting to the action of the government. i realize that not all are but that's just the impression I get when I see people walking merrily down the street.

That's where my little debate is at the moment. Is it the people or the government? Am I supporting the way that China is governed or administered? Or am I here to see the people and discover how things are for myself? Anyways, after reading about and remembering all these things that China has done, I don't know how much time I want to spend in typical China. I thought about going to Tibet but it seems so far and might not be easy to get to. It seems easier to reach from Nepal which I would like to go to one day. I haven't made up my mind about Tibet we'll say.

I have on the other hand decided to visit Shanghai. It's a bit out of the way but I don't know if I'd go any other time. I thought maybe when I went to Hong Kong (whenever that might be) but it was further than I thought and I'm maybe only 1/3 closer to Beijing than Shanghai at the moment. I wish my guide gave better information about travel time. So right now, it looks like Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, and then leaving typical China for Kashgar and Urumqi, possibly Tibet.

My little responsible tourism has led me to question my visit to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan was always a bit questionable due mostly to visas. Should I go there and 'support' the government through visa fees and taxes? Or by going there would it improve the lives of average citizens (not that I would bring a lot of foreign investment or whatever)? I'll have to work out these little ethical problems within the next few days.

My Slow Boat to China

I've made it to China almost without incident. I woke up somewhere in Itaewon, well at my hotel but I don't know where it was exactly. I saw quite a few embassies like I had the night before and walked up a big hill and then down again since I really had no clue where I was. It was so weird seeing all those white faces in Itaewon. I could tell virtually all the young people were affiliated with the military. Perhaps a few of the single ones were English teachers. Military seems to travel in groups for some reason. I was walking behing a mass of them and they reminded me of when I was in Texas. It's nice that I'm not there anymore. I found a bookstore and bought Ulysses by James Joyce and a new copy of Lonely Planet China, since their website lied to me. No used copy to be found.

Then I had to ride the subway for an hour or so. I transfered twice. I really thought since I was the second to last stop that the crowds would start to thin out a lot sooner than the 4th to the end when I was finally able to sit down. I was on it for 27 stops or something. So many stops were universities too. So&so Catholic Univ., Theological, Christian, Bible. Why do the schools need to be associated with religions?

I was worried there wouldn't be any tickets to Weihai left but there were so that was a relief. Actually, it was annoying also. I don't know if it was just me and I don't know that they were Chinese for sure but they had no respect for the line or queue if you will. I was standing maybe a metre behind the person at the wicket who was taking forever and then I switched to a second window. I was the only one waiting but somehow all these people ended up going ahead of me. I was about to get pushy but then it was free. I saw maybe 4 non-Asian people on the ship. I wondered if they had escaped lives as English teachers. I didn't talk to any of them. I talked to one man who was Korean or Chinese, I didn't ask. He asked about my book but since I'd only read about 20 pages I couldn't tell him much. Then I saw people grabbing tons of toilet paper off the reels in the rooms. I slept in a mass room with maybe 36 beds. It was divided into 3 little hallways though and everyone had a side that was wall and another that was curtain. Anyways, that doesn't really matter. I had a nice pillow and slept well for the most part. I guess until I thought that I should be getting up but I didn't look at the time for quite awhile. It was only 630 and I was worried it was nearly 8, the time we were supposed to disembark. I don't think I got out of the ship until 9 something. So that was needless worrying. Oh right, the toilet paper, anyways there was a lot of it in the rooms. Toilet paper exists in strange places in Korea and I've forgotten how strange it is. I saw people pulling toilet paper for days. I don't know what they did with it. They could've absorbed quite a large body of water though.

So I got to China. I brought something illegal too. I'm quite the rebel. I snuck in some bananas. Customs in Asia seems to be a funny thing too. At the borders in Canada and the US, they ask you all these questions about what you will be doing, what you have with you, etc. The 3 times I've gone through customs in Asia, into and out of Korea and into China, I've only been told one word. "Sign." I forgot to sign my arrival card to/for (don't know) China. She looked at the photo and me several times. I must not look like the person I was on August 9th, 2004. Don't ask me why I remember the date my passport photo was taken. So after that and feeling uneasy about my bananas (they even went through the x-ray machine, I imagined myself getting into all kinds of trouble but I'd been through immigration already so it was too late to get rid of them. Then I wondered out of the terminal into China.

Journey into the unknown

I'm in Itaewon right now. I don't really know what I'm doing. I've been in Seoul for about 3 hours now. I managed to not find the hostel where I wanted to stay and got tired so I'm staying at some little motel where I paid more money than I would've liked. I took the KTX to Seoul and it being after dark I managed to not see a bit of countryside and didn't appreciate the speed at which I was going. About 300km/hr. It all looks the same in the darkness of night. I just sat there really for however long.

I managed to navigate the subway system with ease. I decided to go to Itaewon. I'm not sure why. It's the only place name in Seoul that I was familiar with and the used travel guide for China that I want to buy is somewhere around here. Well the bookstore that is. I really need to find a guidebook I think. As free-spirited or whatever traveling without a guide may be, I just can't do it. I'm already in Seoul without a guidebook. There was no point bringing it for the one day I will be here although I probably should've at least looked at it.

I somehow managed to find more information about the ferry than I could manage to find in Daegu which makes no sense being that the internet should be the same. Anyways, I found 2 sites that listed dates and times for ferries. I really hope they are wrong though since neither have anything leaving Incheon on Monday. I hope I can trust the ferry company's website that says the boat to Weihai leaves on Monday. I don't know what I will do if I can't leave the country. You'd think I'd be able to extend the exit order by one day. I'll have to go to the ferry terminal tomorrow, there should be an immigration or customs office at least. Otherwise, I might have to fly somewhere or try to rush to Busan and catch a ferry to Japan. I don't think it will come to that though. The Weidong ferry website looks more accurate than the other 2 I saw. If only my life didn't feel dreamlike and I actually made more concrete plans because of some sense of urgency or something. I have no idea what is even in Weihai.... or if I can go there tomorrow. I'm probably too happy-go-lucky for my own good. Not that either is that applicable to me at the moment.

I took the subway from Banwoldang to Dongdaegu station and out of habit I went to the side going back to Wolbae so I had to pay the fare twice. I mean, it wasn't expensive but just reminds me of how my intellect has dulled since I've been in Korea. I've been running on auto-pilot for way to long now. I don't know where my mind has gone. I'm really looking forward to leaving this country for awhile. I guess I don't really have much else to say other than Alex Thompson is a good man. I guess if I don't post anything in the next 24 hours that means I got on the ferry or managed to leave Seoul somehow. Hopefully the next post will be from somewhere in China.

Loose plans

I decided I would change the layout of my blog. The old one had been annoying me for awhile but I never had the energy, patience, or time to do anything. We'll see how long it takes before I change it again. Owing largely to laziness I think this one might be around for quite awhile. I will still be unemployed when I go back home (whenever that might be) so who knows?

I haven't done very much with myself the past few days. Sleeping has been so nice. I can't say it's all that comfortable being that I sleep on 3 couch cushions on the floor that constantly slip away from each other and me. I have no idea what a real bed is like anymore. I technically haven't slept on a real bed since my vacation in July and really I've only slept in a proper bed for maybe 10 nights (generous guess) of the past 180. I wonder how Candace is enjoying the hard mattress on the floor.

I actually went back to my old apartment yesterday to swipe my magazine from the mailbox. Gotta love the keyless, very unsecure Korean mailboxes. It was in my name though and no one was the wiser. I also tried the door but she had locked it. That one might have been a little iffier where the law is concerned had the door been unlocked.

I finally called my bank in the US and had them send me a new cheque card. Why do I have a bank account in the US, you ask? Well, I just never closed it after I left Texas. I tried to have my new Canadian bank try to transfer the money and the last I heard Wells Fargo needed a notarized letter so my money sits in an American savings account. Plus I figured I would travel in the US so I could keep some money in a chequing account. That's quite boring isn't it? Anyways, I lost my card in January and finally took care of that. I also changed my address with the Economist. That'll take 2 weeks to kick in so Candace will be able to enjoy 2 free issues. My parents on the other hand will receive maybe 6 issues before I get back home...whenever that might be. It's only my possibly very inaccurate projection.

I only have 4 days left in Korea before I'm here illegally. I've decided to take a boat to Weihai, China in Shandong province. I don't know what's there but I'd much rather leave on Monday than have to rush to Seoul a few days before I would've liked. Plus, I found out that the ferry to Tiajin doesn't even dock in Tianjin but some other port so I wouldn't be right in the heart of Beijing to begin with. Aside from that, my plans are about as flexible as a Romanian gymnast (whatever that means). Only visa concerns really. I guess there really aren't any countries bordering China that I don't need visas for. I suppose Hong Kong and Macau but those 2 only border China and the sea and I'd need a visa to get back to China. Hmm...

I'm a bit worried that I won't meet anyone going on my particular proposed route. So I might either be very lonely for however long I am lost in Asia or end up travelling with random strangers to wherever they were going. I really don't know. I should really make more concrete plans but instead I change the layout of this page and waste time in all kinds of other ways.

Down by the river

I went running tonight.... down by the river. It was quite nice running... down by the river. I'm still in Daegu staying with my friend. Luckily it can't be for longer than a week so hopefully I won't drive him too insane.

My last day at work was pretty surreal, much like all my other days there. The funny thing was that even though it was my last day it went by just like any other day. Right down to the end of the day. Actually that part was a bit different. When it was time for my to leave Wonderland for good I said goodbye to everyone, well more a mass goodbye as I headed towards the door. They all smiled and waved goodbye like I would be seeing them on Monday. I mean, I didn't care about any of them either, maybe it was better that emotions weren't feigned. Matt came out of the office after I'd walked out and shook my hand, wished me luck with everything. Not even Renee gave me a proper goodbye. It was all a bit strange. Usually no one is there when I leave on Fridays.

I went home, finished packing up my stuff. Jupiter came and collected the key. He actually drove me to my friends place. I told him I was going to take a taxi but me standing in front of my building with my large suitcase, travel backpack, smaller backpack, laptop case, and 2 pillows 2 blocks from any place a taxi could be hailed, must have looked a touch pathetic. We actually had a better conversation than we had ever had before (which isn't saying much). Turned out the whole office went out for dinner after I had left. I was so beloved there. To be fair, I skipped out on the last office meal because I knew I wouldn't really be wanted there. Ah, so funny and a bit depressing. I ordered pizza for the last time and my pizza couple seemed much sadder to see me go. They made all these sad faces and were confused since I'd only been there for 6 months. Everyone must know how the hagwons work. Speaks wonders that my pizza man was infinitely more affected by my departure. The kids too acted like it was just another day.

I saw Karen's mother at the garage sale day. It seems like such a scam, this garage sale day. All the kids bring in some unwanted items, donations I guess. Then the school affixes price tags to everything and then a few days later the kids come and exchange real dollars (well, won)for phoney Wonderland dollars and their goods are resold to them and Wonderland keeps all this money. Anyways, Karen's mother told me how much Karen liked me and that she will miss me. I suppose I already said goodbye to Karen on the field trip. She didn't want to do the relay race and I picked her up and she kind of just clung to me. If I ever have a daughter, I hope she would be just like Karen.

Anyways, my Wonderland life and my days of going by Shawn Teacher are gone for good. I'm never going to let anyone give me a different name again. That must sound really strange.

My friend had to go into work tonight. I decided to do something active so I went running down by the river. I decided the only reason I like having longer hair is that it moves with the wind. Makes me feel like I'm part of nature, gives me fluidity. Anyhow, I ran a bit too quickly at first and shortly lost my breath. Walked right by the river along these stones that are really just decorative since they were much worse than the worst cobblestoned streets in Europe. I crossed to the other side of the river and jogged at a reasonable pace for quite a ways. I got back to the main street of where I'll be living for the next 4 days or so and sprinted to the corner. Then I sprinted some more. I like running fast even though I can't do it for long. I even chased a car for a bit. Then I was going to return to the apartment but and I almost did but then I went running again along the streets sprinting past pedestrians and dashing between cars between alleyways. Luckily the stoplights gave me time to catch my breath again. Maybe I should go running everyday. I probably won't but maybe I could. Rambling time is over, it's ramyeon time now.