Alicia's Adventures

Tibetan People

2007-08-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

Tibet is so beautiful, and one thing that makes it so beautiful is the richness of its unique people.

Bustling Katmandu

2007-08-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

After several hours in the car bumping along, we reached Katmandu. Katmandu assaulted us with traffic, pollution, noise, and smells. We were definitely ready to find an oasis in this city. Fortunately, we managed to find it in the bustling city. We made our way to our hotel, and we made our weary bodies comfortable for just a minute. We had to arrange tickets back to Shanghai as soon as we could. Out we went looking for the agency, and after some difficulty we found a most wonderful agency to issue us some tickets.

I very carefully stepped on the busy, small roads to see what I could of the Thamel area in Katmandu. You must pay attention each and every step or you will be run over by something. Katmandu is a city that feeds on tourism and has everything the traveler could possibly want. There is a plethora of places to eat a variety of cuisine. There are countless people offering you the trek of a lifetime. There are rickshaw drivers wanting you to ride in their cart. The women meander through the streets in their colorful saris. Vegetables are for sale on the side of the road, and in case the vegetables aren’t enough for your meal you can purchase your very own goat head and anything else you might want from the goat. Temples are scattered throughout the streets honoring their Hindu gods. The men sit and chat in front of their small colorful doorways that lead to their shops. Bicycles are piled with mangoes for purchase. People call out to ask you into their shop to just have a look. Children wander the streets with postcards and purses asking you to purchase their item because nobody else has bought anything from them all day. They hang onto the hope that they can get one or two tourists to pay attention to them and give into their pleadings to purchase an item. An occasional cow will be laying in a small alley taking up half of the roadway. Young men will come around and whisper in your ear if you want something to smoke. This is the Katmandu I know. The place thrives on Hinduism and tourism.

I spent about 5 days in the Katmandu valley. Nepal was a bit like India, but it was calmer. I enjoyed retreating to my hotel and not giving into the heat that surrounded the valley. I went to several temples and walked through the streets to see Nepali life. I enjoyed being there, and I hope one day I will get to experience the Nepal that I want to see. Nepal has so much to offer for trekking, rafting, biking, and shopping. However, the monsoon season was beginning and my soul was crying out for my home in the hills of West Virginia to experience the biggest blessing in my life, my family. I was happy to get on the plane and head towards my home, and now I happily battle the heat in my family’s 90-year-old farmhouse nestled in the hills of West Virginia. God has blessed me greatly with the resources to travel, but He has blessed me so much more by giving me a place to call home and giving me the hope of my true home.

Reaching Nepal

2007-08-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

There is another thing that helped me realize the height, and that was our journey down. I was told the road to get to Nepal was very, very dangerous. It had seemed like we had already been on some very, very dangerous roads, but those were “happy roads” according to our drive compared to the one that awaited us. The one that awaited us had construction, fog, huge drop offs, and the danger of landslides. Knowing all of this we still were anxious to cross over to Nepal via this road. The descent began and our hearts were in our throats. We began by moving ever so slowly. We were inching along bribing construction workers with cigarettes to let us through. The road was narrow and at one edge is a mountain with rocks precariously positioned and on the other side is a huge gorge going down to great depths. We inched and inched, and then we stopped. We waited and talked without too much of a care in the world. Then all of sudden we heard a loud BOOM! Farther up the road the construction workers were blowing up a rock that had fallen from the mountain. Yes, we were definitely on a dangerous road, but it was one of the most beautiful roads I have ever been on. I let my eyes feast upon the beauty that surround me. Everything was lush and green. The tall mountains were covered in trees, and waterfalls were cascading over the mountains everywhere. They would rush down over the mountain and fall into the stream that wound itself around the mountain. Some of the waterfalls would splash mightily down on the road and we would wash our cars under the power of the water. The fog hugged the mountaintops enveloping them in mystery and intrigue. The road was spectacular. We would get down to the valley, and I would think we reached the bottom, but we hadn’t. Then we would have to go down another and another and another. It seemed unending. We went down gorge after gorge and my eyes canvassed the landscape over and over again. I praised God for the amazing beauty, and I prayed that he would help us reach our destination safely.

God answered my prayer. We arrived in Zhongmu, the border town in China, that night safe and sound. The next day we would awake and cross over to Nepal. This was another huge undertaking. This was another day in the jeep. We crossed over and rented a vehicle for 5 people to go to Katmandu. I was the lucky one to sit by the driver in the front. His elbow pretty much stayed in my belly or my chest as he shifted gears the whole time. It was a long drive, but it was also an amazing beautiful drive. We still weren’t down far enough. We had to continue to go on dangerous roads winding downwards. We also got to feast our eyes on the Nepal landscape and people. I got to see amazing terraces, women working in the fields, people carrying stalks of corn on their backs, children walking in their school uniforms, and people just living their lives. Nepal is a friendly country that displays beauty in their landscape and in their people. We smiling went along the road and took in the surroundings.

The Mysterious Majestic Everest

2007-08-04T17:02:00.000-07:00

After long travels and lots of experiences, we rolled up to the mother of all mountains. There she was in all of her glory. She stood erect and tall covered in snow. Her summit is the roof of the world. The day was as clear as it could be so we could see her in all her glory. We gazed up at her summit and shivered at the height of her. As we rolled up to our hotel, a tent, my heart started beating faster and my head started aching a bit. Yes, we were definitely higher than before. We took some nourishment for our bodies before we began the hike to the base camp. We hadn’t eaten all day and it was already 2 or so. I thought it would be a good idea for me to eat and eat and eat to prepare for the strenuous hike. So we took off for the base camp with full bellies, water in hand, and eager spirits. The path wound up and up. Rocks were scattered everywhere and mountains surrounded us. Water flowed angrily through the mountains. We walked, and walked, and walked. Eventually, we rested a bit. I was lagging a little. We began again and we rested some more. Overall, it didn’t take that long to get to base camp, and I did much better than I thought I would. At this height you can breathe only half as much oxygen as normal so even the simple tasks are more difficult. I climbed to the lookout point and gazed at Everest. The prayer flags flapped in the violent wind. The mountain stood and I gazed. Yes, she looked big, but she didn’t seem that large. I still felt so far away from her, but I wasn’t permitted to go any closer so I just stood there in wonder.

After snapping several pictures we descended, but our guide decided that we should take a shortcut. The shortcut was over rocks and over more rocks. We jumped from boulder to boulder from rock to rock from stone to stone. We cut our way down the mountain. I’m concentrating on each step and each breath. I’m breathing slowly and deliberately to make sure enough oxygen enters my body. It is a chore, but the shortcut is adventuresome and fun. We finally see our tent from a distance, and by this time I’m dragging my weary body into the tent. I collapse upon my bed and start stripping down to my first layer. My head starts thumping and my body just aches. Yes, I made it to base camp, and I made it back to our tent, but the altitude is really starting to take an effect. I can’t even move without feeling like my head will explode. I can’t function. My stomach begins to feel awful. I get so nauseated. Brett and Brooke are both feeling bad as well. Their heads won’t stop pounding, pounding, and pounding. We are all like zombies. It is 6 o’clock, but we can’t even begin to think about getting up out of bed. Then the techno music starts pounding. It intensifies our already massive headaches. I reach for my ipod and try to escape the techno and the awful feeling in my belly. I drift in and out of sleep trying to find comfort. I shift lazily from one side to another, but with each movement my head hurts worse. I cannot sleep on my belly because the oxygen level is so low. I need to maximize the flow of oxygen to my lungs. I concentrate on breathing and on living. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to make it through the night. I had visions of a brain aneurism. Is this what it feels like to have one? I also have visions of having a stroke. I think maybe they will find me comatose next morning. My imagination runs wild. Am I going to be able to get enough air? I’m already taking in half as much oxygen as normal, and there is the stove heating the tent that is polluting the air. On top of that the guides and locals are smoking in our tent. My allergies and sinuses are reacting. I don’t know if I’m going to make it. Finally, my nauseated stomach relieves itself from its pain when I puke into a plastic bag by my bed. I double over and retch into the bag. I almost instantly feel better. Now at least I only have one or two ailments. Maybe, just maybe I will get through this. I count the hours and the Ibuprofen I have taken and decide I can risk taking another two. I pop two pills in my mouth and hope that I will soon escape in the sweet embrace of sleep. Slowly it comes. My body gives into the weariness I feel, and I no longer have to concentrate on breathing and staying alive. I find peace in the rest.

Hours and hours later I wake up to find my body healed. I feel like a brand new woman. I made it through the night. I survived even if I had doubted before. I thank God for keeping me safe and giving me life. Then I think let’s get out of here! I feel so much better, but as I walk out the tent to find a rock to relieve my bladder the short walk makes me short of breath and my body becomes tired. I gaze at Everest in her glory, and I think she is very beautiful, but I have seen enough of her, and I’m ready to get down! I do not think I will ever really realize how high Everest is. The summit is over 8,000 meters! It is not uncommon for planes to fly at this altitude. This thought is almost inconceivable to me. Even base camp is extremely high. It is over 17,000 feet. Brett when he went skydiving jumped from 10,000 feet. This helped me put it into perspective of how high we really were.

Reaching Tibet

2007-08-04T16:47:00.001-07:00

Lasa greeted us with fierceness. The sun beat down strongly on our backs. Our heavy backpacks weighed us down. The altitude began to suck the fragile life that we had out of us. My head started pounding and my weakness increased drastically. Despite all the effects of the previous weeks and the altitude, my heart was glad to be in Lasa. The sky was so clear and blue, and the mountains were huge. However, that night the altitude sickness became worse. My head increased in pounding and my body felt fainter. My stomach began to feel nauseated and my allergies and sinuses went into full gear. I wasn’t the only one feeling the effects. Eric actually was the one to throw-up. We made it through the first night, and in the morning the effects weren’t so strong. We walked a bit, rested a bit, ate a bit, and took it pretty easy because we were so very tired.

Eric, Joanne, and I were in Lasa together for about four days. Then they took off for their land cruiser tour of Tibet with another couple, and I waited for the arrival of Brett and his sister, Brooke. Lasa was very neat. It is the heart of Tibet. Pilgrims walk around the temple continuously. With each step, they turn their prayer wheels and utter prayers. They circle and circle the temple calling out to their God in their own way. Some will take a few steps and utter prayers and chants. Then they will fall to the ground and slide until their bodies are prostrate. Then they will do it again, and again, and again. The smoke from the offerings floats into the sky. Prayer flags flutter in the wind. The yak butter candles burn in front of the idols. Monks walk with their arms wrapped around each other in the temple. Lasa pulsates and Lasa lives strongly in the heart of the pilgrims.

However, whenever I imagined Tibet I did not imagine this. I imagined lots of spacious land. I imagined desolate land, barren mountains and hills. I imagined looking out and seeing endless space and small villages. Well, Tibet definitely has that as well. I saw that side as I later entered my own land cruiser with Brett and Brooke. After being in Lasa for about a week, I headed off to see the other side of Tibet. We had a plan of going to Everest and then crossing over to Nepal overland. Our journey in the land cruiser was going to be 4 days, and then it would take approximately one more day to get to Katmandu, the capital of Nepal. It was definitely a journey. On the way we saw lots of things. We would stop in cities and visit temples. We would see the mountains stretch to the sky. We would go on roads were basically there were no roads. We set our own path. We saw a barley house. We saw the biggest tree in Tibet. There really aren’t that many trees in Tibet. The land is harsh and cultivation isn’t easy. We bumped along the path towards the highest mountain in the world.

Southeast Asia Trip

2007-02-16T06:30:00.000-08:00

It all started on a Friday night after a full day of work. We began our trip with our spirits high and our backpacks stuffed with the essentials. We had been waiting for this day for oh so long, and it finally came. We took our high expectations to the airport and boarded the plane for Bangkok, Thailand. We reached Bangkok in the wee early morning hour of two o’clock. We decided to begin our trip like a true traveler by sleeping in the airport on metal benches. A few hours later, the airport police banging on the metal benches requesting us to leave awakened us.

It was time to attempt to get Cambodia. We studied the Lonely Planet and formed a plan of action. We were going to take a four-hour bus to the border. Then we were going to take a tut-tut to the actual border crossing. After going through customs, we were going to attempt to hire a taxi/car to take us to Siem Reap. This journey would be on a road known all over Asia as one of the worst roads, and we would be on this road for four hours dodging holes and cars. As we read the planet, it was a little daunting, but we decided to take one step at a time to accomplish the task that was set before us.

Yes, we did manage to get to Siem Reap, and yes, we did have some hiccups, but nothing that set us back too much. We had no difficulty in Thailand, but as soon as our feet stepped out of Thailand we encountered some shady characters. We will all remember our first entry into Cambodia as the entry into Scambodia. They tried to charge us more than the normal fee for our visa, and they somewhat succeeded. They tried to charge us more for the taxi ride into Siem Reap, and they did succeed. We were at their mercy, and they knew we were. We fought for a price we could all agree on. Then we began the journey. The road was bad, but it wasn’t as bad as my imagination. The dust flew everywhere. The people that lived by the road were covered with red dust. Green spots peeked out from the trees, but primarily the trees’ leaves were rust colored. The road was one hole after another. We took two cars, and each car had at least one flat tire apiece. We were in the middle of nowhere with flat tires swatting mosquitoes and hoping that one day we would reach civilization. We did! It was the beginning of a true adventure, and this was just 24 hours into the trip.

Siem Reap is known for Angkor Watt. Angkor Watt is an amazing group to temples. They were built between AD802-1432. This is also where Tomb Raider was filmed. The temples were amazing. I usually do not really enjoy looking at temples, but these temples kept me intrigued. Some were like labyrinths. Some had trees’ roots draping over them. Some had huge steep steps that the monks would climb to enjoy an amazing view. They also had some of the most beautiful children peddling postcards inside of them. We enjoyed talking to the kids, and trying to bring them some joy as they were working.

After spending two days in Siem Reap, we headed to Phnom Penh. We wanted to see the genocide museum and the killing fields. We only spent the evening in Phnom Penh before heading out to Saigon, Vietnam.

We reached Vietnam by a bus. In Saigon, we were met with lots and lots of motorcycles. When we crossed the street, it was like walking between seas of motorcycles. Vietnam is one of the most challenging places to cross the street, and this is really saying something coming from me. I live in China! In Saigon, we headed to the Cu Chi tunnels. The Vietnamese government reconstructed the tunnels that the VC used during the war. It was very educational, and I got to learn a little bit about jungle warfare. The tunnels they constructed were quite ingenious, and the traps they used were brutal. In Phnom Penh and Vietnam I was made aware of just what people can do to other people. What humans are capable of is the scariest thing in the world to me.

In Vietnam, we ran into the problem of there being no tickets. We wanted to go to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. However, Hanoi is in the north, and we were in the south. Vietnam is a long country. Unfortunately, we were unable to get tickets that made our journey easy. We had to take a bus for about 48 hours or so. We would stop in various cities for a couple hours, but we were on the bus for two whole nights. We did get to see a lot of Vietnam’s countryside. It is a beautiful country with lots of rice paddies, mountains, and a blue-green ocean shore.

After some long hours, we arrived in Hanoi. Our bodies were tired, and they screamed for no more buses. We were able to tour around Hanoi for some time, but even after our long journey we didn’t stay that long. We went to a water puppet show, which was really cool. We sneaked in with a bunch of Communist leaders to see Ho Chi Min’s body. We took a day trip to Halong Bay, and we prepared for the rest of our journey.

The next place we visited was the much-anticipated Luang Prabang in Laos. We were anxiously waiting for this city. We heard that it was wonderful. We heard that it was relaxing and beautiful. It met our expectations. After so many days of hard traveling, we were ready for this laid back atmosphere. We were fortunate enough to get a room where we could all stay together. We were in our oasis. Well, we were there for at least awhile, but every place is bound to have its adventure. We decided to go on a two-day trek out to villages. We began our journey with an elephant ride. Then we trekked, we trekked, and we trekked some more. The views were breathtaking. I truly felt like I was in a jungle. We also got to stop and play with the kids along the way. That night we spent the night in the village. We went around the village exploring another way of life. We raced with the kids, made faces with them, and talked with them. It was wonderful. The stars were even shining brightly for us like they had never done before in Shanghai. Everyone was happy and enjoying this new lifestyle.

And then it happened, the thing that left a little bad memory in our minds from our trip. After we all snuggled into our blankets on our bamboo bed under our mosquito nets, one of us began one of the most horrible nights. Unfortunately, one of my travel companions got food poison, and he had a bad case. He was throwing up all night long, and his body became very weak. We were in the middle of nowhere. There were no phones. There was no medicine. In the morning, we were supposed to take a 1.5-hour trek, and then we were to go kayaking for 4 hours. There was no way he could finish the trek so the village called a “tractor” to come and get him and take him back to our hotel. We tried our best to help him out, and the whole village was involved. Village life really is an involved lifestyle. Everyone cares about one another. Fortunately, Jeff, my travel companion, made it back safely, and after some days of rest he recovered from the ordeal.

After our experience in Luang Prabang, we headed to Vietiene, the capital of Laos. In Vietiene we met with some friends and fellowshipped with them. It was great to see them and to visit a family. After our short visit, we went back to Bangkok. We wandered around Bangkok for a day or two before coming back to Shanghai. We just looked for Thai tea, pad thai, and mangoes and sticky rice!

I had a wonderful time exploring Southeast Asia. I feel so blessed to have been able to travel with friends and to develop deeper relationships with them. I feel so blessed to have been able to see another part of the world that goes on day by day like I saw it. I feel blessed to have been able to open my mind to what the world is made of. I feel blessed to have learned what I have learned. I feel blessed to have been able to search, explore, and question what life is about. I feel blessed to have the roots and upbringing that I have, and I hope I will not forget the faces of Southeast Asia. The faces that reveal to me what life is like in another part of the world.

Amazing Blue Water and an Ice Festival

2007-01-28T06:34:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful trip to Jiu Zhai Guo. The scenery was breathtaking, and it was good to be in cold weather for Christmas. I was able to see snow, and I heard it crunch under my feet as I trampled on it. There were also many evergreen trees. The most amazing thing about Jiu Zhai Guo is the water. It has the most amazing colors in it. It is so clear that you can see so many things underneath the surface. I couldn’t get over the water, and I still can’t get over the water when I look at the pictures. The most wonderful thing is that it is natural and from His hand. He has given us so much beauty. I most say my Christmas in Jiu Zhai Guo was like none other. I enjoyed it, but I sure did miss the home cooked food and my family. We had lots of difficulty finding a meal to satisfy our western pallets on this day. I must say this is the first Christmas that I had soup with chicken feet and yak for my main course! It was my first, and I’m hoping it is my last! ☺

I returned to Shanghai to continue to teach and bring in the New Year. I had a lovely New Year’s Eve with friends. I believe 2007 will be a good year, and I’m looking forward to seeing what He has planned for me to do this year. Hopefully, I can remember to walk with Him daily and look for his guidance in my life.

I was also able to take another trip this past weekend. One of my friends and I went to Haerbin. Haerbin is one of the coldest places in China in the most northern province which translated is Black Dragon River province. Haerbin is famous for their ice festival and snow sculptures. We wanted to see what all the fuss was about all this ice. It was truly an interesting experience. I enjoyed it, and I couldn’t believe what could be made out of ice! There were so many huge things like a church, castle, the Great Wall, animals, and so much more. Then there were the snow sculptures that were just as breathtaking. There were snow villages, dragons, Greek sculptures, American Indians, Buddha, and so much more. This trip involved skiing, which is always an adventure with me, but can you imagine the adventure I had in China on skis. Those of you who have been to China you know how difficult it is to form a line. Well, can you imagine forming one on skis? Yikes! I also was able to take a sled down an ice path with twists and turns. I went over a frozen river in a cart drawn by a horse. I ate at a Russian restaurant. The city is heavily influenced by Russia. This trip could fill many pages because it was just that different, strange, and weird. It was lots of fun though.

Philippines

2006-10-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

I ventured out to the Philippines. There was even a typhoon a couple days before my departure, but that didn't stop my friends and me. We had our tickets, and it was going to take a little more than a typhoon to set us back. So, with adventuresome spirits and visions of mangoes in our heads, we headed out to find what else the world had to offer. I was very blessed this trip because I went with two friends that grew up in the Philippines. So, they could guide us around Manila, and they made everything quite comfortable for us. I didn't have to do any planning, I just showed up with a little money. We spent some wonderful time in Boaracy. This is a beach resort area. The sand is white, and the water is clear blue-green. The palm trees danced in the wind, and the reefs were filled with tropical fish. The snorkeling was truly amazing. The rest of the trip was spent in Manila. We toured the city, and we headed for every snack food vendor we could find. It was amazing how many mango shakes and hala halas we consumed. A hala hala is an ice drink where you mix a lot of different things in the ice. You can find beans, cheese, flan, jellies, cornflakes, and lots more of mysteries. They are really quite good, but you have to have an adventuresome spirit to give it a go. In Manila I ate my first whole fish. I'm not a seafood person, but I went ahead and took the plunge and ate a Bangus, a milk fish. This fish is very popular in the Philippines, and it actually, was pretty good. I'm changing in more ways than one! It was a great trip, and I got to form stronger friendships. Life is so much greater with good friends.

Buying a Bangus

2006-10-10T06:44:00.000-07:00

On my last night on the tropical island of the Philippines, I decided to be very adventuresome. I decided after years and years of refusing to eat a certain animal I would dive in to the experience head on. Well, actually, once in a while, I would pick at this food, but I never was excited about eating it. All of that was about to change as I entered the Bangus restaurant. I glanced at the menu, and then I studied it a little longer. This was my last night in the Philippines. So, I needed to make this night extra special. Our waiter came to the table, then I heard my voice say that I wanted a sizzling boneless Bangus. Was that possible? Was that really my voice ordering a whole fish? My heart began to flutter in a panic. I can’t believe I just ordered a sizzling fish. Was this really happening?

Oh yes, this was really happening. A few minutes later my anticipation ended. The sizzling fish was on a platter in front of my very own eyes. The fish was butterfly cut, and I could see the tantalizing meat, but I also could see the fish’s eye sockets, and I could tell this fish was once happy swimming in the beautiful free waters. He was definitely not happy any longer as he waited to be picked and scrapped with my own fork and spoon. The time had come. After a picture of a smiling me and the sizzling Bangus, I began my feast. I began tentaviley, but as time progressed, I became braver and braver. I stopped thinking about the fish’s eye sockets and the fish’s past life. My focus was on savoring the flavor of every morsel.

Soon I could see the fish’s skin clearly. I had scrapped and picked the fish clean. There was little meat left of that poor Bangus fish. Now that fish was resting in my expanded belly. I looked at my fish with pride, and I thought to myself, Yes, I did it. I ate that fish, and overall, I enjoyed it. Of course, I would remember this moment forever, but I had to take one last picture to commemorate it. A picture showing a full and pleased Alicia with a bare and helpless Bangus.

Amazing Xinjiang

2006-07-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

My trip was fantastic! I left on July 30th, and I headed for the western part of China. Leilia, a fellow teacher, and her friend Wendy went with me. We started in Shanghai, and then we had a layover in Beijing. It was long enough to go out into the city. So, once again I went to Tiananmen and looked upon the Forbidden City. After battling the traffic and people in Beijing, we headed back to the airport, and we flew out Wulumuqi. We got in quite late, and we tried several hotels at one or two in the morning. Our taxi driver was quite helpful though. After resting in the morning, we headed back to the airport and took a flight to Kashgar. Kashgar is a famous stop along the Silk Road. This is where we really settled down for a week.

When we arrived in Kashgar, we could tell that this place was different. It wasn’t the typical Chinese city that we were use to. The airport was small, and we walked out of the plane to it. As we glanced around we could see the Arabic writing bordering the doors. We could also see the mountains around us. It was so refreshing at this airport because I believe this is the first airport I have been to in China where the taxi drivers didn’t hassle me. It was calm and serene, and it was easy to get into a van for 10 rmb, about 1.50, and get to a hostel. That was a nice welcome.

The Western part of China is fantastic. It has deserts. It has mountains, and most of all it has dry heat! That was such a welcome after sweltering in Shanghai for the last couple weeks. We rode our bikes around some of the city upon our arrival. We took in the beautiful trees that lined the streets. The adobe type styled homes, and the many people dressed in their scarves and dresses. The sky was clear and blue, and the clouds were white and puffy. The air was fresh and clean. Ahh . . .

Our first full day in Kashgar was on Sunday. So, we had the opportunity to go to the Sunday Market along with about 50,000 other people. This is about a quarter of the population of Kashgar. Everybody is there on Sunday. It is the place to be. We went to the livestock market where people were selling sheep, donkeys, cattle, and various other animals. People were leading their animals around, and the buyers were checking out every part of the animal before their purchase. Then we headed to the other part of the market, and it sold everything! I bought a special teapot, and I also purchased some homemade knives.

The second full day in Kashgar we headed to the desert. We wanted to ride camels, and see the real desert. There is a desert in Xinjiang, which stretches almost clear across it. Xinjiang is the largest province in China. So, we headed out to the edge of it with a driver who spoke no English. Well, it is wonderful to know that that wasn’t much of a problem at all. My friend and I could communicate enough to get our points across, and we could understand enough as well. How refreshing! Our driver did have to do some translating because many people there do not speak Mandarin. The desert was quite beautiful with its high sand dunes and its large horizon. We didn’t get to stay long, but it was still very enjoyable to ride a camel in the desert.

The next day we headed out to Karakul Lake. It is literally on the border of China. Our travel agent told us not to ride a horse quickly for 2 hours. If we did, we might end up in the neighboring country, and one of those countries was Afghanistan. The road we took to get to the lake leads to Pakistan, and it is considered one of the most beautiful roads in the world. It did not disappoint me. It was breathtaking. I thought that it couldn’t get any more beautiful, and it kept surpassing my expectations. I truly feel this was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. The road wound around mountains and desert, and the sky was incredibly blue. We made it to our destination, and we got ready for our calm adventure in the countryside. We were really in the middle of nowhere! We stayed in a yurt, which is a Mongolian type home. It was completely circular and made of concrete. There was no furniture. It just had a wood stove basically and lots of blankets. This was a family’s home, and we were amazed by the simplicity of their life. The home didn’t have a bathroom either. The bathroom was literally the mountain. So, we would try to find large rocks to squat behind to be kept hidden from view. I must say at least the bathroom didn’t stink! It was surrounded by mountain fresh air. It was quite a pleasant stay, and we enjoyed our hike out in the mountains.

Sometimes I think that is what life is supposed to be about. It is suppose to be simple. A life surrounded by family working together. It sounds great. A simple life filled with people you love and a beautiful surrounding. I say this, but yet I defy my own philosophy as I travel around the world and continue to bring home more things.

We enjoyed a couple other days in Western China. Then we took our 24-hour train ride to Wulumuqi. Then the following day began the airplane rides back to Shanghai, and then the following day began the ultimate plane ride across the Pacific. It is no wonder I’m still recovering from this long journey!

Fun in Yangshuo

2006-06-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

June is coming to a close, and it has been a most interesting month. We had the longest week of work ever. Having one day off in 16 days was tough stuff, but we survived, and now we just have to pack up and enjoy our vacation. With working so many straight days, it gave me the opportunity to travel! Yeah! I went to a lovely part of China called Yangshuo and Guilin. It is known for the best scenery in all of China and that is really saying something. China is beautiful. My old traveling partners set out again for another adventure. We did lots of biking, hiking, and even some kayaking. It was very mild kayaking or I wouldn’t be here right now typing! ;-) I never was much of a swimmer. One of the highlights of our journey was exploring in the water cave. It was huge and our tour guide let us do anything we wanted. He encouraged us to climb up behind a huge waterfall in the cave. When we climbed behind it, he encouraged us to keep going and go to the other side. I hate to admit I actually sat that one out, but I didn’t sit out the mud bath part! Yes, there was a pool of mud in the cave, and in the pool you are suppose to get in and enjoy the mud. That is what we did. At the beginning I thought this is gross and disgusting. Why in the world am I doing this? Then I got in a little more, and the mud actually felt wonderful on the skin. My skin was living in luxury. The cave even had a mud slide where you could go down and splash into the pool. I made the mistake of keeping my mouth open, and yes, of course I ate some mud pies, if you will. It was lots of fun, and we were able to get some pictures developed of our group playing in the mud. Lots of fun! I encourage all of you to enjoy a mud bath sometime. It is better to have lots of friends, and then you can really enjoy it!

Times in Japan

2006-05-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

I have made it through a vigorous traveling schedule of Japan. I’m still recovering a bit. I find myself wanting to sleep more than usual, and that means I must want to sleep all the time! ;-)

I spent about 6 days in Japan. I got to go to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Himiniji, and Mt. Fuji. Yes, you can imagine that I was quite busy in those 6 days, but I had a lovely time. The traveling really didn’t take that long because Japan has bullet trains that travel at fast speeds. So many trains and subways also connect Japan. It seems we could travel almost anywhere we wanted to easily. I was really impressed with that. However, I was a bit confused when I would look at the subway map for Tokyo. It was huge! It is a good thing I was traveling with friends that lived in New York City and Washington D.C. If I didn’t have them, I might still be wandering around the streets of Tokyo.

Tokyo is huge. It is full of people, and it is full of interesting fashion. You never know what you are going to see on the streets of Tokyo, but you do know that you aren’t going to see trash! It is amazingly clean, and there are millions and millions of people that live there. You also don’t have to even think twice about going to the bathroom at a public place. They are so clean, and sometimes they even have music playing in the bathroom to disguise certain sounds that you would usually hear in a bathroom. They are clever!

Mt. Fuji was quite a sight. It was covered with snow, and it reached high into the sky. It was one of my favorite things I did in Japan. However, I did not actually climb the tall mountain.

Kyoto is full of culture. It was not uncommon to see a lady in a kimono walking down the street. They are so lovely. The ladies walking down the street so small, but they stood tall and proud. I also got to see several temples and shrines there. We saw traditional parades and a wedding party.

In Kyoto we also experienced a Japanese bath! I never thought I would have the desire to take a bath with several people, but I actually found myself wanting to try this part of the Japanese culture. The hot springs are a big deal in Japan. On our last day we went to the Japanese bathhouse. It was time to soak our weary bodies in a big tub. I already had some practice at taking a shower with other people because we stayed at a hostel with a community bathroom with no doors or curtains in the shower room. My first shower with another person was an older Japanese lady. The next night I was having conversations with the Japanese ladies. This was a major accomplishment for me.

The Japanese bath was quite interesting, and it felt good. We showered while sitting on small bucket. Then we went to soak in the many different tubs. There was a hot tea tub, warm tubs, a jet tub, cool water tub, and last but not least an electrical water tub! Yes, in one tub they had an electrical current running through the water. It kind of felt like touching an electric fence only naked and in water! That is really strange. Of course, I didn’t stay in that pool long. I jumped right out of there, and I made my way to the jet tub. I still really can’t believe I actually did a Japanese bath. Overall, I liked it. Would I do it again? Yes, I probably would.

The last night we also went geisha hunting. It was a rainy night, and I doubted that we would be able to see one. However, we did! We spotted one geisha holding her umbrella perfectly as she walked elegantly through the small alleyway.

We also decided to experience the capsule by night. Japan is known for having small places to sleep. They have hotels that give you a small area to sleep in. It is kind of like a box or a closed in bunk bed. I imagined that I would not even be able to turn over in such an area, but actually, it wasn’t that bad for a short person like myself. It kind of reminded me of a closed in train bed. I’m glad we finished our stay in Japan with a night in the capsule.

I also found out that I like sushi. I ate some raw fish, and it tasted pretty good. I like eel, salmon, and tuna. I’m not really a huge fan of fish, but this tasted good to me. I was pleasantly surprised. The Japanese love their fish. I really wanted to go to the fish market in Tokyo. However, that is the one thing that we didn’t get to accomplish. However, we did accomplish a lot in 6 days. It was a great trip.

Scorching Sun of Hainan

2006-04-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

March was a month of madness. Usually, it is one of my favorite months. I get to watch some great basketball, and I can feel the beginning of spring. The beginning of March was like a lion, but by the end of the month it was quite like a lamb. I have just returned from a vacation. I thought I would reward myself, and I surely did reward myself! I went to Hainan Island. It is in the South China Sea. So, I spent the weekend laying on the beach and soaking up the sun and swimming in clear blue water. Yes, it was a nice respite. I returned to Shanghai with a little bit of burned skin. I’m even really careful, but the power of the sun still got me. My eyelids got burnt, and on Tuesday when I returned to school they were swollen a bit! My lips are also a bit sore.

Reflections About India

2006-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

I have made it back to my wonderful, safe home in Shanghai. I must say after traveling 3 weeks in India. My body was ready for a not so hard bed and a couple warm showers. I was also ready for some peace and quiet, and yes, that can be quite hard to get for a teacher. However, my second graders don’t even come close to comparing to the loud sounds of the Indian streets. I must say teaching on Valentine’s Day this year has been easy. Well, it has been as easy as teaching can be. Those of you who are teachers you know what I mean. Valentine’s Day is always filled with students getting loads of balloons and flowers and not to even mention the cards!

Yes, Shanghai is a welcome.

India has left me with strong visions. I can close my eyes and I can feel the crowds pushing up against me. I can see the beautiful women wearing saris making their way through the street. I can hear the loud sounds echoing through my head. I can smell the aroma of incense and street food, and yes, of course the other smells that are so overwhelming. I can see the cows feasting on garbage and other food that is available, and at the same time I can see the skinny children begging for food, money, and attention.

India is an amazing country. It holds me in awe because of its beauty and because of its poverty. I got to go to a beautiful beach where the palms stretched to the skies. I got to sit on the back of a moped and cruise through streets that were lit with the sunlight. As we went around the corners and up the hills, each sight gave us a new vision. Each corner gave us a new experience. It was wonderful to welcome smells that made me go aaahhh . . . instead of UGGGHHH . . .

India will leave an impression on my life. I hope I will always be able to close my eyes and see the vision that still is within my reach.

The world is so big, but yet the world is so small. The world is so different, but yet, it is the same. The world holds so many hearts and so many souls. The world holds unimaginable things, but it also holds unimaginable treasure. I have only seen a small glimpse of the world. I can only imagine what our Creator sees as He looks down upon His canvas. I’m sure He sees beauty, and I’m sure He sees ugliness.

Life is beautiful and precious, but life is hard.

Incredible India

2006-01-28T06:54:00.000-08:00

i have been in india for one week now, and i have seen countless things . . . I have seen cows roam the streets without a care in the world, and yes, nobody comes to your door and says the cows are in the road. I have seen the capital city with its Red Fort and chaotic streets. I have seen Jaipur with its pink houses and so many rickashawas and traffic that you could barely squeeze through an opening. I have seen the beautiful Taj Mah Hal in its majesty professing the symbol of a deep endearling love. I have seen people bathing in the Ganges to purify themselves. I have seen dead bodies being burnt by the river as the family looks onward. I have seen countless homeless, poor, and beggars on the streets. India, oh India what a world away it is from my home in the States or my home in China. I never imagined such a different country to exist, but yet, here it is pulsating, never resting. a country with countless people. My eyes have been opened to a whole nother world. I wish I could write more exact for you to be able to see and hear the world of India, and later maybe, I will try. However, right now my food is ready, and i haven't eaten since breakfast and now it is almost 8:00 at night. my stomach yearns for food, and my weary bones ache for rest! no fears, tomorrow i will rest on a 27 hour train ride! !

Departure Day

2005-08-11T06:39:00.000-07:00

Well, today is the day of packing and more packing, and tomorrow is the day of departure. It has been a wonderful summer with a trip to Honduras, celebrating a 100 year anniversary of my home congregation, road trips, playing with Oliver, and visiting with family. I will leave my hilltops and country roads and set off for a city of over 12 million people! This is very intimidating for a country gal who grew up in a small town of less than 12,000 people. It is funny how when I first went to China my biggest fear was going to a huge city with masses and masses of people. I guess I’m facing my fears head on!

I will leave Friday, August 12th bright and early. Less than 24 hours later, I will arrive in Shanghai. Hopefully, all my travel arrangements will be a success, and there will be a helpful person to meet me at the airport. I’m a bit anxious about the trip and my new chapter in my life. I know I will be okay because I have Him beside me every step of the way, but it doesn’t mean all my fears disappear.

Your support means so much to me! Please, don’t forget this girl who is far away. I always want to keep family and friends and brothers and sisters close to my heart. Even though there is great distance between us physically, I don’t want there to be an absence of love, support, and friendship. You must know I miss you when I’m away. It is funny how you get torn between two complete different worlds. I think that is the way He intended life to be. We should have connections to people all over, and we should miss our brothers and sisters when we are away. We should feel torn between two worlds are true home and our pilgrim home.

Great Roots, Praise God

2005-04-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

I had the most awesome day! It truly has been one of the best days of my life. My home congregation has been celebrating its 100 year birthday. We have been having service for a week, and the lessons have been good, but today was great! I have also learned about my roots. They are very strong in west Virginia. My great-great grandfather gave a piece of land to have the meetinghouse built in 1905. Today we had a great service there. We had an attendance of 159. That is a huge number for this small country church up on the hill. I went there until I went to college, and of course I still consider it my home congregation. The average attendance is 40-60 people. So, we were really excited and amazed. There were people even sitting on the floor beside the pulpit. To make it better james e. rine’s, my great-great granfather, great grandson gave the lesson. It was awesome to see so many people praising God with sincere hearts and seeing the descendants of those that have gone on before in the same place praising God. I can’t even describe how wonderful it was. I can only imagine how great it was for my grandma and my great aunts and great uncle. I feel extrememly blessed.