It's OVER! (updated)
No more posts about China. The mini-series that wouldn't end has ended. It's been fun for me to relive the trip and I couldn't be happier that those of you who enjoyed it did. I'm doubly-flattered that you liked the photographs- as I said, they don't do justice to the movie reel playing in my head.What was your favorite part?
There's so many I couldn't chose just one. Climbing the Great Wall. Strolling the halls of the Forbidden City. Dumplings at some hole-in-the-wall cafe or a fancy dinner in the former-Communist headquarters building. Getting hit-on by Shanghai hookers. Good times. Good times.
What was your least favorite part?
Primarily the weather, though there's not much point in complaining about it. I would liked to have been a little earlier in the spring so it wouldn't have been so hot. The only other thing is about me- I'm a bit of a nervous traveler, so I don't relax as much as I should. I probably miss a lot of things that way.
What other words of wisdom can you leave us with?
I don't know about wisdom, but let me say this- If you have any interest in seeing China, go. Most of your fears about such a trip are unfounded. You don't need to speak Mandarin or Cantonese. So many of them speak English and more are learning every day. School children will approach you to practice their English, then insist on taking a picture with you to bring back to their class. The Chinese people are very excited about the Beijing 2008 Olympics because they know that millions of foreigners will be coming to their country. So many of them honestly want to make a good impression. China is an enormous and ancient country that rich doesn't begin to describe it. The other thing I can say about myself is that I tend to fall in love with the places I've vacationed- Ireland, Paris, Maui, Kyoto, Ixtapa, and now China. I love them all. If I won the lottery, my last blog entry would read, "See ya LOSERS! I'm moving to _____!"
[Ugh, that's a dreadful wrap-up to my vacation mini-series. No, no, it's terrible. What did you expect for free?]
I've posted one last photo album entitled "Ticket Stubs". I've scanned in many of the ticket-stubs to the attractions we visited. Most of them are beautiful, colorful momentos that I plan on making some sort of artsy-fartsy collage from eventually. I recently went to an exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls, here at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the ticket stub was pitiful. No picture, no description. It looked like it came off a dot-matrix printer, well, which it did. Pathetic. I hope you'll enjoy these too.
I forgot I wanted to give an unsolicited product plug to Space Bags. (They're available many places, I just found this link first.) I bought a set of these before we went and I won't take another vacation without them. Incredibly easy to use, I was able to get at least 50% more into my suitcase. Equally important, they helped keep my laundry separated and organized. Just jam your clothes in and roll 'em up to squeeze out the air. No more jumping on top of the suitcase while someone else tries to zip it shut. Well worth the price.
posted by tinyhands @ 11:59 PM
4 Comments:
You're a nervous traveller? How inconvenient. I'm a nervous pre-traveller. The day before leaving I invariably get into such a terribly frazzled and homesick state that I want to cancel tickets, give up, and stay home. I can't sleep. I hate it. It was a stupid idea in the first place. What was I thinking? Why do I want to go anywhere anyway? I'm fine RIGHT HERE, DAMMIT.
The moment I get on the plane/train/boat it all disappears.
I know it's stupid to get homesick before leaving. I know. I know. I know. But at least I don't get homesick while I'm away.
How was that exhibit? I was going to go to it, but I didn't have time.
Theic- I was with you at "frazzled". Totally sympathetic with "having doubts" and "second-thoughts". But homesick BEFORE you leave? You so crazy.
Z- I was disappointed. There was a LOT about the history of the region, a LOT about the people they believe wrote & kept the scrolls, but very little of the actual fragments themselves. I knew going in that the "scrolls" are really just bits and pieces now, but most of the ones on display are smaller than a Post-It note, and the writing hopelessly tiny. There was one piece a little bigger than an envelope that you could imagine rolled-up. You didn't miss it.
hehe well i bet you are glad it's done, i know it was lot's a work, and i know i enjoyed it. Thanks =)
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