I’ve been practicing my mandarin recently – specifically today. The problem is that I ‘look’ Chinese to everyone here, so they expect me to speak the language. After a bike ride and trek to Moon Hill today, and while Leah took a nap I decided to go walking out for bit in hopes of getting lost and finding whatever I found.
When safety is not much of an issue, it’s easy to walk around with the understanding that there are different degrees as far as what areas you are ‘not supposed to go through’ – so I went through as many of the smaller neighborhoods as I could, walking down dirt paths which half of them led to nowhere and the other half, to more places and more people. There are tourists trails and then there are trails, choosing to get somewhat lost is always preferable, and nearly always more rewarding when you eventually find your way back.
It’s hot here in Yangshuo. Couple the heat with the humidity and any attempt at movement without getting drenched in sweat is an art form I revere since I cannot do so. After biking out and hiking up to Moon Hill, my cotton t-shirt was impressively drenched. Switching to an REI travel shirt was much better, but it doesn’t make it any less humid. The breeze is warm and papers are constantly half damp. The moisture permeates everything and even fresh clothes are slightly sticky.
Dial up still, so I’m having to download files for work, process and email back – zipping them for size! Ahhhhhh… I’ll let go sometime.
Thanks for the well wishes with my audition! 🙂 You guys have inspired me to plan a trip full of adventure! Have safe travels!-Mashawnda