Yangshuo

After a week in Hong Kong, our wanderings lead us to a small town in southern China called Yangshuo. We arrived by sleeper bus three nights ago, and when I say "sleeper bus", I mean a bus literally stacked front to back, floor to ceiling with beds! The looks on our faces when we boarded must have been priceless.

After an unrestful night, we arrived in Yangshuo just as the sun rose over the mountains, and set up camp in the grungy, but awesome Monkey Jane's Hostel. Over the next 3 days, we bonded with our dorm mates--2 Brits from Liverpool named Rob and Bob, Nora from Holland, and Max from Quebec--and the other travelers we met along the way. The people and the scenery in Yangshuo were something really special; Yangshuo, as many warn, finds its way into your soul. Many travelers come through thinking they'd stick around for a few days, but find themselves in Yangshuo still weeks or months later. There's a piece of me that wishes I could have stayed longer. I was a bit of a mess when we were leaving yesterday morning as I fought the tears back and suffered a sinking feeling in my stomach...but somehow, I got on the train to Kunming, and I feel back to myself. Keep on truckin'.

The 3 days I experienced in Yangshuo were unforgettable and simply amazing. On our first day, Becca and I rented bikes and spent the entire day getting lost, literally, in the scenery and small mountain villages surrounding Yangshuo. Half way through our ride, we bumped into our lovely roommates, Rob and Bob, and an hour later, we found ourselves in a tiny, untouched village hidden at the foot of the mountains. We realized quickly that the people here were extremely friendly, greeting us with smiles and "hello's" as we rode by, but despite their many efforts, could not seem to point us in the right direction back to Yangshuo. After an hour or so of utter lost-ness, we biked through some agriculture fields and met an enthusiastic local herding his cows. He knew immediately that we were lost tourists, and left his cows to their own devices so he could lead us in the right direction, which included a ride on his bamboo raft! From there, we miraculously found our way back to civilization. Getting lost was probably the best thing that could have happened to us; people say it's the best way to see a place!

We took a relaxing second day in Yangshuo, just walking around the town, checking out markets, and practicing English with the local school girls. Yangshuo had a little bit of a Euro-vibe going on with it's quaint Chinese architecture, it's canals and bridges, and the many restaurants and markets lining the streets. At night, the place lights up and comes to life!

On day 3, we took a more direct bike route to a great hiking spot. We hiked up one of the thousands of steep green peaks, and found ourselves surrounded by endless green mountains once we reached the summit. There is nothing like conquering a mountain and being rewarded with a 360 degree view! Later that night, we celebrated Rosh Hashana with about 15 Israelis that were in the area. We've met tons of Israelis in the few short weeks we've been here, which has been a nice way to connect this experience back to my time in Israel.

It's impossible to put into words what it's like to wake up every morning and have the world right there in front of you. The people I met, the places I saw, and the things I experienced in Yangshuo are exactly why I am backpacking. I feel myself learning and my mind expanding every day. It was very difficult to leave Yangshuo behind, but the small (by China's standards) Kunming city has been a great stop over before we set off for the Tibetian border town of Dali tomorrow. Today we spent the day wandering around laid-back Kunming with--you guessed it--Israelis!

It's difficult to access my blog because of the internet restrictions, but I will try to write again soon. Thanks for reading, stay tuned and keep in touch!

-Danielle

Skyscrappers in the mountains

We arrived in Hong Kong last week, and since have been battling the jet lag, the humidity, and all the language and cultural barriers that make Hong Kong so apparently different than home. Becca's friend Chris met us in the airport, and took us to his beautiful apartment which overlooks the heart of the Hong Kong, the river that cuts the city in half, and the dramatic mountain backdrop.

Since we know people here, Becca and I have been wined, dined, and taken care of as we acclimate to being on the other side of the world. From here on out, we will be on our own, but it has been a lifesaver having connections!

Describing Hong Kong is difficult, as it is similar to other major international cities such as NYC and London in that it's fast-paced, it's crowded, it's overwhelming, it's prosperous, and there's this "work hard play hard" mentality. However, when I look out to the beautiful, modern sky scrappers, I feel the opportunity pouring out of the city, a sign that China is on the heels of America as the world super power. Although Hong Kong is perhaps even more capitalistic than America--for example, the widely used subway system is privately owned--it has not fallen into the depths of the economic crisis like the rest of the world. People here are optimistic about their future.

Hong Kong is cutting-edge on applying green technology to running the city, which as a result, has kept the city clean and affordable. It's amazing how low the cost of living is in comparison to people's hefty salaries. I too have been reaping the benefits of Hong Kong's affordable, yet quality life needs. The subway system, named The Octopus, is clean, easy, and efficient. It's one of the best subway systems I have ever encountered, yet costs me only 30 cents a ride. A meal is an easy 3 dollars (and I won't even get into how delicious and healthy the food is!), a 10-15 minute cab ride is a few bucks, admission to the city's museums and parks is either free or another 2-3 dollars.

I think there's this misconception, at least in Hong Kong, about the air quality. No it's not great, but certainly not the worst, and the people here are healthy in so many other ways that the near absence of smokers and the healthy diets trump the air pollution. I have yet to see an obese person or a homeless man begging for money. The tap water is ok for us foreigners to drink, the streets and public areas are spotless, and the city is full of jungle-like parks and gardens. People here just seem happy.

I got my first taste of the backpacker lifestyle the other day as I watched the sun rise over the city. We had been out all night for Chris's friend's birthday, arriving home right before the sunrise. I went out onto the balcony, heard nothing but the birds, and literally watched the orange sun rise over a sky scrapper. It was calm, clear, and spectacular.

However, there was this nagging voice in the back of my head, warning me to get some sleep if I didn't want to be a wreck the next day, even though all I wanted to do was watch the mountains, the water, the sky, the distant islands, the roads, the buildings and the people wake up. I debated in my head what to do, to sleep or not to sleep, and it dawned on me that I had absolutely no commitments the following day, that I could stay up as long as I wanted and sleep as much as I needed. It was maybe the first time in my life that I had no structure, nothing holding me back, and I only needed to think as far as the next minute of my life. This, as I found, was the essence of living in the moment. If this was any clue to how the next 3 months will be, I am preparing myself for a dramatic change in my lifestyle, the way I live my life, and the way I think about my life.

We have a few more days in Hong Kong as we wait for our passports to come back stamped with China entrance visas. People have told us to prepare ourselves for something really different on the mainland, as Hong Kong is the closest reminder we have out here of the Western world. Our route has changed a million times, but right now the plan is hug the Tibet and South East Asia borders as we move north, ending in Beijing. From there, we will come back down south and explore the countries south of China. Because Hong Kong is democratic, I had access to all internet sites, but I don't know if that will be the case in a few days. I will try to get onto my blog as much as the internet will allow me, so keep checking in, and of course, keep e-mailing!

Peace and love,
Danielle

Why the heck are you going to Asia?

Hey there friends, family, and whoever else finds themselves on my blog!

As some of you might know, tomorrow I will be leaving to embark on a backpacking extravaganza through Asia. This most recent plan of mine came about the last 2 months I was living in Israel when my roommate Becca convinced me to join her on this adventure. I gave her a tentative yes, and our travel desires became real when we purchased a one-way ticket to Hong Kong earlier this summer. Our plan is to board the plane, fly for a while (18 hours to be exact!), land in Hong Kong, and from there, the East is ours to conquer!

I don't hear this question a lot when I tell people about my travel ambitions, but I often feel them wondering "why"? Why...why am I putting off going back to school, getting a big person job, and starting my life? My first answer is because I am 23. At first, I suffered from the typical quarter-life crisis, "holy moly, I'm over the hill" anxiety, but I quickly realized that 23 is actually a great age--I am old and wise enough to make smart choices, yet still young, healthy, and curious about the world and my own personal capabilities. So why not? Now is the time to be unattached, uncommitted, irresponsible young adults!

My second answer to the "why" question is a bit counter-intuitive. Booking a one-way ticket to the other side of the earth comes across as bit out there and random, but traveling has been my grand, post-college plan for a few years now, ever since I spent a semester abroad in Ireland. I knew as soon as got that taste of freedom, culture, and the world beyond New England, I would be spending a good part of my early 20's seeing it all. My heart and soul tell me that this is something I need to do; if I don't travel now, I will regret it for the rest of my life.

So as I conquer new lands and find myself lost and wandering, I invite all of you read my blog every once in a while, to e-mail me, and to keep me in your thoughts, as I will do the same to everyone back at home. A friend of mine who recently moved to China informed me that Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are banned right now...I don't know if this is a permanent situation, but I might only be accessible through email (danigirl307@aol.com) or this blog for a while (granted blogging sights are permitted).

Be in touch and have a lovely autumn!

-Danielle