For those of you who thought siestas were only for people working in Spain, you’ve obviously never worked in Sichuan before. Indeed, each day my microfinance organization has between 12 PM and 3 PM off for lunch, and a good xiuxi, or rest. This is the kind of thing that you don’t learn in your […]
China
How to Pack One Backpack for Six Months
Tips for how to pack one backpack for six months of travel.
Did You Know You Could Get Pins and Needles in Your Trachea?: Eating in Sichuan, China
This is the second post in a 2-part series about culture and food in Sichuan, China. Manners Manners certainly differ across countries, but by American standards, some Chinese manners are, um, severely lacking. For example, everyone screams fu yuan! (“?waiter”?), to get attention in a restaurant. For any food with bones, you put the entire […]
Fish Eyes and Chicken Feet: Hospitality and Eating in Sichuan, China
The role of filling cups of tea falls to the youngest woman at the table.
Friday Flashback – Last Night in China
I spent a few weeks with my friend Charlie from home in Chengdu, China before heading to Nepal. Before leaving, I pulled an all-nighter despite having to catch a 6 am taxi to the airport in the morning. We hit a popular Chinese club where the music was bad, the fruit plates ornate, and the […]
Friday Flashback – Welcome to China
I didn’t know what to expect when crossing the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China. Aside from a lack of English on the signs, it seemed surprisingly normal. Adam and I managed to find a room, and get our first taste of authentic Chinese cuisine thanks to a local connection, my mom’s friend’s son […]
First Hand Account Of China’s Earthquake
” The mountain blew up right in front of us. There were tremors every few minutes. I will never forget the thunderous echo of those boulders, as big as two-story buildings, crashing down the mountain and into the gorge. We saw a small bridge that crossed the gorge and led to a small hotel with […]
Come Fly With Me (Over The Himalaya)
The flight from Chengdu to Lhasa was cool – crossing over the Tibetan Plateau – the snow-capped, glacier-ridden mountains slowly coming into view through the cloud cover. Getting to the airport early had paid off – I was able to secure a window seat (13A) for both legs. Next to me were two Kiwis living […]
Final Thoughts: China
In planning my trip around the world, I always thought of China as my gateway to Tibet, rather than a destination unto itself. The language barrier concerned me, it was a huge country, and I didn’t feel too curious about it. Since I couldn’t travel to Tibet, it allowed me the second week in Chengdu […]
A Late Last Night In China
I called Charlie after the opera and made my way across town to his apartment. Wu, his roommate, wanted to check out a popular bar/club called 88, and while being in a loud club was not high on my preferred activities, I was more interested in spending a little more time with a friend […]
