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heybillman
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Name: Jamie
Country: United States
State: Texas
Metro: Austin
Gender: Female
Expertise: Laughing at other peoples jokes, delivering donuts, forgetting all my convictions. You know... politics.
Message: message me
AIM:  jamers2712
Member Since:
5/2/2004
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| I was driving today and the person in front of me was turning and I had this thought: Why do they call them blinkers? Only the left or right light goes on... shouldn't they be winkers? Maybe if the emergency lights are on they could be called blinkers, but otherwise winkers. Then I remembered: The lights turn on in the front AND the back. So I guess since there are two lights, it's okay that they're blinkers and not winkers. And it makes sense that emergency lights are called such. Imagine if we suddenly had four eyes blinking all at once. That would be an emergency. love, Jamie | | |
| So, after one month in China I have finally found the time and patience
for a picture post. I'm pretty sure this entire month I have been
attempting this, but for one reason or another can't get the pics
uploaded. I've been told I can blame pretty much anything on the
earthquake in Taiwan, so I'll take this opportunity to do that and
ignore how inept I am with computers.
Anyway, our month (or about three weeks, for me) of traveling has come
to an end. It started on an early morning in Wichita, KS where I left
my beautiful parents at the airport.
 
The next day, Keating and I arrived in Beijing. I don't have any pictures of this time, but you're missing nothing except me enviously watching him sleep. From Beijing we traveled to Kun Ming where we met up with the rest of the group which was:
 Da Yu, Krystal, me, Drew L, Chad, Drew K.
Also, Lux and Liu Kai who are mysteriously not in the picture above:
In Kun Ming we saw some crazy birds that caught bread mid-air. This was not the place to be if you've ever been scared by Hitchcock's "The Birds".
I know this photo is sideways, but I don't know how to rotate it. So you will have to rotate your head.
... I also got a little introduction to KTV. Here Lux and Keating are rockin out to "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
We also went to the Minority Village where I was told about 55 times that there are 55 minorities in China. Here are a few minority people singing and dancing.
 
Da Yu and I (we were minorities in these parts)
Next we went to Xishuangbana in search of wild elephants.
What is that you see, Keating? Wild elephants?
 
 ...um, no. We saw about everything except wild elephants.
But we did have a yelling contest.
... in case anyone was wondering, no one will EVER de-throne Da Yu as the queen yeller. We also found a restaraunt with really good pad thai and japanese noodles.
 
I think we went to Dali next. This is a view from the foot of the mountains...
 Queen of the Yellers
Next stop Li Jiang where we hung out with a lot of other laowai's and the Naxi people.
 
We spent the next few days hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge, but I forgot my camera, so I don't have pics. As soon as I steal someone from someone else I will put them up... From Li Jiang we went back to Kun Ming where Da Yu, Liu Kai and Keating went their ways for spring fest and left Jon, Jammie and I alone for a few days. We didn't really cause too much trouble, but we definitely took too many cheesy photos.
 
Next, Chad, Krystal, Jon, Jammie and I went to Cheng Du.I have a lot of fond memories from Cheng Du... like Pizza Hut, for example.
We also had some intense Panda time... which was awesome.
These little guys were wrestling the whole time and I couldn't tear myself away from them. I mean I have about 30 pictures of them.Stinkin adorable.
 
... in case you wanted to know how panda breeding happens.
 
  These ladies loved Chad. Loved him.
We also went to Peter's Tex-Mex. I saw this sign and started dancing in the street. Literally.
We are soooooooooo excited to be here.
 
From there we took a 25 hour train back to Beijing where we met back up with Liu Kai. We hit up Starbucks...
...and the Pearl Market where I tried oh-so-hard to get Jammie to buy this buckle.
Then we went to the Korean BBQ place.My dad loveslovesloves to tell about bird flu and e coli and such in China.
This one's for you, Dad.
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| So this was a concern of mine - but I have yet to have anyone touch my hair. There is no lack of staring at the giant lao wai's walking down the streets of China, but so far, no petting. This morning the Drews and I ran into a gaggle of 8 year old girls and their mothers. They all said "hallo!" and started taking pics with us, the blonde headed beasts. Anyway, the girls were really cute, and I like that parents encourage their kids to learn here and to talk to us... even if it is just a "hello" or "nice to meet you". The best is when you get them all together "Hello! How are you! I love you!" For some reason, none of the wang ba's in China have cd drives... so still no pics. Keating is putting forth good effort, unfortunately I still can't see any of them. We are currently in Li Jiang, although the group is starting to split apart for Spring Festival. I plan on spending the holiday in Cheng Du with Chad and Krystal Eason, Lux and maybe Langlie if he decides we are cool enough for him. Kidding. Sort of. Anyway, Cheng Du is supposed to be the land of baby pandas and that's enough for me any day. The past weekend we (Da Yu, Keating, Langlie, Lux, Liu Kai and myself) spent hiking Leaping Tiger Gorge in Shangri La. It was amazing - everywhere you turned it was just unspeakable beauty. The hike on the first day was pretty tough for me, but well worth it. We had a guy on a mule following us the whole way waiting for one of us to give in and pay to ride it up. At one point we had 4 mules following us on a pass called "28 bends". I am proud to say we made it through the bends on foot. We attempted to name all of them from "Mercedes Bends" (mine) to "Bend Gay" (Keating) "Bend Harper" (Lux) "Bend Over" (Jammie, I think). There was also a "Osama Bend Laden" and a "Bend Folds" but that game lasted until we actually started hiking the pass. Anyway, we made it and it was a great time. Okay, I'm done. I like you guys. | | |
| Drew and I made it to China and we are now with the rest of the group which is Jon Lux, Drew Langlie, Liu Kai, Da Yu and Chad and Krystal Eason. Definitely a good crew. We have been in Xishuangbanna the past two days. It is supposed to be China's little Thailand... I've never been to Thailand so I don't know. But there are definitely a lot of palm trees. I was going to post pictures, but as it turns out this computer does not have a cd drive. Da Yu has been patiently teaching me chinese. I mean, really, really patiently. A few nights ago we sat at dinner for several minutes as she was teaching me to say "hot water" which is "re shui". She sad "re" about fifty times and I repeated her every time trying to get it right (it's kind of a gutteral noise). Finally I was exasperated with myself and made the most exaggerated noise I could as a joke. "Dui!" Da Yu exclaimed (right! correct!). Unfortunately it is a sound I will never be able to repeat again. More later with pics. I miss you guys! | | |
| Okay. In under 5 days I am leaving for China! I'll probably post before I go. But I just want to give you the timeline. There's a possiblity I may be at Bridgeway Sunday night, but other than that, I'll be in Wichita with the fam. Anyway, my cell is the same so call - Below is an excerpt from the Motorcycle Diaries that I've posted before but I'm posting again because it's good. Yet afterwards I doubted whether driftwood has the right to say "I win," when the tide throws it on the beach it seeks.... I remember the day my friend the sea came to my defense - taking me from the limbo I was cursed with. The beach was deserted and a cold onshore wind was blowing. My head rested in the lap tying me to this land, lulled by everything around. The entire universe drifted ryhthmically by, obeying the impulses of my inner voice. Suddenly, a stronger gust of wind brought a different sea voice and I lifted my head in surprise, yet is seemed to be nothing, a false alarm. I lay back, returning once again in my dreams to the caressing lap. And then, for the last time, I heard the ocean's warning. Its vast and jarring ryhthm hammered at the fortress within me and threatened its imposing serenity. We became cold and left the beach, fleeing the disturbing presence which refused to leave me alone. Che Guevara | | |
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