British invade my Beijing, my trip

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Good Morning from Beijing. The sun is trying to climb out of the haze, but I’m pretty sure that the dull illumination given to the shiny windows of the sky-scrapers is about all we’re going to get out of the sunshine today.

Today is go time. I’ve been in Beijing for 3 days, have just started a trip which is called ‘Backroads to Bangkok,’ which traverses China, Laos, and then finishes in Bangkok. The ‘backroads’ we take in China begin in a city of 10 million, then to Shanghai (population 16 millilon), then to Xian (most visited of all Chinese cities by Chinese people due to the Terracotta Warriors), then to Chengdu, the 5th largest city in China, and then we take a series of 2 flights to a lazy city called Jinhong, in Xishuangbanna, where we finally feel like the entire population of the globe is not next to us.

We cross into Laos, and have a private bus take us through the country’s rice paddies and water buffalo, basically following the tourist trail, as there aren’t many other places to go besides the main cities. So in Laos we are on the main roads, as well as in China.
A few passengers do realize the incorrect naming of the trip, and I make a very amusing joke out of it, but most don’t, and I can save my wit for better times. Most passengers are relatively thick airheads who read: FINAL DESTINATION: BANGKOK in the Summertime in the brochure, had a few weeks of school or work, and jumped in for the supposed visit to the beach. Unfortunately there will be no beaches, but I’ll give them the mosquito infected Mekong and a couple gorgeous waterfalls, visited at an extra expense.
This is my second time doing this trip. Last time was a few months ago. That trip was fine, nothing special, but carried a tinge of excitement because I had a friend coming to meet me in Bangkok and immediately whisk me to an island. That was one of the best times I have Ever had in my life. As that is not happening this time, as post-trip I’m flying Royal Jordinian to Hong Kong, then Hainan Air from Shenzhen to Beijing, where I’ll be clearing out storage, then I don’t have quite the thrill to look forward to. But then again, if I always had island getaways, the first one could potentially blend into all the others, which would be disastrous. As it is, the island memories are etched forever.

Ahhh : )

I need to get through this trip and not yell at anyone. I have nine 22-26 year old single British girls who have lots of dyed hair braided all over the place, flowing clothes, and big personalities to match their large hips. I have one British 24 yr old couple. Two single 24 yr old British boys. And one 68 year old German, whose travel agent clearly did not reveal what he was getting into. He twitches a lot and walks slowly and sometimes blurts out “McDonalds!” or “Fire Truck!” And that scared me at first. Yet as it is Day 3, I’m thinking that if his English comes out in full sentences, then his conversation will be a lot more interesting than the dull British girls talking about ‘pulling’ boys and Beyonce.

Five of the British girls are studying to become dentists. Below describes their behavior at the Great Wall:
At the Great Wall yesterday, it was hot. So the girls took their shirts and made them into bikinis. One girl’s make shift bikini opened and her boobs were just flopping around while her shirt was at her sides, and her short skirt was tucked into her undies. I sort of pulled the flaps of her shirt flaps around her chest, smiling, saying, “Will you put some clothes on? Ha Ha ha.”
She hadn’t even Noticed that her shirt was wide open and that she was popping out all over China. Nor had her friends. Not with all the Chinese people taking photos of her!

Yes, it is a little funny, but not at the time, and not consistently for the next 21 days. Be cool, Erin. Be cool.

So that’s my life for the moment.

I will be keeping up with this trip on the blog, as Facebook is banned in China due to the recent Urumqi riots, and due to the fact that I’ve been a horrible communicator with friends and family as of late. I’ve been missing them quite a bit lately. I’ll be in California soon enough. Just doing a few more trips, saying goodbye to China, and then hopping to Japan to conclude my GAP year running Japan trips, where I started. I wonder if the yoga places where I got the Free First Class will remember me 8 months later. . .

Off to check out, go to the office, go to luggage storage, go to the Laos Embassy, to the Bank of China, and then to buy ipod earphones!!! And then it is off to board a 12 hour train to Shanghai, one of those hidden gems. . .

Until next time, my best.

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