On Buses: A Personal Diatribe

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"What can one say about buses?" is what I'm sure you're all thinking. Well allow me a rant. Most people love the bus system here. And yes, I must admit that if my intended destination is more than a mile from my starting block, then they are a most wondrous and inspired means of getting to said destination. They are the cheapest form of public transit I've ever come across and go virtually everywhere you could possibly want to frequent. But the detriment of them is that they are quite simply TOO convenient and TOO cheap. There is really no need to walk more than a few blocks in any direction. And if this is how you choose to cut your paths through China, you will most certainly miss out on more than you could even imagine while sitting in a plastic seat and passing by real life. China is what you see and experience when there is no windowpane between you and the street. It's the random shops that go by too quickly on a bus, or the person sleeping on a pile of cardboard on the sidewalk. The random street barbecuers and muslim noodle purveyors all advertising that their food is indeed halal, even though a good tap on the wall menu will result in more than a few cockroaches scattering out from behind the hanging cardboard. This is why for the rest of my time here, I'm making a resolution to walk everywhere I possibly can, certainly if it's within a mile radius. You miss out on entirely too much life if you stop at the end of the block and hop the next piece of public transit that comes your way. Besides, I recently scored a sweet pair of knock-off high top Converse shoes that need breaking in. I must not rob them of the paved landscapes I'm sure they're anticipating, not that I regularly personify my clothing.

Uh oh.... My worst fear seems to be in a process of realization: I may be becoming a blogger. Cue ominous music.

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Comments

[Cindy]

Buses
Well, I for one, am very happy about the evolving blogger in you. I support your walking sentiments wholeheartedly as well - course, you prolly knew that already. Lets everybody walk everywhere we can. Thanks Toto!