Bristow - Into the Unknown!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go...

... You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

(Dr. Seuss)

Down the Rabbit Hole - Adventures in an Oriental Wonderland
April 7th 2009 -» ongoing

Private Message Subscribe Top Photos Blog Map

Trips Guestbook Search Blogs First Entry Latest Entry

Joined on: March 25th 2009
Last Login: November 16th 2009

Blog Entries: 36
Photos: 127

TB Code: [blogger=115010]
Status: BLOGGER

Blogs & Travel Journals

by Bristow, order by Date newest first.

By Bristow
November 11th 2009

Tour Participation/Promotion Asia » China » Beijing

Mrs. Bonny Is About To Be Ill...
Photo by Liang Guo

Well, I have come in as close contact to a typical "Chinese Tour Package" as I ever care to come to. My most recent burst of stardom entailed me participating in an instructional film on the subject of travel. I reunited with my old crew (and some cast) to portray typical situations that the average tourist should expect to encounter. My character (Linda) was responsible for booking a tour to Tibet through an agency. This tedious scene seriously testing my acting chops, as I had to convey great enthusiasm over partaking in an organized event (which as we all know is [View Full Entry]

By Bristow
November 7th 2009

Baby, It's Cold Outside... Asia » China » Beijing

Winter Wonderland!

Well winter has officially arrived! The first of November Beijing was blessed with a large downfall of snow. It was quite surreal to awake and be greeted by the sight of flakes falling thickly and blanketing the city. Obviously I reacted in typical Lindsie fashion and began jumping around and screaming for all the boys to wake up and "be as excited as me". They stared in sleepy bewilderment as I bounced off the walls, running to the balcony to stick my head out and catch snowflakes on my tongue, and then rushing back inside to defrost. Eventually I calmed down [View Full Entry]

By Bristow
October 21st 2009

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? Asia » China » Beijing

Mop Bucket of Meat!

Well Simon finally came through and we were able to host a gloriously gourmet evening that consisted of a Swedish meatball dinner party! I have been miffed for quite some time over his empty promises and descriptions of his cooking talents, so last week I finally put my foot down and declared that if I was not served meatballs by the end of that weekend I would find such cruel and cunning ways to make his life as miserable as possible! After a few quick (verbal) examples of what I was capable of, he was soon convinced that we should settle [View Full Entry]

By Bristow
October 14th 2009

Back Of The Bike, Woman! Asia » China » Beijing

I had my first bike ride in Beijing... and it was in typical Chinese wife style. I had met a friend for an early morning coffee, before he had to head out for work, and I was lamenting over my (still) bike-less existence. Looking out into the beautiful October morning really rubbed raw as perfect bike weather... it's been torture to have all this unemployed "free time" yet no real (ie: cheap) way of enjoying my hours. He gallantly offered to let me "hitch a ride" home with him and so I laughingly perched behind him on the bicycle and we [View Full Entry]

By Bristow
October 3rd 2009

Celebrations & Lamentations Asia » China » Beijing

Well we have seen the Motherland through her 60th anniversary... but only through television. It's a tad incomprehensible how a government party "for the people" restricts access to the celebration so totally. Obviously, numbers and safety to play a roll, but it got to the point where hotels were emptied for the holiday week, some streets cleared of residents, and then those residents allowed to remain where instructed to keep back from their windows and under no circumstances were they to peer out to view the parade. As this was the first "big" celebration I've been present for, I was quite [View Full Entry]

By Bristow
September 22nd 2009

Steward of the Skies? Asia » China » Beijing

I had a most taxing of days... For starters, my phone has been on the fritz for some time now, my microphone must be broken as callers cannot hear me. For the time being I had contented myself with just using that blasted chunk of plastic as a text messaging device to get by. Overall it hasn't been too much of a bother, but today's circumstances pushed me right over the edge into a deplorable state of desperation and self loathing for not having dealt with finding a replacement sooner. Some of you may know that I had been recruited to [View Full Entry]

By Bristow
September 18th 2009

Captain Productive Strikes Again! Asia » China » Beijing

What I previously considered to be the near impossible has occurred! I finally have internet in my apartment... it's almost like I'm a real person now. This week has been a settling into a new phase... I've been motivated to clean, cook and complete tasks like my internet mission impossible! It was the blasted cable after all. Now, I am not totally useless, and did try to explain my suspicion over the seemingly faulty cord to many of the various servicemen who attempted to connect us, but had been assured that there was no reason to suspect the cord. (Besides the [View Full Entry]

By Bristow
September 8th 2009

"Glamour and Goodbyes" Asia » China » Beijing

Lights...
Photo by Guo Liang

Truly this is the end of an era... it's that time in Beijing where the summer has drawn to a close and the laowai's are winging their way back home. All the "farewell parties" are quite bittersweet and there are some folk who, though I didn't know them for long, will be missed. We just wrapped shooting yesterday a film in which I was the star of. Glamorous no? No... truly no. Last week as I halfheartedly scanned through the employment ads I noticed one where they were looking for female voice actors (having experience in this field) I dashed off [View Full Entry]

By Bristow
August 31st 2009

My Days In-Between Asia » China » Beijing

First Chinese Lesson

Life post-employment has been interesting… as far as an ego boost goes it’s been really encouraging to receive phone calls and messages from students who sadly express their disappointment over my departure. One girl who had just returned from her vacation, was informed of my departure and called me immediately to find out how I was doing and to tell me how much she missed me. My students are very sweet and will be greatly grieved by me. They truly were a spectacular bunch of individuals. During Christi's stay a couple students were determined to introduce us to various cuisin [View Full Entry]

By Bristow
August 21st 2009

Then Everything Goes Topsy-Turvy! Asia » China » Beijing

Kiddo & I @ Tiananmen Square

Yet again, life never ceases to keep you alert and guessing... I've had two major bombshells dropped on me this week: One: My roommate will be moving out of our apartment to seek housing closer to her work, and with her boyfriend. I admit that this didn't come as quite a shock to me as I know how stressed she has been from the commute and it is cheaper living out in Wudaokou. I guess I had been mentally preparing for this departure for weeks. Yes, it is sad to see her go, but she isn't leaving me hanging. Our place [View Full Entry]

TravelBlog » Bristow

Bristow | Into the Unknown! | Travel Blog

Bristow - Into the Unknown!

Blogs & Travel Journals