Your regularly scheduled blog has been interrupted to bring you this important message: TIBET is CLOSED. If you're reading this blog to find out about Tibet you might as well stop now. The Chinese government has closed the borders thus concluding my journey to Everest. I'm crushed -- as are the people of Tibet. I'm disappointed (bitterly) but have nothing to complain about: my vacation didn't end at the Entebbe Airport or by a tsunami in Thailand. There is even a bright side. Before I left, Brian Madigan said if I wasn't able to get to Everest this time then I [View Full Entry]

---

---

I've taped a press conference off the TV. You can fill in the blanks. Peace. Cindy [View Full Entry]

---

---

I tried looking for a part of the old wall- the original wall around ancient Shanghai. I didn't find it - but saw life in back lanes and alleys. Water comes from pipes on the outside of houses and I nearly walked into an outdoor public biffy. I was in the neighbourhood of the Yu Yuan Garden, so I stopped to find our tour group (I knew the approximate times of their itinerary). A ticket seller got Snow on his cell phone and he came and got me. The gardens are as Tranquil as I remembered. I wandered about, sat a [View Full Entry]

---

---

I've negotiated my way around the subway system. Woo hoo! I was about to ask someone which way to the Huanpi stop and then realized it would be no different than in Montreal or NYCity. You find the line you need and then you either choose the right or the left side. The "next station" is clearly marked so it was a snap. I made a point of never using English - a phrasebook is an absolute MUST. It's lunchtime in the side streets of Shanghi. The sellers of noodles have piles of things you can add to your dish. It [View Full Entry]

---

---

Our national guide has taken the English name of "Snow". He comes from the south of China where there is not snow. He figured the name would make him stand out -- ane be "cool". Nick is our city guide. He is from Suzhou. I think I butchered the pronunciation of his home town -- probably akin to turning Kanata into Kapiskasing. At the Jing An temple I watched everyone else and then bought incense. I prayed in all 4 directions for an auspicious journey. However, when placing my stack of sticks on the appointed stone pit, my bundle broke. Fearing [View Full Entry]

---

---

I spent most of the plane ride practicing "Where is the toilet" and "I need to vomit. Stop" (Ting. Ting. Ting. Ting). My seatmate, Teri, was from Hong Kong though she now lives in Vancouver and goes to Shanghai for business (computer games) quite often. 6 = Y 7= L 8= R 9 = X for the sign language junkies these are the signs for some numbers. The airport had an underlying, lingering, pervasive smell of smoke. No, it's not the police cars on fire in Lhasa, it's cigarette smoke. I forgot that people can (and do) smoke everywhere. The airport [View Full Entry]

---

---

I just heard the terrible news about the rioting in Lhasa. I have no idea if things will have settled by the time I am supposed to fly into Tibet. Time will tell and there is nothing I can do except hope that peace prevails. The Tibetans have kept their cool (pretty much) for 50 years; can't blame them for "being done" with the whole thing. Watch; wait: pray if you do so. Peace. Cindy [View Full Entry]

---

---

That's right folks - the packing is done. I was up until 1:30 in the morning, but the bags are packed and I'm ready to go. Hey, who invited John Denver into this blog?! If you know what my house or office looks like then you won't be surprised that I have one more bag than I planned on. What a packrat. There is the big green monster backpack and then my carry-on suitcase (that's the one I hadn't planned on) and then my daypack. Oh well - I plan to leave much of it behind in Tibet. I'm a wee [View Full Entry]

---

---