Not Quite Back Yet

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(September 28th: I'm not back in Dalian yet but I will write this up for now.)

I finally figured out how to travel with one backpack and a bag full of food for a month of traveling (started by three days on trains). I made it to Beijing this morning and am currently surrounded by old people walking around and clapping, rolling their shoulders, rubbing their noses, patting their legs and doing some really slow form of Kung Fu. Trying to keep alive? awake so early in the morning? healthy? Or is it all of the above? All I know is somehow this makes their body feel the best. We're sitting in a pretty beautiful little park with a nice little temple and some office buildings next to it. There are weeping willows and all kinds of beautiful trees and flowers here. It's a beautiful place to space out and think, or write. It's nice to know someone here in Beijing who can help make things a lot cheaper and knows where to hang out for a few extra hours. There seem to be no beggars here and the people selling things leave me be, assuming I don't speak their language or live here. Maybe I too will get up and stretch in a minute.

Camillo's in my head. He always will be but this time it's differnt. Almost a comforting feeling of having someone always with me. I finally understand his vibes of confusion. He likes me a lot and I can't ask him about a possible girlfriend because it's pressing too hard, being too jealous and I know the answer. So sometimes he says it differently to make me realize where and who I am. This morning he called to tell me he had a dream about a Norwegian princess. Even though I'm away unlike others he has not stopped calling me and he won't (as long as he can help it).

Well I've already figured something out about myself. I lose the most things when I'm tired or thinking too hard. This time it was my I-pod. I think it may actually be good for me like this. I'll llisten to myself and more probably write more without the music. I've never traveled without my own music but this will be a first. So far it's made me listen to traditional music more - and nature.

I officially do not understand these baby bottoms. In China babies wear pants with a huge hole all the way from the butt to the front - where one would normally wear underwear. Why? So they can go any and everywhere (to the bathroom). Now my question is doesn't this make them and all those around them more dirty? What happens when they - as every little kid does all the time - sit on the ground? What about if they go in their stroller or while mommy's holding them?

I've just entered my new home for the next couple of days. It's got three sinks and two bathrooms shared by 100 people as well as 2 windows shared by at least 6 people, a table shared by 6 and one little 6 foot or so long bed just wide enough to be a little longer than my knees to my butt. There's lights out at 10ish and hopefully beautiful scenery in the daytime. I have enough food for the next two days. (It's a Chinese train.)

Today I met Shrek for lunch at a Sichuan place. I'm currently a bit sick for some strange reason - my high belly hurts. I got some medication for it and hopefully with the rest I'll be fine. Anyways, Shrek was sick too so he was coughing a bit and had to take it easy. He wasn't nearly as talkative as on the plane. But still very nice and friendly - let me use their shower and showed me how to get to Carrefour to buy some last minute things. We tried to watch a movie and I ended up watching the majority of Mr. Strangelove (which should be a comedy) before we met Shen Qin Min for dinner. He's definitely as talkative as he was on the plane - although all in Chinese. These are two guys I met on the plane back from America in May. Shen Qin Min was nice enough to take me all the way to and into my train. Very appreciative to him for that.

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