Ni Hao

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Hello friends,

Welcome to the welcome back entry of Av's travel blog. Apologies to those who were glad to be free of the (semi) constant emails describing every piece of food that Fish and I ingested during our months in Europe but said little about what we were actually doing. If you would rather not hear about my life, please unsubscribe now. I'm not sure how easy this website is to figure out (are you reading this grannie?) so I apologize if you are forced to read these entries.

The travel blog website is clearly an easy way for me to avoid personal contact with a huge list of people that have at least a slight interest in what I am doing, so if you prefer a more direct form of communication or a more personalized update, please feel free to email me. [e-mail]. If we are friends I want to know how you are too! I don't have facebook right now (maybe will figure out how to get it later) so if you see that someone is writing on my wall maybe because they are trying to reach me to transfer a large amount of money into my bank account, please direct them to my email or vice versa. Thank you in advance.

Also please feel free to comment, if you don't I'll know you aren't reading it and that you don't really love me.

So I am not very good at keeping people up to date on my life, if you were not aware and fish did not tell you, I have moved myself and a sizeable quantity of my necessary stuff to China for the time being. I don't know how long I will be here so do not send packages of food to my home to greet me when I return, just letters and money.

So you're wondering what China is like? I will try to give you a brief idea. I spent the past week in Shanghai visiting a very good friend, and I reached the conclusion that it is impossible to truly describe even a fraction of what it is like to walk down a street in Shanghai. You can take pictures, but most things are not recordable. First of all, imagine you went to school with no clothes on, or perhaps with a live animal on your head, or maybe you have 8 arms. Everyone stares at you, right? Welcome to China. Red hair and blue eyes are apparently not a common occurrence. Some people look and then look away, some look, look away, and then look back again, some stare pointedly, some stop in front of you when you are eating breakfast and watch you eat, some shout 'hello! hello!' and then burst out laughing when you reply, and some are little boys that chase you down the street shouting 'meigua! meigua!' (american). Interesting new aspect of every day life.

The food in Shanghai was fantastic - dumplings were out of this world, sure by the end of my trip I will stop my ridiculous American habit of squeezing the grease out of them and learn to slurp properly. Rice is delicious, random breakfast egg things are delicious, chicken and peanuts (sorry genevieve) is delicious, spicy octopus and stringy mushrooms are delicious, beer is average but anything that is cold is delicious.

Justin and I took a trip to a cool little town Xi Tang an hour or so out of Shanghai to get out of the city. Perhaps some of you have heard me rant about the 5 things I'm good at? I can never remember what they are but one is a definite - making things go wrong. Apparently China thought it was a good idea to let people buy tickets out of Shanghai without passports but not back into Shanghai. If you are not good at math that equation = stuck in Jiashan, or if you want to use a calculator, = a trip to the police station in a police car. Cool huh? Maybe, but only after our Chinese cop finally found us in the system and had to admit that we had not simply appeared in Jiashan without passports or visas and were planning to sneak into Shanghai to go to the stupid World Fair Expo. Finally got to Xi Tang, bought some weird smushy rice things with liquid fat on the inside (I liked mine, figures) and got to see a simpler Chinese life.

*Note - best way to travel in Shanghai = motorcycle taxi. amazing. But don't hold onto the guy, apparently there's bars under the seat. and don't be freaked out when he drives on the sidewalks and goes through every red light in the city, it's normal. and don't get ripped off!

Getting bored of sitting and I want to go explore my new town (arrived in Shenzhen this morning by 20 hour train ride) so going to peace out. Tried to attach a few pictures but remember if you want to get the real feeling of China you have to come and see it for yourself. Be prepared to be stared at. Miss (most) all of you.

Av

p.s. thank you more than you know to fish and everyone that came to my going away shindig and signed my book, already read through them twice and was not lonely! all my love

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Photos

lady
cool lady drying newspaper in the park

forgot the name
pretty gardens in shanghai that i got lost in

guy
bike dude

ridiculous
one of the least ridiculous chinese signs

xi tang
cool view

lady
washing her stuff in the nasty river

justin
in xi tang

Comments

[gunz]

wow china looks amazing. slightly jealous.

[Denise Feil]

Great to hear from you!
Avalon, It is great to hear from you. The pictures are awesome and I hope you are enjoying yourself. Keep safe and gain wisdom!

[Andrea]

well you didn't waste any time going to the police station I see...it was inevitable. China looks amazing! Miss you tons!

[Susan Salveson]

Vicarious pleasure
Av, Fish is my niece, and although we've not met, this is a wonderful thing to read. You're able to bring places alive! China, how awesome! The second place you've been I've always wanted to go, but have missed so far (Italy being the first). Thanks for taking the time and energy to post.

[Mummy]

Have read blog; do really love you, obviously. Good grief - you've already been arrested. Was the billow worth listening to, and could it only be heard inside the pavilion?

[Alicia]

I second Andrea's comment - the police station was inevitable. It had to happen, so at least you got it over with in the beginning of the trip! I'm glad that you got to meet up with Justin already too! Soon you will be washing your stuff in the nasty river just like the locals. Miss you tons!

[Alicia]

PS
I forgot to comment about the food - sounds delish. lol. Make sure you pick up some of those recipes to bring back to the states for second dinner. mmm mmm, liquid fat. haha

[Patricia]

i looveee reading your stories avalon!!! i'm soo happy to hear about your adventures! i def am living vicariously through you lol. china looks amazing and i bet they have the best chinese food ever lol i cannot wait to hear all about the food and teaching of course!

[anonymous]

Love the blog and so glad to hear that you are already having epic adventures. Up here at the Cape and my uncle's girlfriend just told me that her daughter is going to shenzen to teach as well. Her name is Lisa Goochee and will be arriving July 31st. I gave her your email so maybe you guys will get in touch. crazy how small this world is! Love, Lit