Imprisoned

I was walking in Van City to meet a friend,
My bag was so heavy, I wanted it to end,
Two shoes tied on the back and two pillows too
High enders looking at me through and through.

Then this guy on a bicycle said to me
You can sleep on Granville Island if you want it's free
We used to sleep in the park after dark
But the police kicked us out, this is what they'd shout:

"You're homeless and unwanted a big disgrace,
You've got five minutes to vacate this place."
So we rolled up our blankets picked up our pillows,
Nudged our drunken friends asleep under the willows.

We're homeless and unwanted by society
What they don't know is in fact we're free,
We watch out for our own and will unite,
In a way we're standing up for our rights.

I said gee thanks for the offer that's really nice,
If I wasn't meeting my friend I wouldn't think twice.
I asked do you need some pillows or food,
He said no our community has quite a few.

The homeless yet again have proved a point.
It's not whether you drink or smoke a joint,
legal or illegal, legitimate or illegetimate,
Shedding greed and being kind is non of it.

Why can those who own the least give the most?
Why are the poverty stricken the best hosts?
Our culture of materialism and technology
Has imprisoned our souls never to be set free.

Caged birds we sing our unhappy songs,
Trying to buy our way out of the wrong.
If the doors of the cage were opened,
Could we work towards change to stop the end?

ONEincredibleCLOUDYday

One Incredible Cloudy Day...

April 22nd-23rd

Pheriche- Phortse



The White Yak hotel in Pheriche had offered us a refuge of warmth and happiness after our two biggest days of hiking on the trip, Everest Base camp and Kallapathar. Last night, the girls in our group; Pamela, Theresa, Ruby, Renata, Sarah, Lhakpa and I, were singing in delirious joy around the fire place, which is typically set in the middle of these cold teahouses. Yak and Dso Dso (pronounced Jok Jok) dung that was burned to keep us warm didn’t smell at all, and our songs and laughter roared through the lodge. There were only two groups in this lodge, one was our group of Canadians and two Kiwis and the other, was a group of Americans. A few of the younger men in the American group were looking over and smiling at the ‘Canadian babes,’ singing away, and likewise we received a few glares, namely from an aggressive looking middle aged woman with short hair. She was probably just surprised that she wasn’t the only ‘babe’ in the lodge this time, well, that, or she was annoyed with the loud singing from the women and the boisterous laughter of the men in our group who were already quite a few beers in. No matters, this was a night to celebrate!!



After a good night’s sleep in Pheriche, on the big comfortable soft mattresses which Lhakpa and I had pushed together and shared, like we had been doing the whole trip, Lhakpa is my new best-friend in Nepal, or my Sherpa hot water bottle, Big Pete and Goat the Kiwis liked to tease, we ate breakfast, a muesli and hot milk for me and we were once again off on our adventures. Outside while waiting for the group to start we watched Pasang our cow herder and Asuk our cute and incredibly shy twenty year old Sherpa porter, load the cows with our luggage. One particular cow kept resting his head on our bags while waiting for our porters to load him up, he looked at me as if to say ‘What?,’ and I can’t blame him since he has a long day of walking like us, but he’s carrying all of our heavy gear.



To get to the high-perched village of Phortse, we had to hike up a mountain all day. The first leg of our uphill hike, I clicked into wrestling mode, which I did on various and randomn occasion annoying my fellow hikers since I was usually at the back, kicking up dust balls in my efforts, and couldn’t stop myself from going faster and faster until I was all but running up the mountain, just wanting to get to my goal, the top. In the end, Sarah and I, an old team mate from university wrestling, booked it to the top.



We stopped at a teahouse at the apparent, top of this mountain and drank some lemon tea as per usual on our hikes. From outside we could hear Al, the magician of the group, doing a magic show for a large group of Indian hikers. There was such a big commotion coming from outside, as there always is when Al gets going, and I was tempted to go to see which trick he was doing, ‘the disappearing pen?’ maybe ‘the reappearing coins?’ but even the notion of standing up and walking a few steps was so tiring that I remained inside listening to the laughter and applaud, while I drank my lemon tea. Junior, or Greg the youngest member of our expedition, provided some entertainment inside, by eating a bag of sour sugar. His face in this single moment said it all, the pain, the anguish, the intensity of his poor taste buds. Needless to say, all inside were thoroughly impressed.



On the second half of our hike, Jim, the new group leader since Papa left who was soon to be demoted to assistant, assistant group leader but that is another story, Theresa, my best-friend Lhakpa and I took the rear. We ended up behind a group of Indian hikers who were singing crazily and dancing, stopping to take pictures every few steps while also trying to hike this steep ragged trail. Lhakpa, though Sherpa knew a few Hindi songs and soon she joined in singing familiar songs with the Indians. It was cool to see her jump in with them and just as crazily as our activities last night around the central fire, belt out some tunes.




The trail ahead of us was engulfed by the grey misty cloud covered sky, and most people in the group would agree that it did indeed rise into the high sky above us. Though in the back of the pack, I could hear the unanimous groans coming from the group, ‘Why?,’ was echoed in the hollow wind, I heard their cries ‘Why?,’ it bounded off the high raw stone cliffs on our right falling down thousands of feet into the deep gorge on our left before plummeting into the cool river below us like Gaia’s tears. Why is this path still going uphill? Jim would tell Theresa and I, ‘This is the last one,’ only to reach the top the rocky hill, turn a sharp corner and be faced with another uphill jaunt. Jim would then say ‘Oh, no this is it, this is the last one,’ and when he was wrong would continue ‘well, it has been a few years since I hiked this trail,’ no worries Jim, if we were all your age we’d be losing our minds too.



The jagged rocks below me were in the shape of witches sharp fingernails or the devil’s crooked, twisting spirals, that lead to his most dark and isolated lair, had my imagination spinning and twirling in delight. The wind blowing mist and cloud by me in such a fury, I forgot that I was standing on the edge of this deep gorge, rooted to the earth and felt, that I was actually a free bird flying through the highest and most mysterious places of the world.



A few hours later, we reached Phortse, it was nothing too special, rock stone walls as usual, and a few scattered guest houses lay below us in this quiet mountain village.



The next morning Jim asked who had honestly enjoyed our hike up the unessecarily steep mountain trail. I can’t remember if I raised my hand, but hope to always remember this one particular cloudy day.

Kallapathar 5550m

Gorakshep-Pheriche
April 21st

We followed a small slow moving creek that was surrounded by shrubs and foliage the colour of autumn, that lead the way down the small slope to the village named Pheriche. Pheriche is nestled in a valley, between one high ridge on the South and one small mountain in the North. It's a bit different than the other villages because the land rolls up and down in small hills giving our eyes a break from the monotonous stone walls set on flat grounds. Cows, yaks and dso dso's (pronounced jok jok) are attempting to eat the grass, that actually isn't growing long enough for them. Walking into Pheriche around sunset, the glowing embers of the floating snow-covered mountains which are surrounded by white clouds stop my forward movement and put me into a state of awe.

Kallapathar
I hiked Kallapathar in the morning, it was supposed to be a real challenge, but I found it to be the easier climb when compared to Everest Base camp. The only part that could be considered difficult is the steepness of the all-uphill climb to reach the peak at 5550m, the highest I've ever been on land in my life. However, with a stomach full of muesli and hot milk, my two red hiking poles in hand that Goat(Pete the Kiwi) lent me and no altitude problems today, I was feeling very good. At the top I took a few pictures on the peak and a few shots with Everest in the background. I was feeling so good and exhilarated that I ran down most of the mountain. Though, I had to stop a few times to catch my breath, remembering that I was, after all, at over 5000m of altitude and there is less oxygen to breathe.

Everest Base camp

April 20th
Lobuche-Gorakshep
Gorakshep-Everest Base Camp-Gorakshep

I didn't have as romantic a time at base camp as hoped. I was disappointed, I thought I'd spend all day talking to everyone at the camp, but as it was I was feeling tired. We'd already hiked from Lobuche to Gorakshep which took at least a few hours and then after less than an hour break we started the 2.5 hr hike from Gorakshep to base camp, so altogether we hiked for around 6-7 hours at the highest altitudes we've ever hiked. Base-camp is a maze of tents set up in no particular order. We walked through half of the camp looking for the Canadian West team that apparently existed but we couldn't find it. We met some girls, one from USA and one from New Zealand who were doing research on how altitude affected the brains of the climbers and they got to stay at base camp for 7 weeks. Lucky girls, I am incredibly envious. If I come to base camp again I want to stay there for at least a few days instead of 1 hour. Base camp is at the bottom of this glacier and the ground is actually melting ice, gravel and rocks. There is a river that flows through the center of the tents separating each city of tents. I thought that there would be snow everywhere and maybe a blizzard outside but it was a bright sunny day walking on melting ice. I figured that I'd be invited from tent to tent walking through the blizzard, sharing stories and life, sipping on hot chocolate hour after hour. What really happened it that there were no flags put up to identify countries since the Olympic Torch is being brought to Everest, also, Nepal is scared of "Free Tibet," flags being put up so we never did find the Canadian team that we were looking for. Strange enough, the only flag that we saw flying was the American flag. Well, we never did end up finding the Canada-West team like we wanted to, I did talk to a man from Calgary though who had just come back from Camp 2, but didn't talk to him long. As well, I met a Vietnamese boy who was not a climber but a good looker. He spoke some english so we chatted for a few minutes. He said that he climbs mountains in Vietnam and applied for his job in response to an ad in a newspaper. Lhakpa was visiting with the Vietnamese team since one of them was her co-worker. I walked back from Gorak Shep with Sarah and Renata but started to feel sick 3/4 of the way through and was just following their feet by the end, leaning on my walking stick and trying to ignore the fact that my head was throbbing with pain.

"Hell hill number one"

April 19th '08

Dingboche-Lobuche

Today we left Dingboche and hiked up to the same ridge that we did yesterday. I took a picture with my sherpa friends Furi, Jimmi and Lhakpa. There was a big hill that Jim, our new group leader since Papa had to leave, called the first of two "Hell hills". I didn't find it that hard though and pumped up my music, singing and dancing away. "How does it feel," Lauryn's "Killing me Softly," and Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody are some of the songs that helped me dance my way to the top of this 'Hell hill" I had a lot of fun with Numa Numa by O-Zone too. Haha some Indian hikers stopped to dance with me a bit as well.

We got to the top of 'Hell hill number one' and there were memorials there to fallen climbers from over the years. One of the first ones that I saw was that of Scott Fischer, I remember him from the book by John Krakaar "Into Thin Air," about the 1996 expeditions. I saw one of a fallen Japanese climber and one of a Nepali climber. The sun was shining bright and hot all day. Dustballs blew up over the dry landscape and sand deserts we crossed. Huge boulders were placed along the sherpa flats that we crossed. I wore my shredded wrap around my mouth and nose and Lhakpa had a matching one. We had a picture taken by some stone houses that were in between the high ridge and 'Hell Hill,' that are inhabited during the monsoon season so that the jok joks, cows and yaks can eat the grass up here that grows in the wet season. Tonight we'll sleep in Lobuche.

Reality is what you choose to make it.

April 18th '08

Today we had a rest day in Dingboche 4360m. I woke up early though because, me and Lhakpa always think that we're late since we don't have watches. Papa, or Eoin or coach White had to leave today since he had an Olympic Committee meeting to go to. Eoin is the team leader for the Canadian wrestling team at the Beijing Olympics this year. He has to fly out to Beijing in a couple days.

I was charged 1700 rupees to charge my camera batteries so I didn't order lunch or dinner, but Lhakpa shared with me. After breakfast, a few of us went for a walk up to some stupas on a high ridge that looked down on the village. The views from the ridge were beautiful, especially since we had a panoramic view of mountains in each direction.

Later in the evening Lhakpa and I went and played pool. We met up with some of her Sherpa friends and joined in on some pool with them. They all say "Eh Hanay" when they make a good shot. It's funny saying from a Nepali video apparently. I met this sherpa named Funero and he's really loud, obnoxious and fun. We went to another tea house where there were only Sherpas and played some cards with another Sherpa named Jimmi. Tonight we're supposed to go out and play pool again and meet up with more sherpa friends but I' felling a little tired and mush because I have my period, and I think that I'm getting less oxygen to my brain now. I wonder if I'll read this later and it won't make any sense.

LAst night was beautiful!! A clear sky filled with stars, the moon and mountains on all sides of me. I sat on a wall built of stones and I sang a few songs to the jok joks who were munching on hay, clanging their bells. I love seeing the wind blowing the prayer flags, the highest mountains in the world in view. The moon is almost full now, I looked up at it and wonder if Alek is doing the same. I hope that him and Tchye are okay. I think that if I try hard enough he'll get my message through telepathy, although I tried with Jason once and it didn't work.

I sat on the wall made of rocks looking at the snow covered mountain in front of me. The sound of the flowing stream behind me was completely separated from what I was seeing in front of me. The feeling of the rough stones beneath my finger tips replicate the rough lives that the mountain Nepalis live. These stones in the wall that I'm sitting on are the same ones that take a man one full day to chip into 1 bloc for building tea houses. I moved off of my wall perch and walked to the small stream flowing downhill. I felt like a Goddess looking down a whole mountain, a rushing river going down the mountain beneath me, a rushing river of silver In this moment shining in the moonlight like a second sky. In this moment, I feel that the world is so connected to the universe, like a never ending spiral, intertwined with colourful people, events and landscapes, that everything is in the world for a reason. We seem to get caught up in our daily lives and forget to take in what is our fascinating surroundings, our mysterious mythical and non-sensible sides. that really in the end make me feel more grounded than " so called reality," as Herman Hesse would say. Reality is what you choose to make it.

Thinking at 4360m is slow to come

April 17th '08

I woke up this morning and there was snow on the ground outside. It must have snowed last night after I went to sleep. It's so nice to look out the window of the teahouse seeing snow covered stone walls, melting water falling off the roof shining in the sun light, shredded prayer flags blowing in the wind. The sun is shining down ht and the snow covered mountains light up so bright. Each crack and crag of the nearby mountains stand out, each minor peak a pinnacle leading to the ultimate height. A mountain to the south of me has a glacier or big pile of snow, it's smaller than the Comox Glacier back home though. The snow blowing off of Island Peak curls like the waves of the ocean, a grand high spiral curling all of the secrets of the world into it's reaches before blowing it all away to be dispersed among the people and beings of the world.

Now, we're at a place in Dingboche 4360m called Everest Resort. The landscape here is breathtaking, we're above the tree-line now, big boulders are in the valleys, low alpine shrubs grow here and rolling hills fill in the space before the mountains rise up to the clouds.

Angie, the woman who owned the tea house in Pangboche was very cold and business like, the opposite of mama Tashi where we stayed two nights ago in Kyangjuma. Mama Tashi was so kind and friendly, the tea house had such a good atmosphere to it. I'm finding it quite hard to remember the days and what we did since we're constantly walking from village to village and we only spend one day or less in each place. They're kind of blending into one continuance instead of separate time spent in each place. Also, I find that because of the elevation, spelling, remembering, or thinking in general is slow and difficult to come. I write in the morning, afternoon and sometimes at night because if not I'll forget everything.

Stone Walls

April 16th '08

I woke up, opened my window to five big glorious mountains not yet lit up by the morning sun. There is wind blowing off the one in front of me, making it look like a mango flavoured cloud with the first bits of sun lighting the snow. I hear jok jok bells below me clanging as the animals walk by the tea house. I tried yak steak last night, but it wasn't the same as my Christmas yak steak in Litang, China. This yak steak wasn't yak steak at all but buffalo steak. The meat was lighter in colour, the patty thicker, more chewy and grisoly and it wasn't as nice of a taste. Apparently, yaks are sacred animals here in the Khumbu region and the Buddhists don't kill them. It's strange, the Buddists can't kill animals even if it's to eat but they can order some meat from the butcher if they turn a blind eye to the animal being killed.
I watched the sun rise slowly from behind a Taboche Peak 6495m and Cholatse 6335m, the rays lighting up the valley that's below me and the peaks to my right.

We stopped in Tengboche and visited a colourful monastery, with an ornate gate in front that was carved with various gods and godesses. It's similar to a huge monastery village (1600's) that I visited in Shangri-La, China, but in this one there are only 40 monks who live here. This small monastery had to be re-built twenty years ago due to a fire, and so most of the artifacts and sculptures inside are new.

Later, at a teahouse near the monastery nearly all of our group had rara noodles which are 'same same' as instant noodles with a few slivers of vegetables in it and some spices.

We're sleeping in Pengboche 3989m tonight, which is about a two hour hike from Tengboche. In the outskirts of Tengboche there are many stone walls which separate the farmland into small sections. I wondered why, such small fields and so many of them? Maybe, it was to keep the sandy dirt that the potatoes grow in from blowing away? Pete, one of two Pete's who joined our group from New Zealand guessed that the walls were to separate the land that people owned, or to keep the animals out. Eoin, (my old wrestling coach and the man in charge of the trek) said that when the villagers were clearing the land, they made the walls instead of carrying thousands of rocks and stones further distances.

Big Pete one of the two kiwis named Pete who joined our group and goat (little Pete), (they later joked that they were lepers and made up a handshake), told me that the South part of New Zealand can get snow and temperatures go as low as -15! That's nuts, it only get's to maybe -5 on Vancouver island in the winter and we're from the legendary igloo country of the world. Anywhere on the island you're no more than 15 miles from the sea and most people own a boat.

Me and Lhakpa were sharing a smoke when lightning and thunder broke out outside. Unfortunately it wasn't a big storm like I was hoping for, only last ing a few minutes but I was so excited! Lhakpa said to me "Why are you laughing now? ". The storm made me think of Alek. I wish that he could hold me tonight. Even though we fought a lot I still miss his extreme personality. Everyone that I'm traveling with now it seems that they readily accept Canadian society. I miss sleeping in a tent and cuddling, having conversations where I don't have to hold my opinions or views for risk of offending the people in the group. Maybe, I'll just say them anyways. I feel so guilty for getting to eat better food than our porters and Kami our sherpa guide. I guess it's just reality that everyone isn't in the same economic level, but I don't like reality. On the up side, I'm bonding well with the girls in our group namely, Lhakpa (sherpa), Renata and PAm. Renata shared her life with me and so did Pam. Sarah is a hard shell to crack, in a way she's like Stacie Anaka, not very open to people about their emotions and quiet. Theresa is a sweet heart but we haven't talked much.

five glorious mountains

April 16th

I woke up, opened my window to 5 big glorious mountains. Wind is blowing snow off of one of the mountains making it look like a mango flavoured cloud since the sun is lighting the snow so intimitely. I hear Juk Juk bells ringing below me, clanging away. I tried the yak steak last night but it wasn't the same as my Christmas Yak steak in China. This yak was lighter in colour, more fatty texture and tasted distinctly different. Kami, our Sherpa guide told me that it was a Buffulo steak. It's funny because Buddhists can't kill animals even it it's to eat but they can buy meat from a butcher and close their eyes while he kills the animal. Well, apparently Yaks are sacred animals and so that's why I ate Buffalo instead. I watched the sunrise up from behind a mountain this morning, the rays lighting up the valley below me and the mountain peaks to the right. I think that the sun rose from behind Cholatse6335m and Taboche 6495m.

We stopped in TEngboche and visited a monastery. It's similar to the one I visited in Shangri-La(Zhondian) in China. This one was built in the 1600's , was much smaller and only 40 monks live here. It was rebuild 20 years ago because of a fire and many of the ornaments inside were brand new. Next,we went to a teahouse in Tengboche close to the monastery. Almost all of our group had rara noodles which are a lot like instant noodles with a few slivers of vegetables in it.

Pengboche 3989m has a lot of rock walls that separate the fields. I wondered why? the fields were so small and there were so many of them. I thought they were to keep the dark sandy dirt that the potatos grow in from blowing away in the wind. ONe of the two Pete's from New Zealand that was trekking with our group guessed that it was to separate all of the pieces of land that different people owned or to keep the animals out. Papa, as I've come to call my old Coach Eoin, the man who is in charge of the trek said that the ground is so rocky here that in order to plant crops the locals need to clear the fields of rocks, and where to carry them all? So they pile the rocks into walls.

Pete, who's from New Zealand told me that the South part of New Zealand can get as cold as -15! That's nuts. Also, from anywhere on the island you're no more than 15 miles from the sea.

Porter Life

April 15th
I had so much fun dancing with the girls last night! It'd been such a long time. Last night while watching the moon I thought of my time with Alex. I miss him. Sometimes I feel really upset that I have to go along with the group and what they want. I saw a campsiote today in Khunde and I felt a heavy regret of not having my tent on this trek. Also, there are trees all oiver and posts where I ciould have set up my hammock, but again , it's not really a group thing. It'd like to be with Alex.


Today we hiked up a big hill after Naamche Bazaar, psasing prayer flags and Stupas alike. The mountains in the backround icy blues, cold whites and fluffly clouds against the blue canvas of the sky.



I don't feel any altitude sickness which is such a relief. Lhakpa Dackey listened to my i-pod today. Like me, one of her favorites is 'Voyage, Voyage'. Half yak, half cow animals that the Sherpas call Juk Juks are contantly blocking up the trail, loaded with trekkers bags. Their horns are curved and intimidating but these hairy animals are in reality very tame.


Sherpa porters go by carrying huge loads piled into bskets on their backs. Many of the porters also carry little wooden sticks with them to help them walk uphill and also to rest their bags on when there is no rock perch. I see mostly men porters but there are a few women as well. Most of the women here in the Khumbu region wear golden nose rings and colourful clothing. We hiked over a high metal suspension bridge looking down on clear blue silty river water. I love watching the fresh water flowing over the huge boulders, it's mesmorizing. Again, I'm reminded of laying on river rocks tanning in the summer time with Yvette, Erica and Sylvie in the Oyster River. It's funny how home never leaves me, it comes with me everywhere.



While we were walking through the pine trees on a soft dirt trail, Pam and I were discussing how it reminded us of home, after an expensive tea at Everest View Lodge3859m. Mitch( an old wrestling coach of mine) was saying that some big rocks and wind blown trees looked like Southern Ontario where he's from, and I thought that it looked like the islands off the West coast of Vancouver Island. We visited Khumjung, where school had been founded by Edmund Hillary. There were paintings for sale and I liked one of a Stupa and Prayer flags at sunset with a golden Everest in the backround. Next, we went to visit a hospital in Khunde. Surprisingly it's funded by Canadians. We got to learn about the types of diseases that are common in this area. Apparently it's not just foreigners who get altitude sickness. Many locals get treated for it as well. Khunde if you can imagine, is surrounded by mountains, and rough dirt and rock paths that lead the way to other villages through the mountains. This small hospital serves around 7000 people from this region. Women, most or 1/3 of them give birth at home. They do not hike for 1,2 or 3 hours through the mountains while pregnant just to give birth at the hospital. What helps to keep the women and their babies healthy are monthly check-ups which have been promoted by the hospital. The local Sherpa doctor said that foreign doctors occassionaly come and volunteer for a few months, but that the hospital is run by locals the majority of the time. It's really clean in the hospital even though it's small. I was impressed both by the equipment that was available to the doctors and the warm home-like feeling that I got here. The Sherpa doctor had eyes like the inner mongolians, grey-blue which contrasted his dark skin and spoke english well.

Lhakpa and I moved our beds together because now that we're in Kyangjuma 3780m it's colder. All of the other people brought sleeping bags, but I'm just using the blankets provided by the tea houses that we stay at. I like not having a sleepnig bag because most of the porters don't have any, some even sleep in caves along the trail. If I come on a hike in Nepal again I'll stay in the caves and sleep in my tent. Lhakpa's laugh is so funny, she giggles then adds in a WOO HaHA WOooo HA HA it's so full and contagious.

First View of Everest

First view of Mount Everest.

Monjo
April 14th

We hiked for 3 hrs today. I saw Everest for the first time. Unfortunately, I didn't get any spectacular feelings about it. I've been waiting for that crazy-imaginary fantasy feeling. Tonight, I got that long anticipated moment of peace. After dinner in Naamche Bazzar, Lhakpa, Pam, Theresa and I went to one of Lhakpas friend's bars and had a few drinks and danced. I went outside to the hole in the ground toilet and after coming out I sat outside on some stones that were going to be used to build a house. I felt the roughness of the stone under my fingers, the cool fresh mountain air against my face. I looked up at the big dipper and illuminated stars above me. In the distance stood a grand mountain, just visible in the moonlight, all of it's snow lit up. I listened to the cold flowing stream behind me and to the Hindi-Nepali music playing behind me in the bar. This is travelling I thought to myself. There, my first unscathed, pure happiness on this trpi. I have started my journey now.

Bonding with the girls
Tonight, Pam, Theresa, Lhakpa and me are sharing a room. It was like a sleepover in middle school. We pushed all of our beds together and cuddled. Pam is Indian and her parents were from Fiji. Theresa is Filippino and recently went to visit there. Lhakpa is Sherpa and I'm half-Chinese so we taught each other how to count in our languages. I thought that Filippino was spelt Phillipino, Theresa was after me for butchering her ethnic country. Pam dances an ancient style of Indian dancing, the type that are in most Bollywood movies. Pam really loves music which is inspiring to see, and she's pretty open-minded which is refreshing. We all went out dancing tonight and Theresa who is generally more shy was the first one out on the dance floor. Theresa works in Victoria fixing machinery. They're both 24 soon 25 but I don't feel much younger than them most of the time. Earlier tonight me and Renata played backgammon and she was so cute, giggling like crazy, she's 26.

Day one of our hike from Lukla-Everest Base Camp in the Khumbu region(North East) of Nepal

April 12th

We caught the 7:30am flight to Lukla but because of fog we had to stop in a village called Fablu. There are army men all over carrying guns. Our flight attendant said that they're still here from the elections. The farmland that we're flying over is on the top of mountains, now that we're out of the Kathmandu valley. Between some farms are deep gorges with rushing rivers deep below them. I see the winding yellow dirt roads on the tops of these foothills and I want to get back on my bike and live these roads, meet the locals, sweating while biking up the mountains, smiling like crazy while going downhill. Now we're flying not above but between huge mountains. They don't have snow on them yet though. Numbu mountain is in front of us now, it's bigger and covered in snow.

Lukla
I'm sitting in a tea-house with the group and we're re-sorting our bags so that the Sherpas can carry them. I don't have much stuff but Coach White insisted that we use sherpa porters. The reasons being that 1. our bodies are not accustomed to climbing in such high altitudes. 2. It is the Sherpas lifeline. I still feel guilty for not carrying my own bag though. Lukla is at 2700m. When I spent Christmas in Litang, Sichuan province in China I was at 4012m but had a massive headache and altitude sickness. Anna and I climbed a glacier in Moxi, Sichuan province earlier and went up to 3000m but again it was tough going, less air, more tired than usual and a headache.

Now I have burps that smell like eggs and acid. Coach White gave me some pills called Tiniba to take. Hopefully I won't have another round of 'Soup Ass' like in Beijing.

Lhakpa Dackey

April 13th

Phakding
Me and our sherpa guide Lhakpa Dackey really bonded last night. We stayed in the same room and she's pretty cool. We're the same age, 21, she's actually 1 month older than me. We both smoke once in a while and can't let papa(coach white) see us do it so we sneak off like teenagers together. Lhakpa taught me how to say I like you so much in Nepali.
'Malai timi deraii man parcha'
Me and Lhakpa went and played pool at a couple of bars in the village called Phakding where we're staying. It was pouring rain and we were running through the village from pool house to the next pool house.

Bhaktapur

April 11th

Today we went to Baktapur with B and AK our local guides. it was really nice and I got some great shots of the place. I've been getting to know the other Canadians that I'm hiking with and it's a pretty good mix of people. There are about 9 of us. Pam and Theresa have been best friends since elementary school and they're in their mid 20's. Pam is a little Indian girl, she knows how to speak Hindi and so it's awesome listening to her speak with the locals. She, like me wanted to learn more about her roots and so is in Nepal a lot closer to India than Canada, where some customs are similar, language, beliefs, food and clothing. Now, I'm going to spend some time with Bibek, a local that I met yesterday but, I have to go to bed early since we fly out of here at 5am to start our trek.

cheers.

ELECTIONDAY

April 10th

Elecions
What a special time to be in Nepal! Today is their first election in a long time. Nepal was a monarchy a few years ago but was replaced with a temporary government after so much unrest in the country. The King then just became a symbolic head of state I think. This morning I went for a long walk at 6:30. One of the first things that I saw was a UN jeep going by, followed by a UN motorcyclist. After that I saw a huge truck full of soldiers(maybe 40) go by dressed in their blue camoflage, maybe they were local police. I was feeling overwhelmed with emotion, overjoyed to be in this country on this day, in this time of such importance and significance, a time of change. Also, it reminded me of 'Hotel Rwanda', and how that movie made me want to work for the peace corps. , and to learn more about difficulties in different countries. I was really in a dream today. We didn't know what would happen today, some tourists taking many precautions and not leaving the guesthouse all day. I am far too restless for these type of sensibilities. The streets are unusually empty since most locals had to go to their hometowns to vote. I havn't seen any problems anywhere so far, here in Kathmandu today. Pigeons are keeping me company in this quiet square, flying from the top of a big white and gold stupa to small temple roofs. They swarm together flying in one direction, then quickly changing directions for no particular reason. Red, yellow, green, blue and white prayer flags are strung high in the sky attached to the top of the stupa. They wind fly's in between them making them alive. I saw the people at their voting posts lining up patiently to make their secret ballad and choose their candidate. I saw a few observers go by me, one T-shirt said Ca observer and at first I thought Canada but this wasn't the case they had Nepali writing on their car, then a UK observer. I wonder why they observe. I guess just to make sure things are done properly. Political party posters and flags are hung in the main streets, like the prayer flags in the square.

Aneil
The people here are not so interested in tourists as in China. I want to spend my days here talking to them and sharing ideas but a lot just want my money here in Kathmandu. This being said, yesterday after meeting Krishna I walked out into the outskirts of Kathmandu and after a while asked the way back to Kathmandu Guesthouse. Aneil, a local here walked me to the centre and bought me some momo's, a local food here. He told me that because of the elections most restaurants are closed but that he knew one that would be open since the owners couldn't afford a flight home. The momo's were delicious, like chinese dumplings with more meat and pinched differently. Aneil told me that it used to be a Tibetan food but the Nepalis like it as well and so they incorporated momo's into their diet.

This morning I bought milk in a bag, it was 3%, what a treat!! In China dairy products are so expensive but here in Nepal they're common and cheap. 500ml only cost me 14rupees which is 14/60. I also ate curd which is the local name for yogurt. It's really sour and somwhat enjoyable. Then I bought a bunch of fried sweets, fried samosas with sweet red stuff inside and sugar on the outside, sweet cookie things that looked like mini chocolate longjohn doughbnuts but had sweet juice inside them, and fried sweet doughnuts.

We, Coach White and the Canadian group that I'm going to do the hike with had a meeting today. We're going to hike to Everest base camp and even higher, in around 18 days. Take it nice and slow:). My hands started to shake in excitement near the end of the meeting. I am so excited to get "Into Thin Air," sorry for the pun. I still remember how exhilirated I felt when reading that book by John Krakaar. It made me want to take up ice climbing. I was so into the book, as if I were the one crossing deep icy crevases on long shaky ladders. This adventure does not compare to their attempt up Everest, but I am nonetheless thrilled to be starting soon. I want to set foot on these sared, majestic and legendary mountains of my dreams.

Now two little boys are sitting on either side of me listening to Bob Marley on my ipod. Green snot coming out of their noses, sniffeling non stop, holes in their clothes and dirt all over them, I feel so happy to share my music with them and to have some company. They're my brothers. They're watching me write now, not knowing that it's about them. Subas just introduced himself, he's 12 and his brother Sagam is 8. They live behind the steps that I've been sitting on for the past 2 hours. We're all eating some bananas now.My little friends just left now, goodbye little guys!

There is really intricate carving on the temples here, doors and windows. So much more wood carvings here than in China.

I bought a book called 'Journey to self', written by Luna Shrestha Thakur about her life as a young Nepali woman and how South East Asian women are suppressed. I'm excited to read it. I also bought a book that captures Tibetan elder's stories and wisdom, so they'll both be a good read.

firstdayinKATHMANDU

April 9th '08

Kathmandu's roads are similar to village and countrside roads in China. They're not anywhere as developed as the cities in China, even the small cities in China. Walking down the streets, I can small incense, hear hinu and Nepali and see Nepali writing which is so neat to see. A local boy named Bibek, showed me how to write my name in Nepali and it's similar to arabic writing I think. while the corner stores, the gardens, the women and men using buckets to bathe and wash their clothes are 'same, same' there is something distinctly different here. Nepal does not try to hide their poverty, they do not try to build up the city, or maybe it actually is more poor here than in China. Hindu women wear read dots between their eyes in red and shimmering golds called tikas. The married women wear red going into their parts of their hair as well as the one on their foreheads. Unmarried women and married women wear different clothing than each other. Surprisingly, married women wear more revealing clothes than their counterpart as well as more gold jewellery.




I spent a couple of hours talking to Krishna, a artist that worked at the top of Monkey temple. He has dark skin and long hair, looking a lot like my cousin Mickey. Krishna looks more Mongolian or Chinese than Indian. His art is inspired by buddhism as well as celtic art. He said that celtics also believed in eternal cirlce in life like the buddhists, until enlightenment anyways. He plays the flute both bamboo and classical. He was telling me some stories about underground heavy metal bands and shows that were held at police underground places. The musicians just paid off the cops and the shows had to be 'clean', so no drugs and no alcohol but hella dancing and loud music. He said that there are a lot of bands in Kathmandu and I want to check some music out.


Amit and Bijaya(pronounced Bizana) are two Nepalis from Baktapur. Bijaya is 21 and her and Amit want to get married. The problem being that they're from different castes. Amit if Brahmen(the highest Nepali caste) and Bijaya is Newari. They've been together for 6 years but their parents don't know. Amit's parents wouldn't approve of a marriage to a lower caste.

onmywaytoNepal

April 8th

I"m on the flight to Nepal now from Hong Kong. Michelle a Chinese flight attendant is having her first flight right now working with the airline. I used to think that working as a flight attendant would be great to travel and see the world. I think that most of the time you"re inside the plane and airports though, and they're crowded machines, the work involving the same duties and speaches. Too monotonous I think. I can't stop looking at the attendants, they're really beautiful. they have square faces, pale white skin, big smiles and asian eyes. Their eyes so big, looking kind and innocent, maybe cartoon like, but I know that behind those eyes there are many thoughts, some innocent some not. Their dark shining hair is done in neat ballet buns. I'm cherishing my last moments in China, I'll miss seeing the Chinese. I wonder why my skin is so much darker than most Chinese, maybe my ancestors originated in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia or even India, Indonesia, it would be inteteresting to find out. Someone said that the Ukrainians tan really well and so it's actually my caucasian side but I may never truly know. There were so many foreigners in the Hong Kong airport, more than I've seen in a very long while I've been in China. It almost feels like I'm in Canada and not China. Here on the airplane there are some Nepalis, the men wearing cute little hats and a young boy with long hair like the Tibetans I met in Litang earlier in my travels. I don't feel so excited about Nepal. I've heard that it's been destroyed by all of the tourists, that in fact it's not so isolated or untouched as I had always dreamt of. I hope that the mountains will not let me down and will strip me of this negative attitude. There are a couple of French women sitting across from me in the plane. They complained because the airline ran out of chicken meals and only beef was left. They were so shocked and perturbed saying "How is this even possible? Could you not have just served us sooner?" I like listening to french, it's beautiful, but I don't want to hear these idiots say anything more. Please, please please, don't let me be surrounded by people like this in Kathmandu. We're half an hour from Kathmandu now and I had my first jitter of excitement in my stomach. Eveline, a girl that I met last year in my Women's Studies class sent me a message, "I hope that you find a piece of soul in your travels." I hope so too. Nepal, don't let me down, share your secrets with me like China did.

BeijingOlympics

'Impossible is Nothing' Beijing Olympics

It's too bad that there are so many problems being caused in China by the Beijing Olympics. From what I've seen though in the local people that I've met whether they're Dai minority, Han, Haini, Naxi, Cantonese, from Beijing...most Chinese are excited to have the Olympics and proud of their country, but, A lot of Chinese don't even have time to think more about the Olympics. They're working in their crops, washing their clothes, making dinner or generally filling their time in other ways. China is a communist-socialist-capitalist country and I've seen signs of all three systems-ideals since I've been here. I don't generally think about politics incredibly in depth, but since there is so much negative news about China-Tibet it has me thinking. China is not a bad place. I've spent the past 5 months here and most people can live a comfortable life. Yes, they're paid less than us Canadians or Westerners but the price of everything matches up pretty nicely I believe. I read so many posts of people hating China because their government system is different than ours. People are scared of the unknown..I've even met local Hong Kong people who think that China is a dangerous place, that the people are bad. These people though, have never left Hong Kong, have never traveled to the countryside or even deeply into their own country. It's interesting for me to see some opinions from the West and in Westernized Hong Kong metropolis, about China now that I know both regions intimately. It's not democratic here in China, there is no monarch, there is no Queen as symbolic head of state(pretty useless in Canada anyways) but I've seen just as many people living on the streets of Vancouver though as I have in China. How does that make any sense? There are 30 million Canadians and 1.3billion Chinese. How is it that China can manage to create more jobs for it's people? Any government would have a hard time dealing with that huge population! En plus, I have never once felt that I was in a dangerous situation, I've never been assaulted, attacked by a Chinese citizen. At all hours of the night I was safe to walk the streets of China. Can this be said even of France, Britain, USA or Canada? I feel defensive of this beautiful country filled with beautiful people that I have come to love as my second home.

'I left my baby on a pretty blue train...'

Kunming in the morning

I woke up early today 7am. I had a nice luke warm shower, the only shower I've had since Simao half a month ago. 'What a luxe'! I packed my bag then we left. There were people selling food in the street everywhere since we stayed in a CHinese hotel for 40kwai altogether for our own room instead of staying at a hostel for 20kwai each to stay in a 8 bed room dorm. I bought some mantao which is Chinese steamed buns that are always for sale in the streets in the morning. I bought them filled with mushroom, vegetables and chicken, spicy-pickled vegetables and sweet bean-paste. I got some hot soy milk that the lady ladled out of a big pot into plastic bags for us to drink. It only cost 8 jiao(10 jiao/kwai or yuan or rmb) as compared to a tea i bought last night in a foreigner cafe for 6 kwai, which is less than a dollar but you can see the difference in price for foreigners and locals!! Last night we were in the foreigner part of town but I just wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, felt a bit sick but also it's my last time in China and the last thing I want is to talk to other foreigners. I won't be able to be completely surrounded by Chinese at home, listening to the language, watching the people... We went to a sports shop and I bought a new tent for 380 kwai, a hammock for 150kwai, a compass 8kwai and a set of cooking pots for 208kwai, a special bag for my mp3 and camera for 66kwai and a plastic waterproof bag 12kwai good for tree planting. Such good prices compared to at home, expensive for in China though. I'm really leaving China! I can't believe it! I don't like shopping in general though, it's annoying, tiring and irritating.

'I left my baby on a pretty blue train and I sang mý song to the cold and the rain... I've got the wandering blues...' -Be Good Tanyas


April 1st



I just made the train, it's moving now, right after I sat down and pulled out my journal. Alex and I said a quick good-bye and I'm glad that it was that way. I had tears running down my face while we hugged good-bye and the taxi drove me away. I waved good-bye from the taxi. The last thing that he said to me was 'Thank-you'. I had such a good time with Alex and Tchye. Suddenly, after a few months of being together for every moment of every day it's goodbye, in one single and surprising moment we were apart. I hope that I can meet him and Tchye again. Our goodbye was so fast, we were shopping and then I saw my watch and it was 11:30, I had to catch the 11:50 train in this city of 8 million people(maybe). I jumped through the garden and waved down a cab and was gone. So fast. Not thinking that these were our last moments together.

I want to thank you too Alex. I think that it's true that the society that you grow up in really affects the way that you think, even molding your mind. I think that although I think of myself as an original being who is trying to fight society's ways , really a lot of my thinking is rooted deeply to Canada, US and Britain. I'm not so wise or worldy like I would like to think. -Now the train is going through famland. I see the green grass, the rows of plants and the trees. Before I just saw the land, now I this land, my home. I know the feeling of the grass and soil under my feet, the bumps of the crops when I'm pushing my bicycle through them, the smell of the flowers, the vibrancy of the fuscia flowers that grow everywhere in the south, I know the feeling of the cool lake water against my naked skin. I remember the feeling of sleeping on soft hay, the bumpy dusty rock roads shooting dust into the air. The sound of the big blue commercial trucks driving by, their tires as big as me the drivers speeding as if it were a small toyota truck. I know the tracker vehicles with their noisy open air engines, belts spinning so fast that I thought they would break and wack me in the head. The 'Hellos' called at us from all angles of every street. The kids laughing and running when they saw Alex's bike and Tchye in the basket behind him.

I'll miss hearing Alex's big horn and telling him that I'm 'waiting for you' in imitation of our Chinese friends who said this in high pitched voices. I'll miss watching Tchye meet new friends in every household, village or city that we passed. A brave little girl, who went up to the biggest dogs to play. I'll miss putting her on the back of my bike saying 'Opa' and up she jumped. I'll miss seeing her little ears so alert and soft, moving around at every sound, standing on the top of her little black head. I'll miss holding her whole face in my hand, watching her jump out of the tent window like an Olympic athlete.

I'll miss Alex.

I want to cry so loudly but I am stuffed on a train with more than 100 people just on this cart. So I cry softly. Everything outside the train in the countryside reminds me of him and our time together.

Stone Park

The train went through the stone park. All of a sudden there were thousands of Stones everywhere as if a mountain had exploded and left millions and millions of jagged pieces of rock in the soil. They could be crystals growing for a unicorn's horn, jutting up out of the ground. Some are tall, s huge giant's foot next to a human, some are smaller the size of a cow. They're white and light grey, maybe limestone? next we passed mountains that jut tall and steep out of the ground, karst mountains they're called. We must be in Guanxi province now. My next visit to China I'll come here. There are lakes of bright green and slight fog outside near the mountain tops.

reading signs

March 30th

Morning?

We woke up really early 7am, early for us anyways. Most of the trip I had no morning because we slept through it. We took down camp in only 30mins, 'On the road again'. We stopped for breakfast (hot noodles with toppings)in a small town only 5km away. I could read the sign!! small-xiao, middle-jong and Big-da posted on the wall!! I always look at the chinese signs and ads and see how many characters I recognize. It's going to be weird to be able to read all of the signs in Canada and understand everyone. I'm not ready for that.

Kunming (capital city of Yunnan province)
Buying a train ticket in Kunming...not so easy

We got to Kunming, it didn't take that long to find the train station and bus station. I thought that since I spoke more Chinese now it would be easier t buy a ticket but no...I lined up 3 times before I was in the right line-up. I asked people in front of me if it was the line to buy a ticket to Guangzhou and they just nodded. Ha I got to the front the first time to ask how much, when, and if I could take my bicycle with me. The dude told me that there was no train to Guangzhou but that my bicycle was free in very broken English like my broken Chinese. I lined up again in the next line-up and the lady sold me a ticket to Guangdezhou or something...so i refunded my ticket. Finally someone told me to go to line 2 to buy a ticket to Guangzhou. Then I had a lot of difficulty asking about bringing my bike with me. So I just bought the ticket. Alex figured out a way for me to bring my bicycle with me yay! It cost 55 kwai. I bought about 90 gloves for tree planting, man they're bulky but they only cost me less than 1 kwai each and in Canada they would cost 42kwai each at least which is about 6$ CAD. We shopped for some boots for Alex but didn't find any.

Gateway to Hell

March 30th

Our very own wake-up call!

The lady who owned the land woke us up the next morning by shaking the outside of our tent. When she saw that we were foreigners though she left us be and was smiling at us. We packed up our things and left. I was so happy to wake up to fresh morning air, a blue sunny sky, a breeze, my feet landed on fresh soil and surrounded by green and yellow crops, plus white and pink flowering trees. Hard to describe the feelings that took over my body, and that have almost this whole trip. How I love China's countryside, that actually is most of China.

A special visitor

We didn't bike far before stopping for breakfast. I made some incredible crispy and unmanageably salty chapatees and Alex made some tea as usual. One time he told me that he almost died of thirst in a desert from lack of water but it wasn't true or I misunderstood. We met a Chinese biker from Beijing and he reminded me of my uncle Bob. He was short and stocky, a very strong man , always smiling. He was so happy to meet Alex because he loves Brazilian soccer. Alex doesn't like soccer though, he told me that in Brazil they play a really violent soccer and are actually tying to hurt each other. He doesn't have a very good view of Brazil. This man that we met had biked across china and had started in Beijing, ended up in Jinghong, was headed north to Sichuan, then to Xian to Hebai and back to Beijing. I did all of this in the other direction and by bus and train!! Good on him. Alex has done similar travels but slowly with his yacht of a bicycle. He came to check out our spot and we were well set up. Speakers attached to mp3 playing some music, natural grass seats surrounding our fire...nice. He said goodbye after a short time and gave both Alex and I a big hug. Nice guy.

Brick Houses

The houses for the past few days have changed. Now they're made of red brick or red mud. They're more hecticly placed, attaching to each other in no particular order. Some houses only fit one person, there are tall brick towers too maybe for storing hay or drying food? It's pretty cool that the colours of the houses change in each area to match the colour of the soil...yellow, red, and where there's less soil they're made of stone.

Speedier biking

We figured out what day it is and that we have to get to Kunming soon since I want to see Estelle and Christina, my first two Chinese friends that I met 5 months ago at a hostel in Hong Kong. My Chinese Visa expires on the 2nd and I'm 3 provinces away from the border to Hong Kong. We went far today biking into the night, though there's no full moon tonight and there are big scary trucks passing us on this small country road at top speed all the time. Too bad. We passed a flame coming out of a factory that was burning so hot and orange, like a piece of hell on earth, or a gateway to Hell...

Tchye

March 29th

Yuxi big City-stayed in a Chinese hotel

We slept in Yuxi last night in a chinese hotel. Chinese hotels are different than hotels for Westerners or Hostels/Guesthouses. The chinese call it a sleeping place. They're cheaper for starters, pretty simple places and actually I would rather stay there than at a hostel for foreigners because you're more immersed in the culture. There were no showers but somewhere to wash our face in the communal centre of the rooms, an outdoor courtyard. Actually, this place reminded me of where I stayed in Pingyao when I first met Anna but so freezing cold. Alex was so hyper, high off of our stop to the bike shop maybe he said 'what a luxe!'. This morning Tchye got lost. We looked for her for 45 mins, I was screaming the whole time and now my throat is sore. We left Yuxi and just outside of the city centre we stopped to rest. I went to a Chinese bakery and it reminded me of when Serenne took me to the Chinese bakery in Vancouver in China town for my first time. I always think of Serenne when I go to the bakery here in China...I remember eating these gooey things that looked so gross last year, now I drool even thinking of a Chinese bakery and everything looks so delicious.

Bike Shop

We found another bike shop and I bought new tires for my bike and new shiny metal pedals. It's cute how excited Alex gets when we go to a bike shop. He usually says of cities 'shit place, shit people' but bike shops are his serenity. §§§It reminds me of my first few days in Hong Kong, when I went to Kowlook Mong Kok and was so overwhelmed by all of the people. I found a music store though, with pianos, violins and this chinese man played me a traditional violin song. I felt so peaceful even though outside the doors were hectic streets full of busy, strange, strangers. ha.§§§

Meat tonight!!! Wow!

We biked a bit out of Yuxi and then found a spot where there were blooming trees of pink and white. We cooked dinner and it turned out so good! I think it's because today we had a big piece of meat to put in our soup. We made carrot, tomato, potato, tomato, ginger, onion, garlic, chive, cauliflower and meat soup. I have been cooking this whole time in a big black charcoaled pot that I bought second hand in Jinghong and using the small pocket knife that Anna gave me for Christmas toc cut up and peel all of our vegetables. Alex lays down the fly and it becomes our kitchen. My cutting board is his plastic took box.

Market food

March 28th

E-Shan Market

We went to wangba last night and watched a movie called Sid and Nancy that was about the Sex pistols. The sex pistols were these young boys in Britain who were pro-Anarchists. It reminded me of a book I read about the red hot chillipeppers lead singer anthony that i read. drugs, sex, random stuff. We camped in E-Shan(locals pronounced it WoShan) last night in a park next to a stream. Across the street was the town market so that was perfect, we didn't have to go far to buy our food. we've each been spending 10 kwai a day on food. Alex brought me a breakfast of bananas, strawberries and sweetened condensed milk on top. What a treat!! Then I went to the market and bought the vegetables for the next few days. Alex wanted me to go because the chinese think that I'm a local sometimes. I love going to the markets. They're so fresh and full of colourful, fresh food. I don't like walking through the meat
section because there are dog heads, cow heads, pig feet and all types of horrible things. Toads in baskets, swimming eels, snakes in baskets, chickens in small cages piled on top of each other... but this was the first time I bought raw meat in China and it's an experience in itself.

Shock of a city

We're in Yuxi now. It's way bigger than I imagined it would be. It reminds me of Vancouver, but more dirty. It's been so long since I've been in a big city. Maybe Jinghong had 1 million people living it, and we were there 24 days ago. We've been biking through countryside, hitting the occasional small village or small town on our way. Nothing like this. It's so different, there are so many nice cars, shopping stores with nice tempting clothes, nice shoes, so many people. I don't like being tempted to buy clothes, it makes me feel guilty and a bit sad. The city reality and mindset is so different than in the countryside. I could spend all of my money on pretty dresses and shoes...but I'd rather travel...necessities...it has a better feeling to it.


Alex's playground

We stopped at a bike shop and the owners were so nice. They had a daughter my age and I spent the time talking to her and exchanging music with the computer and my mp3. Alex is always so happy to find a bike shop, like a kid on a playground. The street that the shop was on was so busy, everyone going everywhere, noisy, small like an alleyway, and so many little shops...a real 'China town'. I bought used handle bars that go up vertically for 10 kwai(yuan) and , a gold plastic mud guard for 3 kwai and they gave me a free kickstand which Alex installed but it's really shit, oh and I bought a little red lock for my bike that is really just there for looking at than protecting it for 8 kwai.

Windy Day

March 27th

Hand Washing my clothes in the morning sun

We found a nice spot last night at the bottom of a small dirt road hill off the main road. There's a creek with cool fresh water flowing. I woke up at 8:30 and started to wash clothes. The sun was so hot, beading down on my back and face too. It turned out to be a really windy day and I strung the clothes out from a line going across this small bridge. The wind kept blowing my dry clothes in the water below.

Free internet from it's limitations.

-Last night we stopped to have some tea and then cooked dinner too. We sat on the side of the road exchanging our views of life. They are really different and this is something that has made our trip both incredibly interesting and knowledgeable as well as somewhat difficult to say the least. Alex refuses to accept or be a part of Western Cultures and is always pointing out the negative sides of the people living there. I have a car and so in a way am contributing to the war in Iraq, Iran. I've been realizing how littleI actually know about the world. My geography is off. Traveling in the East, my geography and knowledge on this side of the world has improved so much but, I can only name a handful of countries in Africa. Also, Alex was saying that the internet is made for rich people from rich countries. Most websites are for rich countries, made by rich people. Most people in the world don't even have access to internet or any other electronic devices. Most people in the world can't afford internet, it costs money to make a website and time to maintain it. So many people are excluded from having the opportunity to learn, the access to information, stopped by money. He thinks that internet should be free.

Stressed

March 26th

Right now I am feeling so tired, sitting next to our cooking fire and keeping warm, while Alex makes some tea. We just passed a paving crew and I felt happy to see that I recognized all of the machinery and process and also that there were almost as many women working as men. My students Jung Xiao Dong and Fee(Fan) told me that in 1949 there was a law made that women in China should have equal rights as men. Contruction work in China is not limited to men and from what I can see they are not discriminated against in any aspect of the job. I always feel happy to see women driving heavy machinery here, working in the mountains as road side crews, or paving crews, also as cityworkers. It's true though that contruction workers are paid very little in China because there are so many people. -I felt a bit stressed out today because I'm leaving China in a few days, my Visa expiring on the 2nd of April. I want to visit my friends Estelle and Christina from Guangzhou again and then I'm headed to HK again. To end my circuit around China. There are still so many places in CYHina to explore, so many people to meet and things to learn. I'm not ready to leave China. I think that I'll be back one day soon.

Nepal
I'm going to Nepal on the 7th of April and am excited for it. I'm a bit worried that I won't get what I'm looking for though because I'm going on a long hike maybe 20 days which is great! But it's with my old wrestling coach's company and everyone with us will be Canadians. There will be a few Sherpas with us but maybe they're so accustomed to tourists that they won't be intereszted in talking to me. I want to learn about Nepali customs and people, yet, I'll be there in a world of Canadians. I hope that I can stay away from the Canadian reality while I'm on the other side of the world, in a country of my dreams. I'm not goig to Nepal to have to talk about Canada. We'll wait and see.

panama canal

March 25th

We slept close to the road last night and I couldn't sleep well because there were too many big trucks trying to kill me! Big, loud, ground shaking trucks were zooming by us all night. I as scared seeing their headlights through the tent. We stopped to eat dinner in the night after duskj while we waited for the moonlight. It was so windy and cold and we were stopped on a dusty toad so we changed places to eat. The sky looked cool today. Bright blue, pink on the bottom of grey clouds, a tangerine and peach sunset. There were so many starts tonight, O'rion had a lot more company than usual. We stopped to watch a travelling cloud that looked like a spaceship a scorpian, a crab's stomach and fish bones. It was in a rush , headed behind the mountain we were climbing. We found a place to camp on a dirt road, just off the main road. There was a rock cliff across from us and I stopped to sing a few songs to the wonderful natural auditorium. It echoed nicely, like a microphone's open speakers on stage. The rock face itself would have been nice to climb if I knew more about climbing. Our camping spot is surrounded by white flowers that glow in the moonlight, it's quite magical. Alex told me about the Panama Canal and Fransico de Magellanas.

Poo Face

March 24th

I woke up early and made brunch. Last night there was a full moon and so we biked until mid-night, then found a spot on some grass high up on the mountain. Tchye has been biking across China with Alex her whole 1year life. He has a basket attached to the back of his bike and when he says "Opa" Tchye jumps up.We strapped my red MEC bag onto the back of my purple chinese bike. So metimes I say "Opa" and Tchye jumps onto my bag and bites my arm, ears face or licks my face. I call her Poo-Face because she eats shit. My puppy Pepper used to eat poo too and so I called her Pepper poo. I love both of these little pups a lot. Now "Poo face" is a continuation of this love and Erica and I have adopted signing our E-mails POO. I want to get a dog and bring her tree-planting, not only that, I wan to have a dog in the future too. - The river that we were looking at last night was shimmering silver from our mountain perch. Today we can see that it's in a dried up river bed that we saw this morning. In the wet season it must be really big.- Since we crossed the tropic of Canver on the 18th, the land has changed. It's not wolr jungle any more but drier land. There are much less tea0tree plantations, maybe none, but other types of crops. It's refreshig to see the land being used for growing sugar canes, wheat and larger tea trees,vegetables.- Last night we passed a crop that was burning and it was magical. I felt like I was in a circus, magic show or gypsey caravan. The moon not yet risen, the starts not so bright, this smoke and bright fire light leading our way...into the midieval times, into an open time gateway...where would we end up? - Today we saw 2 men pushing a bike loaded with recycling up the same mountain we were pushing our loads. 4 travellers sharing similar experiences and the same winding road. They were working so hard to push this bike backwards so that the handle bars were in behind and the recycling in the front. They made me smile.

Living

March 22nd
Guaguan. Nice people. A kid that reminded me of my cousin Brandon helped me to find new brakes for my purple chinese 1 speed bike. We camped in a cemetary. A group of young girls from the school across the street helped to cook dinner. They were all so curious and eager to help in any way. Alex was sick so the help was great!

March 23rd
We stopped to rest in an orchard. We ate a big breakfast mm. Bought a new bell for my bike and it has a BIG ring. I love my new bell! Finally my bike has her own, loud, cheerful voice. - There are pink flowers above me, weeping grass hanging over a steep ledge. Above me there is a green tree against a canvas of bright blue. Below me is a meadow filled with little purple flowers and green grass. Orange flowers growing between dry grass tuffs and rocks. I feel alive, my senses aware again after a hot-dry afternoon. It's Spring season now in China and the heat is increasing. Tchye is trying to eat grass, Alex is reading his dictionary. He picked me a small bud from the flowering orange bushes. They look like the flowers from traditional chinese paintings. Elegant and colourful, holding this bud in my hand makes me hope that my lie can be as vibrant as this small single bud. Alex is yelling/singing to a brazilian song"Bolla Bolla Bolla Hay Hay Hay"...I'm sad that soon I'll leave China. I'm not ready for reality. Not now, not ever? My mind flies between present, past and mostly future. I don't want to think about it though. I'd like to enjoy my last week in China in the present moment. Sitting here on the side of the road, holding my flower bud, watching the motos and trucks carrying sugar canes going by. It's amazing to me how many people can fit on one moto. I've seen up to 6 people, whole families on 2 people motos! Oh!, China, I never knew that I would love you so! [I think that life can be as beautiful as now if I take my time. Living in the present moment. Not only using each of my senses but appreciating them. " Not just existing, but living" as Alex has said before.

numa numa

Dragostea din tei (AKA Numa Numa)

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Original romanian

Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa

Alo, salut, sunt eu, un haiduc,
Si te rog, iubirea mea, primeste fericirea.
Alo, alo, sunt eu Picasso,
Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic,
Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.

Refrain:
Vrei sa pleci dar nu ma, nu ma iei,
Nu ma, nu ma iei, nu ma, nu ma, nu ma iei.
Chipul tau si dragostea din tei,
Mi-amintesc de ochii tai.

Te sun, sa-ti spun, ce simt acum,
Alo, iubirea mea, sunt eu, fericirea.
Alo, alo, sunt iarasi eu, Picasso,
Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic,
Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.

(Refrain)

Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
-----------------------------------------------------------------


English (strict translation)

Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa

Hello, it's me, a haiduc*
And I pray, my love, embrace the happiness
Hello, hello, it's me - Picasso!
I gave you beep, and i'm neat
But know that I'm not asking you anything.

Refrain:
You want to go, but you don't take me, no
You don't take me, no, you don't take me noo..
Your face and the love under the linden trees
Remind me of your eyes.

I'm calling you, to say, what I'm feeling now
Hello, my love, it's me - happiness!
Hello, hello, it's me again, Picasso,
I gave you a beep, and I'm neat
But know that I'm not asking you anything.

(Refrain)

Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
----------------------------------------------------------------

English

Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa

Hello, 'salut', it's me - your Robin Hood
And I pray: My lovelyness, please embrace this happiness!
Hello, hello, it's me - Picasso!
You got my beep, it's me - I'm neat.
And be sure I'm altruistic.

Refrain:
You wanna leave, but you don't take away
You don't take away, don't you take awaaay...
Your face and eyes I keep in memory
Beside the love under a linden tree.

'just called to reveal the feels I bear
Hello, my loveliness, it's me - happiness!
Hello, hello, it's me (again) - Picasso!
You got my beep, I'm really neat
And be sure I'm altruistic.

(Refrain)

Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa

Yue Liang

Marc 18th
Fries, downhill. Wangba. Tropic of Cancer. Park. MAGIC. Bubble people. moon. fall down, fly down, cut finger, break rim.

March 19th
Heat, hot day, good food. happiness, fix bike rim. Yue Liang(moon light). bike through night till dawn. mountain shadows, shin shin(stars) dream-like. crossed a metal hanging bridge, peaceful morning stillness. found spot near creek. swimming-sleeping.

March 20th
Swimming, Creek, dansing, Tchye(dog).

March 21st
YuanJiang.

Voyage Voyage

Au dessus des vieux volcans,
Glisse des ailes sous les tapis du vent,
Voyage, voyage,
Eternellement.
De nuages en marécages,
De vent d'Espagne en pluie d'équateur,
Voyage, voyage,
Vole dans les hauteurs
Au dessus des capitales,
Des idées fatales,
Regarde l'océan...

Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l'espace inouï de l'amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l'eau sacrée d'un fleuve indien, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.

Sur le Gange ou l'Amazone,
Chez les blacks, chez les sikhs, chez les jaunes,
Voyage, voyage
Dans tout le royaume.
Sur les dunes du Sahara,
Des iles Fidji au Fujiyama,
Voyage, voyage,
Ne t'arrêtes pas.
Au dessus des barbelés,
Des coeurs bombardés,
Regarde l'océan.

Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l'espace inouï de l'amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l'eau sacrée d'un fleuve indien, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.

Au dessus des capitales,
Des idées fatales,
Regarde l'océan.

Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l'espace inouï de l'amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l'eau sacrée d'un fleuve indien, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient

Bamboo trees

March 15th
This morning we cooked fried eggs with Chapotees. Alek is making some coffee and then we're on the road again. We biked all day without a break. We were exhausted by the time we found a spot to stop in the evening. We biked through a small village and some ladies actually everyone ripped me off. I wanted to buy some fruit but it was 2 times too much, same as some cookies. Oh well, what can you do? We found a nice place to sleep in a tea tree plantation again. we were in between bamboo trees and by a small stream. WE saw some people leaving the plantation from work but none of them said anything about us camping there.

March 16th
WE went downhill for a long time in the morning. I stopped in a riverside village to wash some clothes and myself. I've developed a rash all over my upper torso so every chance that I get I wash myself. It's all of the dirt and sweat that comes with this biking/camping lifestlye. We ate a big dinner and Alek cooked tonight wich was nice. I couldn't sleep because I was so itchy though and so in the middle of the night I biked downhill a few kilometres with Tchye's company and the bright half-moon lit my way to a small creek that I saw before we set up our tent. I had to go by a house and two dogs but wasn't scared because Tchye was with me. The creek was in a gorge and I'm surprised I didn't tumble down the steep side in the dark. The water was so fresh and cool, the moon was dancing in the moving water. I felt so good afterwards. Alek was waiting for me and had made some hot tea. We stayed up all night talking.

March 17th
We left at 11 and by 11:45 we stopped again because we were so tired. Right now Alek and Tchye are sleeping on the ground. I'm looking out at the layered mountains in the distance overlapping each other and at the vally walls scattered with farmland and countryside houses. Also, I'm reminiscing of my time in Jinghong. Jason, Sarah's boyfriend just texted me and told me he's headed to Guangzhou to work in a factory for a couple years, so maybe I'll see him when I'm there again. Christina is going to be in Kunming where me and Alek are biking to on the 26th this month so maybe I'll get to see her again too! That would be great. It's so nice to think tha tI have friends scattered across this country. Many places I could go to and see the people that I've met. It makes me feel so happy. China is no longer such a foreign place to me, it feels more like home. I"m comfortable here and happy.

March 18th
Now I'm in Mojiang. We'll buy more vegetables from a marketplace here and be on our way again. I"m always excited to hit a town though, so that I can use the wangba(internet) and eat chocolate, look at the people...

This could be your shower

March 14th -Jen's Birthday
The farmland is divided into hundreds of small sections, each one growing something different. We are surrounded by every green imaginable; Green apple, army green, neon green, pine green, seaweed green, green grass, light cabbage green, green___.... On the mountains the farmland is Mayan Temple steps leading to a great ancient secret that only the farmers remember, forgotten wisdom. The rich red-copper of the soil, the yellow dirt roads, the greens of the crops and the muddle coloured rice-fields reflecting the blue sky make a feist for the eyes that we could enjoy from the top of our mountain perch. We did 20 km downhyill, I love the wind flying in my hair, my mp3 pumped and a huge grin on my face thinking " This is travelling!". Yesterday, I saw a sleeper bus go by, those dreaded things. I took one from Lijiang to Kunming, the lady behind me was spilling her guts out the whole time behind me, and not without loud sound effects. The 8hr trip from Kunming to Jinghong was a little more bearable on a normal bus, but the road was so twisted and the bus was going so fast, it was almost me with an inside out stomach. Yes, I am so pleased to be biking. Later just before dark, we found a waterfall and took some refreshing showers. The water was just right. We found a small bambo hut that was at the bottom of a tea tree plantation. One wall was dirt and the ground was dirt. Alek said that we should check for spiders, scorpians and other crawling warriors that might attack during the night. I made him sleep beside the wall. hehehe.