CHINA TRIP 2006

Music started blaring about 7am to "inspire" us to get up and at it!!! Aaaahhhh!! The lights automatically come on and that irritates me to death!!! (Just ask my brothers). We rearranged our hair and went down for washing the face and eating some good homemade granola. We got to Xi'an about 8:30. Checked our overnight bags and got a van to take us to the terra cotta warriors and back for about 220 kuai. A very good deal. The warriors were pretty spectacular. The experience was a little subdued due to the fact it was so hot and humid. It just sucked the energy right out of me. See the pictures....

I started buying souveniers when I realized how much money I had and how cheap everything was. Oh boy!!! I got a box of replica warriors for 20 kuai (less than $3). We walked back to our waiting van and told her we were going to have lunch. Very expensive (relatively speaking of course. It was because of the tourists). Got back to Xi'an (the warriors were about 20 kms away) and was dropped off at the Bell Tower. Xi'an is well over 1800 years old. It has a replica of the old city wall around it. There was a Drum Tower as well. These towers would announce special times like when the city gates would close for the night or open in the morning. Pretty cool. We walked over to the Muslim quarter to see the Great Mosque. Very peaceful there. Great architecture. Built in 742 AD. All around the mosque are street vendors. I was in heaven. Good shopping!!! Got too much stuff. (It was fun because I rarely ever get to spend money freely and not have to worry about saving. All the money I had I could spend!!! Except I had to carry everything.) One shop would write in Chinese scripture. The family are believers. The father actually does the caligraphy. I got two hanging scrolls and a bunch more stuff. We also met Tom and Janet Hicks and both their daughters (so cute)!!! Rebecca and Sarah. Had dinner with them. By the way, I'm getting pretty good at the squatty potty!!! We left the dining table and Tom and Tom went to see a patient while we shopped some more and rested. Cold plum juice is very good when thirsty and tired. It was about 8pm and we were ready to start the next leg of our trip.

We scoped out a bus to take us back to the train station. What a mad house!!! It was like a stampede of cows with no direction really....trying to get to our seats fast and find a place for luggage. UGH!!! Tom tried to upgrade us to hard sleeper but to no avail. Sohere I am sitting amongst the people of CHina at 2:50am in the morning heading to Lanzhou. We are the lucky ones. We have a seat at least. Many people are either standing or sitting in the aisles. What a way to travel!!!! 4 more hours!!! Ok, I'll try to sleep now....

Yeah right - Very difficult to do. I probably only slept 2 hours the whole 9 hour trip. I'll tell you, brush your teeth every day. If you haven't for 2 days...it's pretty gross....or not being able to change your underwear for that long. UGH!!! We FINALLY made it to Lanzhou at 7am on Tuesday, July 25th. Where is our hotel!!!! I need a shower and change the clothes I've been in for over 48 hours!!!