Travels
I love elefants
I stroked my elephant's head and trunk and ears for a while. My elephant really enjoyed the stroking, I think. Her ears flapped back and forth (more than usual) when I scratched between her eyes.
Travels
Twentysomething
Elephants and Water
Shock, then fear. Fear because the waters pulled me towards the rocks, rushing fast around the bend. And fear because YuppieNomad can't swim.
Travels
Lao on my Mind
I had been in the country for more than two days, and I saw no skyscrapers. Or a street with more than two lanes. Or a condo. Or a house made of materials other than bamboo.
Travels
I was gonna post more but it's dinner time!
After reading over the bogus dates for the third time, the kind fellow finally agreed to give us our visas the next day (right before our bus left for the Chinese border).
Spirituality
So the Tiger Leapt Over the Gorge
Mountains, holding up the skies, on both sides. The waters, under the crush of their own weight, hurried along below. Trees and skies and earth and water.
Travels
Shangri-La
We got lost in the fluttering flags of the stupa adjacent to the monastery – the reds and greens and yellows made flapping sounds in the light air, like chants afloat on the mountain winds.
Travels
Horsing Around
Wild horses nipped each other, neighed, and took off across emerald pastures. Mountains, stereo-typically and wonderfully craggy and snow-capped, jutted their pointy chins in defiance of the sky.
Travels
Finally, Laos!
I am feeling a bit better, however. Just splurged on a nice hotel -- stellar dining, swimming pool, down comforters (!) ... now I just have to find that $5 massage and I'm back to roughing it.
Travels
Snapshots Up
Internet's a bitch in China. Can't access blogspot, NY Times or other western media sources (well, the connection to them is so slow sometimes that it's not worth it).
Travels
Bus through Yunnan
There are some serious mountain ranges to cross on the road back from Deqin. At our highest point, we were about 3.5 miles above sea level. The road pretzeled and rhombused. At certain points, the mountains devoured the pavement, leaving only gravel and dirt.
Travels
Dallied Further
What he offered was something we could do on our own, so I declined. I gave him a chance, I thought. Then the surprise – the miracle – occurred. Instead of perseverance, I met affirmation. There was no pestering, no cheaper prices, no customization, and no further add-ons that I wouldn't want.
Travels
Dali-ying Around
In early mornings, the town shuddered to life. Women washed vegetables, laundry, and children in the murmuring streams. Grandmothers opened steaming tins of dumplings and set out large bowls of noodles.