R & R
Hong Kong to Shanghai, China
In Australia it was at a friend’s house in Townsville watching movies and eating junk food. In Europe it was at a cheap Czech hotel in Prague watching Euro MTV. Now, in Asia, it is at my friend’s apartment in Shanghai, China reading books and writing in journals.
Sometimes, along the road, there needs to be a place to rest and relax.
Traveling, though it may seem like ceaseless fun, and it is, it also can take a lot out of a person. Every two to three days all our belongings, our lives, are stuffed back into the packs as we head to the next destination by air, by sea, or by land, which was how we got to Shanghai. A 23 hour train ride took us north and east from Hong Kong where masses of people mingled in every direction between buildings that were high and temperatures that were higher. We stayed in a mansion, at least that’s what they called it. It was more like a tenement building in the projects with its 17 stories, bleak gray exterior, and tiny rooms that were 10-foot by 10-foot with a bathroom, barely large enough to turn around, two beds, and not much else. The air-con unit, advertised by the owner, only slightly stirred the hot, humid air. My sleep was still segmented because of the uncomfortable bed, the heat, and mysterious critters crawling on my body. Two nights there and we were ready to leave.
Our visas for China came just after an all-you-can-eat Indian meal and only an hour before the departure of our train bound for Shanghai.
Upper bunks were all that was left in the sleeper car. Nearly a full day in a train may sound unbearable, but it passed, in time, just like anything else. I read a book, took a nap, and played Scrabble with Brad. At one point in the game a young Chinese boy came up to us and pet our arms because most of his countrymen do not have arm hair and this intrigued him. Later he noticed the letters on the board and recited the alphabet in English.
Like camping under a star filled night with your parents, everyone went to bed with the setting of the sun around 7:30 and only the young were up. Just us. Our nap and normal bedtime kept us up late into the night.
It was a full moon.
Writers sometimes add that detail in an attempt to set a certain mood. But in this case it was true. A full moon and my full mind to match. The moon in its entirety means different things to me at different times. That moon meant the passage of time. A full lunar cycle has gone by since we arrived in Thailand in time for the Full Moon party on Ko Phangan. It has now been a month ago, a light year ago, yesterday.
Since that full moon, what have I learned? How am I different? Have I changed? Questions that I always ask and usually go unanswered.
Before sleep overtook me, I pondered these things. Not much else to do in the dark while everyone else is asleep. My thoughts melted into a collage of dreams. Then it was morning, we were nearly in Shanghai.
And ready to rest and relax.
Posted in travel - international, travel
