Yesterday Once More
Yay! I made it. Well, sort of. I’m in Datong. After the message this morning I was able to find the bus station by myself, (how very grown-up of me, eh?), and catch a 1100 bus for Datong. Forget whatever I said about Beijing being dirty. I am now in my third Chinese city and it has been progressively worse. But I’m here, so I have that going for me.
The bus ride here was much nicer than the Calcutta-esque trip I took yesterday. It really was an amazing journey. Over 300km almost all with crops growing but not a single piece of farm equipment. The highway itself was a beauty of engineering and maintenance. Apparently almost all of their intra-continent shipping is handled by rail so big rigs are almost non-existent. We passed through a tunnel at one point that was nearly 3km. Like a total tourist I was taking pictures out the window. Bet you can’t wait to see those.
For now I am sharing a two bedroom flat, (not the deal but for all the apparent griping I AM IN CHINA!), with Jed and Dan. Jed seems pretty cool, from Portland so he is pretty kick back. I haven’t met Dan but I hear he is a self-proclaimed ‘eccentric’, so that should be interesting.
[The Carpenters, ‘Yesterday Once More’ just went into the fifth consecutive play since I began this]
It looks like I am all play and no work until at least the 8th as that is when the National Holiday ends. [every sha-la-la-la] Good thing I am well practiced at that vigorous a schedule.
The word from Jed is that the boss, Rian, is in Fuzhou scouting a school location where the three new arrivals may be headed. Coastal living? Yeah, I’ll take that. Plus, you know, I’m in China!
Okay, the cigarette smoke and The Carpenters are killing me.
[every shing-a-ling-a-ling]
The Marine Corps motto is Semper Fidelis which means Always Faithful. We used to joke Semper Gumby to try to remember to be Always Flexible. It still applies.
If some of you are thinking I am pretty relaxed for all that has gone on, well, I am.
Thanks for your thoughts and I’m thinking of you.
– Olen
[when I was young I listened to the radio . . . ]