MonGOLDia

It has been a long time. I shouldn't have left you. Without a dope beat to step to. Step 2. . .

So, there is no blogging allowed in China. To give a brief summary, I went to Shanghai for two days and to Beijing for two days. Both were big and city-like. Shanghai was teeming with westerners. I figured this must have been a recent change, but after seeing the Shanghai history museum, I learned that foreigners have been a huge part of Shanghai since the British invaded under the guise of the Opium War. It seemed a lot like - bully steals tomogachi pet from child. Takes care of pet. Returns pet once he realizes what it means for his social image to be cleaning up an electronic animals' crap.

The buildings were so fantastic, that I would believe it if China Air just strapped me into a virtual reality mask instead of actually letting me out of the airport. The food in China was killer. By that I mean, greasy enough to kill a small animal, but delicious enough to keep me largely coming back for more.

In Beijing I stayed at the Happy Dragon Hostel again. I had such a good time. I had a small room with two girls from Holland who agreed to walk around aimlessly with me for a few hours looking for food.

The last two days have been on the Trans-mongolian railroad. This was the most comfortable, amazing journey. Beautifully crafted mountains surrounded the train at first. These were followed by never ending grasslands and beautiful low level lakes. The terrain eventually rolled so gently that it would be called flat. The 10 foot tall phone lines are the only things that dare to mimic the dirt's path. Perhaps they remain standing as the Earth's gift to the lonely dark birds that trace the contors of the land, only landing in the thing shadows made by the posts.

En route: I saw a young boy, waist deep, trying to catch fish with his hands. The older boys sat on shore next to their sandy motorcycles and shared a cigarette.

I loved the train. My bunk mates were all amazing international women, travelling alone. They ranged in ages from 24 - 68. I felt so lucky to be a part of them. Travelling really puts you in touch with the wonderful parts of people.

I've heard that being lost activates the same pathways in your brain as falling in love - like meeting people at their best, when they are first feeling the excitement of falling in love. The best part is, the love is for something in which control is unattainable. Their love is without jealousy. It is a prideful, excited, willingness to learn.

This morning, I woke up at 4:29. The beginning rays of the sun stretched pink across the flatlands as I brushed my teeth, and I felt like I was the only one in the world lucky enough to witness it. I longed to share it with everyone.