Mount Everest, here I come!

This may be my last blog for a while (well, I should be back in a week, so if I'm not...). Gan bei to an ongoing trip filled with crazy people, strange stories, scarce oxygen for my lungs, and infinite number of risky yet exhilirating mini-adventures.

Check out http://www.everestnews.com/everest3.htm, as it will be my "blogger.com" replacement. Haha jk. Well, I mean, it is really only a big pile of rocks...

M

Nam-tso

IMG_0811
Originally uploaded by raindrop52.

Check out the pictures -- there's a ton, but I don't think I need to title each. They describe themselves.

I just let out a huge cough and waved my hands around in the air because this loud guy sitting next to me is smoking into my nose and mouth. I don't care if he sees me typing this.

Tips on bargaining for those who may need it:

1). Bargaining is an art, not a science. It's theatre, as is negotiating. Put on a face, mutter something, and test out what the vendor is thinking.

2). Less is not more. If you find a seller who has multiple objects/trinkets you want, then package those up and negotiate a price through the high quantity. You can lower the individual prices of the items.

3). Name a price around 75% lower than the selling price. Usually, the right range is around 50-60% anyway, so if you start out lower, you can work your way up slightly. If they're satisified with that 75% asking price, then, good job, or, oops, you could have gone lower.

4). The other guy is selling it for $$$. If you name a price and the current seller declines it, then let them know Bob, two aisles over, was selling it to you for $$$ amount. No, it's not lying, because you did actually visit that vendor. Only thing is, Bob's Buddha figurine was made of copper, not bronze.

5). Leave some cash at home. This will help you budget and be selective. Plus, if someone sells you something for X amount, you can always say, "No, it has to be this much less, because it's all I got." It's worked for me three times so far.

6). Don't be afraid to walk away. They'll throw their fishing line at you and crank you back in. Like I said, it's an art; you're the actor, making a scene, so let things flow until there are two winners.

Holes and Thoughts

Cutest kid, Tenzin
Originally uploaded by raindrop52.

Lhasa is kicking my ass so far in the following ways:

1) Altitude. I'm finally getting used to the 12,000 plus feet, but man, was it tough to sleep and move the first night. I wasn't too happy about my beer-drinking tolerance either.

2) Traffic. I walked to school this morning (~50 min. walk vs. 10 min. bus ride) and on my way back from the Yogurt Festival (see pics). During those walks, I nearly got run over by bicycle peddler men and yak trucks. This truly is survival of the fittest.

3) Bowel movements. This is associated with the Tibetan cuisine, or food in Tibet, in general. Until last night, I thought I had a cast iron stomach. Boy was I wrong. After a dinner with the two Sichuan guys I met the first night, plus their military buddies (yes, I found this out during dinner that they all served in Lhasa for about five years), I got back to my room, only to be tortured in the stomach for the next seven hours. That was not fun, and that leads to my next point...

4) Bathrooms. I would definitely tell anyone from a developed country who comes to any developing country to leave that word behind at home. Instead, they should ask where the hole in the ground is. And I'm not talking about the higher-end porcelain holes in the ground, but rather, I'm referring to actual holes in the dirt ground. Make sure to bring extra toilet paper, kleenex, towels, or underwear, if it comes to that (no comment from personal experience).

I can clearly see the mixture of cultures here in Lhasa. There is a Han Chinese part of the city in addition to the older, Tibetan Lhasa. I've been trying to stay in the Tibetan area and buying souvenirs and goods from them. A lot of Sichuan and other Chinese people or entrepreneurs are moving here to take advantage of the booming tourist market. I hope it doesn't take over the place. There's already a strong Chinese government presence everywhere one goes. There are guards standing at every other large intersection.

While I'm strolling along the streets in my designer jeans and DCFC concert shirt (but with a newly bought 8 rmb watch), I glance around to see a 50-year old man carrying a two-year old, asking for money. I see pilgrims in their simple outfits, kneeling on the wet stone ground, praying for not a few minutes, but a few hours. Today, a boy even grabbed a hold of my right leg and would not let go until I gave him money, even if it was a cent. I really didn't want to, because it would only aggravate the situation of him thinking making those moves equals free money. Anyhow, I gave in, and gave him a cent. A cent.

Are these people geniunely content or tryingly complacent? This question spins in my head more and more over time. It's not such a simple question nor does it have an easy answer. Sure, all cities across the world have the homeless, beggars, middle class, etc. But what is really going through the head of the woman who prays while it rains? What keeps Tenzin, an eight-year old orphan boy, motivated to stay at the school, but not run away? Or the man selling antiques and turquoise jewelry day after day, after day?

I think it's all about knowledge. Knowledge is power, knowledge makes the world a bigger place, knowledge is a weapon, knowledge can be manipulated. Truly, we live in a fortunate place with everything at our fingertips. I probably could live like that woman praying had I grown up in a place such as Tibet, Nepal, or Africa. But I've seen larger that that sliver of the world, and once it's opened, it can't really ever close.

Okay, time for dinner. It's raining again yet the sun is still shining.

P.S. I <3 western toilets.

Lhasa, Tibet

Wonder what mobile carrier he uses
Originally uploaded by raindrop52.

After an overheated van, yak noodle soup & butter salt tea, and a few bottles of water, I finally made it into Lhasa. Though everyone told me to relax and rest, I obviously, did not and could not do that. Instead, I wandered off to the courtyard of my hostel to check out the board that has a bunch of trekking trips posted, where I ended up meeting two Sichuan guys. I was about to head off to the Barkhor Market to shop for little trinkets, but they asked me if they join. So, on we went.

The night continued on, going monastery hopping from the Johkang to the Potola and back. Despite my travel book's precautions, I ended up joining the others in a hot pot feast paired with some local Lhasa beer. So, many of you know that I can probably handle around four or five beers. After about two shots worth of this (these guys or maybe Asians in general, drink their beers in shot glasses), I started feeling a bit light-headed. But the hot pot kept me going.

Anyway, I got zero sleep last night. The altitude affects probably kicked in around then. But this morning, I was ready to go with my New Zealand roomie and volunteer, to the school to go teach Engrish.

There was no training or time for adjustment to the students, school, or teaching style. Instead, I got a packet of flashcards and my schedule, and was quick to stand up front with chalk in hand, speaking to the children in Mandarin and English. It's amazing how these eight year olds to 15 year-olds are learning three languages all at the same time: Tibetan, Mandarin, and English. It definitely helps my case to know Mandarin.

These second graders were absolutely adorable, not to mention, loud and hyper. I taught them "opposites," such as full and empty, happy and sad, float and sink, etc. It was definitely an exhausting day as I was trying to get everyone involved and attempting to control these little kids.

In the afternoon, three other German volunteer females joined Kay and me. We worked with about five children, with jump ropes, hula hoops, puzzles, play-do, you name it. One of my favorites is this eight-year old kid named Tenzin Nobu, who was dressed like he was ready to go to a hip hop lounge. In between cleaning his nose full of snot and helping him get dressed (his jeans were really loose so he had to tie some scarf around it), we chatted in half Mandarin and half English, and also made some play-do bracelets. Very cute.

I'm exhausted now, and ready to pass out for a little bit. I'm proud to say that I no longer walk around without toilet paper, hand sanitizer, or sunglasses around here. And I'm just getting used to these toilets. Mmm. Fun times.

Chengdu, China

Cute
Originally uploaded by raindrop52.

Ever since I was in second grade, I loved pandas. I wrote the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) so I could get some pamphlets and materials for a report. I guess it's been pretty cool to be able to check these cute guys out over the years. And there's only 190 pandas in zoos/accessible these days!

I thought I'd spend the whole day alone, but the driver who picked me up from the airport was actually my personal driver. He accompanied and drove me to all the sightseeing spots today, even taking me to a local Chengdu 'xiao tzi dian.' It was really good, and only $2.50 total for 12 dishes, per person. Today has been a stark contrast between China and Japan. Some are good (e.g. cheaper transportion, food, goodies, etc.), some are not so good (e.g. more squatting for the bathroom, last man standing/survival of the fittest while walking/driving on the roads, etc.). Overall, this city is what I expected to be -- bustling, crowded, hot, and very Chinese. I can probably count non-Asian, even non-Chinese tourists, on one hand. One thing I did not expect was the difference in Mandarin compared to the way it is spoken in the east. It sounds like a mix of a Shanghainese and Beijing accent; it's loud and fast, with tongue curls here and there.

My driver, Yen si fu, gave me the low-down on all things Chengdu. We got to talking about local businesses and how he's seen the rise of foreign companies, especially franchises, such as Starbuck's. He also mentioned that there are a lot more Taiwanese companies setting up shop as well as newly renovated places to allow for local business ventures. He asked me what I do for a living, but given my Mandarin-speaking level, I could not find the right word for "consulting." Alas, I just told him I try to fix problems. Haha.

I leave for Lhasa tomorrow. I'm super stoked, but also in wonder of how strong the sun is and how the high altitude will affect me. I should be okay, but I'm going to take it easy the first couple of days. I know that with the opening of the train into Lhasa this past July 1, there are a lot more foreign tourists in Tibet. It is saddening to me that more and more of this environmental harm and "cultural genocide" that the Dalai Lama describes it as, is becoming more real. At the same time, it is true that with the train, comes more people, who carry more money, and as a result, strengthens the Tibetan economy. I'll see while I'm there, though, I'll be keeping anything political outside the borders of the PRC and the Roof of the World.

Seoul, Korea

Seoul - IIA
Originally uploaded by raindrop52.

I'm sitting here at a free internet kiosk at Incheon International Airport in Seoul, Korea, as I have about five hours of time to kill before my flight to Chengdu, China. As I was walking here, some airport employee driving in one of those little cars, circling the gates, saw me with my huge pack and asked me to hop on. Sweet! Man that thing cruises. My hair was blowing so hard I had to pull it up.

I've been to this airport before; it's huge and the free internet is a definite plus. It's nice to connect with the online world again, without having to rush off to see some shrine or to climb a mountain. There's also this Korean soap opera playing on a huge LG plasma screen next to me. I can tell from the crying girl and cheesy music (of which I think I may have a few collections of) that this drama is another one of those tear-jerker, sentimental, overly dramatic series. This airport probably tops my list for most entertaining. Haha.

I haven't slept for over 30 hours...again. We went out all night/morning again last night (pictures to come, of course), came straight back to Andrew's so I could pack, then bolted to the train station for Narita. In the process, I left behind my hiking stick: Steph or Andrew, if you happen to read this, can one of you please ship it to me? That thing is pretty hot. All those stamps showing the elevation I climbed is pretty awesome. I'm going to hang it up on my wall.

Alright, time to check out the duty-free shops.

Kyoto

Lady in a kimono
Originally uploaded by raindrop52.

Kyoto is a breathtaking and captivating city in Japan. Despite having spent only a day there, we managed to spot a geisha, eat traditional food, take some beautiful pictures of the mountains, temples, and shrines, and reward ourselves with some green tea ice cream. Stephanie and I came to the realization that the bus is a truly affordable mode of transportation, and you can hit up dozens of temples and shrines by taking different bus routes, all for 500 yen in one day. I'm a huge fan of Kyoto.

For the past week, we've eaten Japanese food everyday. Now, some of you may know that I love food, and love taking pictures of food. Japanese food is one of my favorites, so I could more than survive in this country. However, if you are on the Atkins diet or South Beach diet, or whatever cool, hip low-carb diet the current hot celeb is on, you'll be left with good sashimi and seaweed, but missing out on ramen, udon, tempura, and much more. Look around, and people aren't obese or overweight like the 60%+ that are in the states. That's because, as you've rightly guessed, they have a tangible sense of portion sizes. Like Chinese food, there is a ton of variety in one meal. But, somewhat different from the Chinese cuisine, portion sizes are a lot smaller (as shown in the pic). Plus, man, do they walk a lot! And do they sweat a lot! Within an hour of the time I stepped out of Andrew's AC-ed apartment, it'd feel like I was in an outdoor sauna.

Anyway, Americans need to eat more like the Japanese. But there are still many smokers in Japan. There were hardly any non-smoking restaurants, nor restaurants that divided smokers and non-smokers. It's a shame.

I'm quite impressed with ourselves that we've been able to get around Japan without many issues. Being able to read the kanji is extremely helpful, but I think we've mastered a few vocabulary words and head nods. I guess I'm not totally lost in translation, but I am looking forward to arriving in China, where I can finally understand and speak the language (some would beg to differ, namely, my mom).

Fuji-san

So cold I snuggled in my sleeping bag
Originally uploaded by raindrop52.

Enjoy.

Shibuya

Consider yourselves one of the first people to hear that I am alive and well. After 8.5 hours of climbing up and down a volcano in the middle of the night, in moonlight, fog, sleet, rain, and blazing sun, I can now say that I have summited Japan's highest mountain. I won't go into extensive detail as the pictures clearly explain it in more than 10,000 words. The lack of sleep, cold and hot weather, and thin air (slight dizziness) almost made me walk off the mountain, yeah, no joking.

But let me tell you, the sunrise at 4:30 am was incredible. I got up there a little over an hour before it, so was shivering in the biting cold. Fortunately, I carried my sleeping bag in my pack so took that baby out and held myself dearly. I bought a $5 coffee and a $20 bowl of ramen; they were the best coffee and ramen I have ever had, in my life. Between shouts of "oohs" and "ahhhs," I managed to take about 100 pictures of the sun rising up from behind the clouds. Pictures to be posted soon.

The Japanese people have been so kind, welcoming, and positive so far. Not only do they greet people with a kind hello or thank you, but they carry extremely positive attitudes. They do not seem to whine or complain about their jobs, instead, they are patient, helpful with directions, and friendly. In the states, I seem to see much more people with negative attitudes of "why do I have to be doing this" or "when can I go home damnit."

And did I mention how much Japanese people love their cell phones? Whether it's on the train, in a bus, on the road, or atop Mt. Fuji, they find time to text message, chat, or play games on their mobile. Quite funny, but true, they are the cellular capital of the world, along with China.

More pics soon. Tomorrow, we're heading to Shinjuku in search for a spa and sake.

First night in Tokyo

Originally uploaded by raindrop52.

More pictures from the weekend and week later this week...

Tokyo

I stepped off the plane, went through customs, and made my way out of the airport. With a fat smile on my face, I was excited to be greeted by Andrew, my Japanese-Italian friend, who I haven't seen for two years. An hour later, an excited Stephanie rolled out, and so we were on our way.

With a quick shower and a change of clothes back at Andrew's, the three of us, plus Jo, who met up with us from Kamakura, began our never-ending "night." We walked a few blocks down to tsukino shizuku (月の雫) to eat a meal that ended up looking like a Safeway grocery list on our final receipt. The restaurant specializes in tofu; we ate several dishes of differently cooked tofu - all excellent, soft, and fresh. Andrew and Jo also ordered us plum wine and green tea drinks, which were fabulous. After about four rounds, we headed out to meet Andrew's girlfriend, Soyoung, in Roppongi, so we could continue our first wild night out in Tokyo.
Once in Roppongi, we hit up a few places that were empty so we finally ended up at Vanilla. The place was huge; there was a techno room and a hip hop dance floor. We alternated between the two, but without much luck on finding a cool, uncrowded area. In the techno room, we quickly caught on with the song lyrics, consisting of "ohhhhhhhhh yeah! yeah! yeah! yeah!" At the end of the night, aside from our Reef sandals, you couldn't tell us apart from the local Japanese kids.

But the night didn't end there. Andrew decided it was time to show us how to karaoke in Japan. After some negotiating and bargaining with a few different karaoke vendors (they don't really budge on price), we picked a place for 19 yen per person for an hour. As we sang through Madonna, Backstreet Boys, Japanese songs Steph and I didn't know, Mariah Carey and Beatles, we quickly decided to tack on another hour of sexy solos and high-pitched boy band hits, which left our throats quite dry and tired.
But the night didn't end there. Again, Andrew decided it was time to show us how the Japanese eat breakfast. Sushi breakfast. Yes, at 6am, after a night out painting the town. But let me tell you, this was the best sushi I have ever had, period. We ate uni, samon, maguri, scallop, tuna, you name it. We also had an extremely tasty crab soup. After 8900 yen, we decided to call it a night. And that's after having been up for 36 hours straight. Go team!

Alright, time to get ready for the Imperial Palace and Ginza.

Sashimi, pandas, and yak, here I come!

tokyonight
Originally uploaded by raindrop52.

Many of you have heard me talk endlessly about my travel plans to Japan and China. Well, this Friday, I finally embark on this four-week adventure. I'll first be going to Japan, then off to Tibet, where I'll be spending some time working at a children's orphanage in Lhasa. Aside from bringing a backpack and sleeping bag, I am bringing myself and my new baby.

Last month rolled by rather quickly, though work wasn't terribly chaotic, life kept me pretty entertained and occupied. My strained IT band has healed from April's marathon, so I've started running again, biking, and playing some sports here and there. I've also been juggling a few side work projects, attending the usual bi-weekly concerts (just saw Bloc Party for the second time at the Greek Theatre, check out kewlio for pics), and all the while, loading up my new Gregory pack with bug spray, sunscreen, hydrogen peroxide, and socks.

Japan is an enthralling place I know I could never get bored of. It will be a mix of chillin' with good friends, trekking up mountains, seeing amazing sights, breathing in tradition and custom, and of course, eating lots of interesting cuisines. I'm also looking forward to visiting my panda friends in Chengdu, exploring the Himalayas, and helping the children in "the roof of the world," Tibet.

I'll have occasional access to the net, so keep your eyes peeled for posts from me.

Cheers,
M