China's Many Faces - Final Thoughts and Postcard Shots

Only a day since our last post but there's not too much to do in Nanning. Since we hit the Vietnam Consulate on Friday, we're stuck here over the weekend so I figured I'd take the time to sum up some of our thoughts.

It was a month of ups and downs. From cab drivers refusing to take our fares in Beijing to a complete stranger introducing herself in the middle of the street, handing us fruit as a good will gesture and welcoming us to her city just last night. Seeing the many faces that China had to offer, we've realized that it is just like many countries across the world. It has its own little nuances that are strange to foreigners, but that is why WE are called foreigners. Speaking of which, the country is relatively young in the tourist industry and therefore it's people are still unfamiliar with seeing white people in certain provinces. In Yangshou for instance, Erin had to adjust to people stopping her in the middle of the street requesting that they have their photo taken with her - this did not happen just once either.
It has it's poor areas surrounded by modernization. It has it's rude people and it's genuinely kind hearted people. It had it's hard side
and it had it's more humorous side.
In short, you can never categorize an entire nation when running through it for one month. Yes we had SOME difficult times but these were OUR expirences. We spoke with many others who were totally enamored of the country a majority of the time and were on their 3rd go around of visiting - this was THEIR expirience. We are thankful for our expiriences and the different faces and consider ourseleves lucky to have had the opportunity.


Some of the different modes of transportation that we expireienced - Sleeper train, soft seat train, bikes, sleeper buses, horse and boat.


Also, I am extremely thankful for Erin and our relationship. I can honestly say that we have not had any knock 'em out - drag down fights. When you spend 24/7 (figuratively AND literally) with someone in a foreign country and you find yourself in a difficult situation, the first person that often feels the brunt of your frustrations is - guess who (ironically it is also often the one that you cherish the most). Erin and I have had our disagreements but in no way are they any where close to some of the fights that we had when we travelled through South East Asia (9 months) back in '96 (or even when we didn't travel for that matter). We've really grown and I like the fact that I have become dependent on her for many things. Thanks babe for being the best travel companion and for putting up with me. I never thought that it would go so smooth. I love you.

FMP


Parting "post card shots" (IMHO) . Click on the photo to enlarge.