Guilin. China
7.5.2007 - 5.6.2007
Jindezhen - Guilin
All together: 4.081 km = 268 ur 53 min
“The task we must set for ourselves is not to feel secure, but to be able to tolerate insecurity. Erich Fromm
If you take all things in prospective…it seems like Guilin is sooo far away. Every day new stories are written and new moments are lived and new experinace to be had.
My bike/way took me to Jiangxi and Hunan. The weather skipped the spring over here, so the summer is in its full hit.In the morning it’s only 30 Degrees C so afternoon nap is a MUST. Slowly day by day I am moving towards South. China is showing itself in its full potential, when people/ people’s hand are still (slaving) on rice fields or while cleaning the garbage/ digging in the mine… WHY? The answer is simple. TO SURVIVE.
Just a note East Coast is soo different compare to developed poorer parts of other China..
After 10.000 cycled km on the road, I was invited to stay at somebody’s home. It happened, Chinese people welcomed a stranger on the bike/ a girl from far, far away to their house. And I was pleasantly surprised, the same thing happened during following few days, too.
It so happened I saw a car accident/ due to which it led me to visit the Secondary School, latter on I was even invited to be a guest in an Army School.
I had around 17 speeches at Secondary School…just to enlighten everybody how this all looks; ONE Class/ one Speech/ around 80 pupils. …I have to say it was very, very tiring, but when you see all those faces listening to you with their eyes wide open, from 7.00 am to 22.30 pm at night, it makes it worth while. During the brakes I even got my own pair of Sneakers. WHY- it’s ball time/ basketball time! Everybody plays/ girls and boys/ everybody plays with their soul..and they are so damn fair. Every point counts! (it’s like in USA, while playing ball over there). Basketball is the most popular sport/ followed by table tennis and badminton. And at the end of the day/ some good music and singing is followed, still know some tunes from my “scouts time”. And when 100 pupils learns one of my songs, it feels so good. You only want that moment to last forever!
Later I was invited to the Army School too….I got invited, just after they saw me cycling on the bike. They followed me si I had to stop.
In the School the same story starts,…I had to tell them who am I, where I am coming from…..but what a difference, everybody is so quiet so serious, so still…..you could here the mice tip toeing. That is so called Army discipline and manner. When the principal passes everybody is quiet. He is respected man. Towards me he shows a new / warm face. For good bye I received my own Army suit……somewhere in the middle of China
Schools in general are in such bad conditions.
The way to Guilin was by the day more nicer/ more impressing. The nature shows its beauty over here.
In Guilin I stayed with Kate from UK and Nepheli from Greece. I met them on www.Couchsurfing.org . It feel so nice, to escape and be with somebody from Europe/ so good. We spent a few nice evenings chatting/ making pancakes/ relaxing. I did not need to think where my bike is/ how much will it cost, what am I allowed to say, think and be understood at the same time.
While staying in Guilin I went cruising around, by the river Lijiang towards Xingping..Yangshua. You could cycle for weeks over here…so beautiful landscape. You cycle on small pebble paths and end up bathing in the rivers. What else can your heart desire. You could call it a perfect day!
Every good thing needs to come to an end….and I had to move on, too..
June 27th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Marija,
What wonderful experiences you are having. Europe is so boring compared to Asia! I am sure that the children in the school would have been very happy to hear you speak. Keep going strong.
Rob