August 07, 2007

Yangshuo (CHINA)

Paying the Price for a Great Day

I was planning on doing a river cruise along the relaxing Li River today, but when I woke up at 8am I knew I would have to scrap those plans. There was hardly an ounce of energy in my body and I felt alarmingly exhausted. It was likely a mixed result of yesterday's over-night bus (where I hardly managed an hour of sleep), over 40km of bicycle riding, climbing Yueliang Shan, and then the long night of partying (where I forgot the Golden Rule: beer before liquor makes your sicker). Whatever the case, I spent the entire day sleeping, and it wasn't until 7pm that I finally emerged from my dungeon of darkness.

For dinner, I went out with Francesca for noodles at a local shop, and then we walked the town with Theresa, Ali, and a Japanese girl named Fumiko. I was still severely out of sorts, so we relaxed while drinking cool milk tea (mine had red beans, peanuts, and tapioca balls mixed in it). Then, Francesca, Theresa and I sat at a cafe overlooking a lake and chatted until a little after 1am. Theresa was leaving the following day, so I said a sorrowful goodbye to her, and promised to visit her home in Salzburg, Austria. Oddly enough, this is where Arsenal does their pre-season training, so I will do everything in my power to both see her again and watch the team train.

Of all the aspects of traveling, it is saying goodbye to people that often makes life the most difficult.