How to leave rural China in style

Have a layover in Beijing and celebrate it HANGOVER style.

I didn't go to bed before dawn for the first four nights I arrived in civilization.

NIGHT 1

I arrived in Beijing from Lincang, dropped off my things, pinned back my hair and ran down the street via scary pedicab to meet with fellow revelers: Laura, Axel, Monica, Andrew, Sarah, Jonas, her bf who bought me menthols, Greg, Annie, and many many foreign strangers at the old faithful meeting place, First Floor. We rejoiced by eating Biteapitta and I quelled my bursting cravings for some baba ganoush. Sure we met some new friends, but after we finished our drinks there, we wandered around the Workers' Stadium before deciding on going to Latte. We made it up the gauche elevator before I was denied entry because I made the mistake of breaking my foot and taking care of it. The lady at the door literally denied me based on my disability then SHOVED me backward. Who shoves someone for the same reason that I've been denied entry into the club?

Through begging, Laura convinced Mo, me, Axel, and Andrew to pay 100 rmb cover to go to MIX and relive her college highs. I grumpily paid the cover before deciding that since I had already paid 100 rmb that I might as well enjoy myself. We drank a nasty shot of something disgusting that burned something awful and like magic, I was obliterated. This combined with Andrew's ability to leap up in the air RIGHT before the drop of a song... got me super excited and ready to dance the night away. Then, I captured the eye of a few Chinese girls who had access to Chivas and soon, it became a Chivas night. The best kind of night. The five of us ran up and down the floors of MIX, blocking exits and dancing in the way of many paths before settling on the pop music dance floor. Many goodies and oldies were played and we ended up exiting MIX at dawn.

I managed to convince a pedicab driver to drive me a very long distance by resting two glow sticks in the shape of an t over my face, the same shape as a ten in Chinese: see 十。 Apparently getting such a low price is unheard of and soon, I found out why. THE DRIVER WAS CRAZY. He kept trying to impress me back moving very quickly with no hands on the handlebars and no feet on the pedals. Much of Gongti was drunkenly walking and probably did not like their peace disturbed by my screams. Then, the driver asked me if I was sleeping alone. I answered by leaping off the seat of the cab and walked as quickly as my leg/boot could move.

NIGHT 2

Eat a delicious meal at a izakaya, a place that I would have picked and was happy to go to. Walk a mile in an effort to find a cab. Chug a Long Island while everyone else takes a shot. Befriend a guy by name of Merlin, ask him politely for the glasses on his face, take lots of pictures in them. Drink beers. Never meet the friends you promise to meet until the bars close where they are. Continue drinking, drink water. Go to 7Eleven. Love life. Wake up in time for NIGHT 3.

NIGHT 3

 

I unapologetically made my friends watch the Euro cup final where Spanish creamed Italy. Monica woke up from a nap and arrived by ten. She was sad until she saw how into it the other fans were. They were insane, the streets were filled with people.

  

They had life size cut outs and freshly bought ADIDAS/PUMA/NIKE fan shirts. It was amazing. I sat outside starting at 9 pm, to watch a game that started at 2:45 am, and ended up getting home around 6.  

 

This is what Sanlitun looks like at dawn. Peaceful, deserted and nice! I walked home in the fresh, unpolluted morning, and took a small nap before....

NIGHT 4

Sadly, I don't have any post-able photos from night 4. I went to Wudaokou for the first time, ate delicious pizza with May and the gang. I went to Propaganda for the first time. Another bar next door that's just like it but with better music... a place called WU bar, where we danced crazily alone on the dance floor for hours before peace-ing out at, you guessed it - dawn and returning home. 

MORE NIGHTS

The following nights, my last nights in China, for the foreseeable future. I'll let the photos say it all.  

See ya later, China!

Best response ever.

I need to stop making pronouncements like this. What I'm about to post is clearly an inside joke and perhaps you have to know both me and JB to know why this is awesome. I don't care. This response to my post has made me smile, almost laugh at loud - for about a week. I think it's worth sharing.

Click here if you want to learn about the many uses of Pedialyte.

Home sweet computer!

Hello world,

the view from three weeks on the road

After almost three weeks of being on the road, nothing feels better that lying in my own bed, watching a slew of decadent shows about unrealistic lives of con-men, police officers, and lawyers. I am shamelessly obsessed with three separate television shows about lawyers. Thanks, USA network!

Suits. Drop Dead Diva. Franklin and Bash (which is admittedly, a TNT show).

Suits because it's smart.
Drop Dead Diva because I'm supporting Georgia's economy by watching it.
Franklin and Bash because I will watch anything with Mark Paul.

Relaxation, achieved.