As the deadline approaches...

...I get more and more stressed out.

Friends, imagine if you were doing a DR and then had to switch topics midway but still had to do the same amount of fieldwork. That is my situation where I switched organizations midway through since the first one gave me an over a week-long vacation to do nothing. My previous supervisors did not seem interested one bit in helping me develop my studies, so after waiting for them to return to the office (2-3 days after they said they would), I packed up my bags and left. Thankfully, another organization has taken me under their wing and are much more enthusiastic about helping. This, unfortunately, does not change my deadline.

My only solace is going to a cafe, a 4-yuan drive away, and sitting down amongst my thoughts and constant searching for useful articles.

---

Edit: OK, finally got out of my own world to address the earthquake that just happened. I guess I just feel relieved that my classmates and I are all OK. The organization I am working with is organizing a relief effort amongst ten universities in our province. Hopefully, I will be able to assist with the relief effort in any way I can. Condolences go out to anyone injured by the disaster or those who know people who have been.

End.

虎跳峡 - Tiger Leaping Gorge

I'm really glad I didn't have to wear these shoes when I went hiking. They died a while ago and the duct tape only lasted so long when the right sole is about to split in half. RIP Chacos.


Pictures from Tiger Leaping Gorge...(really quickly edited, sorry no time!)

The Yangze River


This one was sunbathing before I surprised it. Someone ID please?


View of the sunset from the guesthouse

Random mountain goats the next morning


Found this skinker while climbing back up the mountain after taking the wrong path. ID?


Local woman and her horses

All and all, TLG was worth the two-day hike. The 28 Bends (aka switchbacks) were a pain but offered great views of the gorge and the Yangze River. The first day was the hardest, a 6-hour hike mostly uphill on gravel road and dirt trails. The next day I accidentally took the wrong path down the mountain and had to go up again, adding two extra hours to the normally 3-4 hour traverse and then downhill. Could've been my poor map-reading skills or the lack of signs. Still worth it.

Next post - Meili Snow Mountain.

So clearly...

...it's not a good idea to drink before acclimating to a higher elevation. Unfortunately, I was too tired yesterday to be intelligible after a hard morning hike where I took the wrong path down a mountain and had to go up again. Well, after all that and a three-hour bus ride, I thought I well-deserved a cold beer. Later last night, I regretted it.

I spent all day recovering from a hard hike with I'm pretty sure 30lbs. I don't know why my backpack is that heavy. I will drop off some stuff before doing my next hike. Will post pictures soon. Hurray for Labor Day week off.

And if anyone's curious how my project is going, it's not!

Things that remind me of dry 07

... drinking a cold stubbie of VB on my birthday
... randomly seeing a Boney M CD in a music shop
... cringing at the mention of 'Balderdash'
... [possibly] hearing bats squabble at night
... reading the word 'acacia' in a book
... playing Spider Solitaire while waiting for the internet to load
... hearing a bunch of Aussies mention, 'The Great Australian Wave' on a bus ride
... noticing that an older man, from Queensland, in aforementioned group was wearing stubbies, a t-shirt, and a vest, Landcare-style....

...and may there be many more.