Back in the Saddle

No, not the writing saddle. The traveling saddle.

Tomorrow morning early (6AM???!!!???) I will get up and prepare for a weeklong road trip with my traveling pal, Gary. He has to take his car down south and has invited me along for the ride. Why he always has to go so early is a mystery. I think he is deliberately trying to adjust my body clock to a conventional rhythm. I like it just the way it is, but I guess I’ll have to get used to rising early anyway, when the school year starts.

In the meantime…

We will visit at least 4 towns on the way, and finish in Shanghai, where he and I will part company. He will stay and do some part time work with another company and I will take the train back. Or, maybe I’ll take the train somewhere else and do some more exploring. May as well, as long as I’m on the road.

That means that this blog will once again be on hiatus. That’s not a bad thing. After all, it is a blog about travel and Chinese culture and I have to live it to write it, don’t I? So, I’m living it, and I will write it.

While out on the road I will be pondering some finer points for a trilogy of entries that I’ve been researching about elder care, advances in women’s resources and children’s enrichment activities in China compared to America.

That idea came to me when I visited several facilities in America. I wondered what China had to offer its senior citizens, how far women have come in society and what this country has to offer children in the way of extracurricular and socialization activities. With school being out for another month, Gary being otherwise engaged and Sam and my other colleagues/friends being unavailable for interviews, I was at a loss on how to research these topics effectively.

And then there was something buzzing around my skull about eastern versus western religious art. Are you wondering where I’m going to take that one?

I have drafts, not ready to publish yet. I want to make sure my information is correct. So, you see, my friends, I have not been idle.

But now, I’m taking a break again. Time to hit the road, live the life and report on what I see and experience.

Let’s meet back here in one week. Till then, consider these fat Chinese.

See you soon!