Adventures in Kunming and Beyond

The daunting task of packing has begun. It’s a two-part process. One for going home and the other for my upcoming month-long backpacking trip. In both cases, all odds are against me and I’m pretty sure that everyone who knows me well is sure they’re going to make some money off betting against me. I will admit, the odds are pretty strongly against me. In the way of packing to go home, I for whatever reason, ended up with three large bags here. Of course, the airlines will only let me take two home, and probably only if I pay (of course they’d instigate a rule like that now that I want to get mass amounts of things across the world!). But of course, I don’t want to lug my every last belonging with me on the backpacking trip. Oh, and did I mention that my residency permit expires halfway through the trip? That’s why I can’t just leave everything in China and come back for it. And, visa rules have gone out of control with the Olympics, so trying to get a visa to come in during that time is more trouble than it’s worth. Ugh. After much searching and begging anybody’s brother’s cousin’s grandma who lives in Hong Kong to take my bags for a month, a solution did present itself, but with a catch. I can leave my bags at a reputable hotel in Hong Kong (the starting and ending point of the trip)  for $5 US/each per day. Adds up over a month. So, if I only take my two suitcases, that means one must go in the other so I only get charged for one bag. So basically, I’m packing a year’s worth of things into one small suitcase. See my anxiety??? And then there’s the backpacking. I’m feeling ok about that. I’ve had a few trial runs on shorter trips throughout the year, so I think I’ve learned a few lessons. But this time, it’s for a month. Overpacking is likely. But, I’m optimistic. A year ago at this time, I told someone that if I accomplish anything in China, it’s going to be multifunctionalism (is that a word?). I’m going to be one of those backpacker-chic people who can make a sarong into a dress, headwrap, skirt and hell, a raft. Ok, probably a stretch, but I’m going to try really hard to be practical and reasonable. We’ll see.

Oh, and the trip itinerary is tentatively:

Kunming–> Shenzhen–>Hong Kong–> Macau–> Vietnam–> Laos–> Cambodia–> Bangkok (then flying to HKG and then home on August 14)

Malaysia and Singapore were on the wish list, but I don’t think time will allow. However, since we’re travelling during the rainy season, maybe we’ll hurry through all of the beach destinations we’ve scheduled. Maybe that weather knowledge should persuade me to only pack a swimming suit and flip flops since other clothes would be pointless in a typhoon.

I’m offiicially finished with school!! In a weird way, it’s kind of like graduating all over again…except of course I wasn’t a student this time and oh yeah, I was in China. Everything went a lot smoother than I imagined. No cheaters. Hardly anyone failed my classes. Bizarre. Miracles do happen.

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