Challenge Accepted: An Act of Kindness

Tonight, I decided to take a cab back to my apartment. It is usually a 35-ish kuai cab ride, depending on the traffic. I hopped in the cab, told him to take me to Qing Hua Dong Lu. Normally, I have to say it a few times (my tones are terrible) before they understand what I am saying. This time I didn't have to repeat myself. When learning a new language, moments like this are confidence boosters. The small achievements are what bring the most satisfaction, like yelling at the fuwuyuan (waiter) to bring you another pot of tea, with no hesitation. This was a milestone moment for me. I knew I had a thirty minute commute to look forward to, so I decided to continue reading one of the books I started: The Happiness Project. I had just finished reading about the author's Ninth Commandment, to "Lighten up", when I realized that the taxi driver, was in fact, taking me to Qing Hua University not Qing Hua Dong Lu.  I did my best to tell him that he was taking to the wrong place, but he assured me that he knew where he was going. Five minutes later, I asked him to turn around and follow my directions. I was calm when trying to convey my concerns to him; I took it as an opportunity to practice my Chinese. More often than not, taxi drivers will try to take you the long way home to run the meter, but when he realized that he was taking me to the wrong place, he turned off the meter. We were another five minutes from my apartment and my cab fare was 46 kuai. I was slightly annoyed by his reluctance to listen to me, but having just read the "lighten up" section of my novel, I felt like this was a good opportunity to exercise this point.

I told the driver that it was no problem and we laughed about his misunderstanding. I was impressed that he turned the meter off well before we arrived at my apartment. I had every intention of giving him 50 kuai and leaving the change with him. It's not customary to tip in China, but I felt that he genuinely felt bad. I handed him the money, told him meiwenti (no problem) and started to exit the cab. He turned around and hollered at me, I was a little confused, and he gave me back 10 kaui. He wouldn't take my money and to my astonishment, he didn't even charge me the full 46 kuai fare. He payed 6 kuai out of his own pocket. Normally, taxi drivers are unfriendly but not this one. I wanted to leave him something for being a sincere person, and instead, he did me a service - an act of kindness.

My Tick List

I make lists for just about everything. It helps me to organize my thoughts, and I love crossing things off any list.  I often have those 'I'd love to do that someday' moments, and I either write it down on a random piece of paper and lose it, or forget to write it down. This is an attempt at an amalgamation of my previous lists. I have accomplished a few items and am currently working on a few things.

The purpose of writing this list, for me, is to dream big and be inspired. Each day brings something new and inspirational. I don't want to get bogged down with 'finishing' the things on this list, because I don't think this list will ever be 'finished'. I plan on continuously adding new ideas and adventures. Now, let's start ticking things off this never-ending list! 

1. Travel from coast to coast on a train

2. Go skydiving

3. Learn to crochet 

4. Run a half marathon 

5. Run a half in under 2 hours

6. Visit my birth city, Yellowknife

7.  Travel Northern Canada

8. Go dog sledding

9. Ride in a hot air balloon

10. Ride a camel 

11. Live outside of Canada 

12. Hitchhike 

13. Learn a third language **currently working on it**

14. Learn to play the guitar

15. Travel New Zealand in a camper van 

16. Own a Westfalia and travel NA

17. Live off the grid 

18. Sleep in the canopy of the rainforest 

19. Go to the airport and randomly select a destination and fly there

20. Travel to every continent 

21. Go on an African safari 

22. Make my own cheese

23. Live debt-free

24. Go to shooting range 

25. Try skeet shooting 

26. Sleep in an igloo

27. Go whitewater rafting 

28. Grind a rail (snowboarding)
29. See a whale
30. Fly in a helicopter
31. Make my own soap
32. Be in a flashmob
33. Follow a vegan diet for a month
34. Take trapeze class
35. Go ice fishing
36. See The Grand Canyon
37. Grow old with someone I love
38. Improve my French
39. Witness a meteor shower
40. Travel to Iceland
41. Make fresh pasta
42. Do the Cabot Trail
43. Go to the Greek Islands
44. Hike in Yukon's Kluane National Park
45. Learn to do a kayak roll
46. Bike PEI
47. Go ice climbing

“Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.”

-Harvey MacKay

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur & Tioman Island

My recent travels (two weeks ago) took me to Malaysia to link up with my Aunt Ellen and her man Shayne, whom I like to refer to as my uncle. They have been traveling SE Aisa since March and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to meet up with them.

After exchanging several e-mails, we set a date and I booked my flight to Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Airlines was great. The staff were super friendly and I had a row entirely to myself (return as well). Ellen met me at the airport, took me to their accommodations and then we set out for a bite to eat.

Hua Shan and Xi'an

Finally, I got out of Beijing to do some hiking. I met an awesome girl at Ultimate who was looking to hike Hua Shan (Mount Hua) as well. Hua Shan is one of five sacred Taoist mountains in China. Before leaving Canada, I had it in my mind that I would do a lot of hiking. Regrettably, that hasn't been the case, but I can't complain because I've been on some serious adventures since I've been here.

We left Beijing Tuesday evening on the overnight train and arrived in Xi'an at around 830am on Wednesday. From Xi'an, we hopped on a bus to take us to Hua Shan, which is a two hour commute. We began our ascent for the North peak at around noon and made it there in just under three hours. This was much faster than we had anticipated. There is a section of the trail called Golden Lock Pass. It is a literal name, as the path is surrounded by iron chains that are covered in golden locks and red ribbons. You can get your name, and anyone else's name, engraved on the lock and then attach it to the chains. Once it is locked, it allows for family and friends to pray for your health and safety. 

Inner Mongolia (你妈妈爸爸忙马?)

Question: Was 42 hours on a train, to and from Inner Mongolia, worth my time? 

Answer: Without a doubt! 

Last week, eight of us packed out bags and set out for a desert adventure in Inner Mongolia. We opted out of seeing the grasslands and hopped on a 21 hour train to Western Inner Mongolia. Flying would have been ideal but not easy on the wallet. 

This was my first overnight train ride experience in China, and I survived, with few scars. Sleeping accommodations were fine. Like everywhere in China, there were a lot of people in a small space. There were six beds in one sleeper. We were all assigned to the top bed in different sleepers, which meant we didn't have a space where we could all fit. Thankfully, some very nice Chinese teachers allowed us to share their bottom bunk. They were playing card games the entire ride, and when the invitation to play with them was extended, I joined. If you're wondering what I learned, here it is: my Chinese is terrible; my Chinglish is also terrible; always have a fluent bilingual friend to explain card rules; I can now play euchre.