I get sick

I decided to head out of Xi'an a little earlier than planned. I was feeling vigorous and it felt like a waste to spend too much time in one place. In retrospect maybe this was a bad decision because as soon as I acted on it things started to go slightly wrong. I had decided to head for the Shaolin temple because 1) it's really cool and 2) it's on the way to Shanghai from Xi'an. I needed to be in Shanghai soon to meet my mom flying in from the states. Unfortunately the travel was a little tricky. After boarding the the train, I started to feel a little under the weather. My train got into Zhengzhou at 5am or some ungodly time in the morning, and then I had to hop a 2 hour bus to a smaller town near the temple. From that little place, it was another 30km or so to the area right next to the temple I'd decided to stay, based on my travel book's information. Probably due to my poor, interrupted night's sleep, feeling under the weather turned into a full blown cold/flu something by the time I got off the train. I pushed on.

I got off the bus in the small town at 7am and needed to go that last 30 km. A taxi driver lurking outside the station pounced, claiming there were no buses this time of year because it was the off season. I didn't believe him and pulled out my book to double check. Sure enough, there were supposed to be buses. He insisted, so I decided I'd ask an employee of the station. To my surprise, his claim was backed up. Apparently, no buses. In frustration and feeling crappier and crappier, I climbed into his expensive taxi. The whole ride, he was talking about how he'd never try to cheat me, of course he was telling the truth. He wasn't offended I didn't believe him at first. He liked talking to foreigners. Some Chinese will say one thing and mean another, but he always deals straight with people. As I found later, a big line of BS. I might have caught on early enough to avoid the whole situation if it weren't for my exhaustion.

He took me to a place he said was about 200 meters from the gate to the Shaolin Temple. Just around the next bend. I negotiated for the room with a heater, and was all set with an overpriced room by 8:30am. Originally, I'd planned on going to the temple that day but decided I needed a little nap. I was in bed until 5pm, when I got up freezing cold and feeling sicker but more awake. The heater hadn't worked and it was extremely chilly. I went out to the unheated "lobby" (read: room with a couple tables and chairs) and got some noodles, then decided to take the short walk to the temple. It turned out to be a solid kilometer with many other places to stay between mine and the gate. Fuming but helpless, I imagined their powerful central heating systems and soft, inexpensive beds.

The temple had closed for the day, so I walked back and read for a while. I fell asleep about 9pm with the heater finally working and slept straight through until 9 the next morning. Since my mom's plane ticket said this was to be my last day, I resolved not to waste it despite my head and lungs being stuffed with mucus. This turned out to be a great decision. My luck turned around at that point, except for that mucus hanging around for the next four weeks or so. I'm still hacking up the last of it as I write this.

He took me to a place he said was about 200 meters from the gate to the Shaolin Temple. Just around the next bend. I negotiated for the room with a heater, and was all set with an overpriced room by 8:30am. Originally, I'd planned on going to the temple that day but decided I needed a little nap. I was in bed until 5pm, when I got up freezing cold and feeling sicker but more awake. The heater hadn't worked and it was extremely chilly. I went out to the unheated "lobby" (read: room with a couple tables and chairs) and got some noodles, then decided to take the short walk to the temple. It turned out to be a solid kilometer with many other places to stay between mine and the gate. Fuming but helpless, I imagined their powerful central heating systems and soft, inexpensive beds.

The temple had closed for the day, so I walked back and read for a while. I fell asleep about 9pm with the heater finally working and slept straight through until 9 the next morning. Since my mom's plane ticket said this was to be my last day, I resolved not to waste it despite my head and lungs being stuffed with mucus. This turned out to be a great decision. I had a sweet day at the temple which words wouldn't do well describing. I've been having trouble uploading pictures lately but I'll get them up as soon as I can. My luck turned around at that point, except for that mucus hanging around for the next four weeks or so. I'm still hacking up the last of it as I write this.