Below Zero Excursions

This blog probably won't be funny. I am more just writing it so I can remember the day. Just warning you before you invest a good 5 minutes of your life reading it. Don't want you to waste your time.

Today was a good day. Although for the most part it was below freezing, and I was ready to just curl up and die from the cold, I prevailed. As a little funny side note, because most people here at SYA are from the East coast, they are used to the cold, and are forever making fun of me and Jamie (the two Californians) for being so cold when we go outside. They think it is hysterical, but being cold is no joke. I can't help it if I start wearing 4 jackets, a hat, jeans, and am still cold. It's in my blood. I can't wait until it gets warm again.

Today, I didn't go out until after lunch, when I went out with Chris and Sterling. Originally, we were going to go to a place where Chris could get a backpack for our Yunnan trip, and then go to the Luxun museum to buy a couple of books for English class. We realized what time it was though, and just went to the Luxun museum first.

We didn't want to pay the entrance fee to get into the museum, so we just told the guards we just wanted to buy a couple books, and they let us go to the bookstore without paying. Once at the book store, we found Claire and Annie, some of our classmates. They had just bought the last copies of the books we needed for English, so Chris, Sterling and I waited while the lady who ran the book store went out and got some more for us, which was very kind of her. We told her a bunch of our classmates were going to be coming, and then left.

Walking back out to the main road, Chris and I decided that we should go backpack hunting, and Sterling wanted to come along. However, every free taxi that we saw simply waved us away, and wouldn't stop, even though they could stop. It was frustrating. I was freezing cold, and didn't want to move. When we did finally get into a nice warm taxi, and started to defrost, I could have kissed the taxi driver for stopping.

We had to go to a couple of store for backpacks, because Chris's sister had given him the names of a couple of good places. We went to a cheaper (but still real) Northface store first (for Chris.) He almost bought a bag, but decided he should probably check the other stores first. We went to another place, where I found a bag, but because I can't make decisions at all, I couldn't decide whether it was too big or not (55 liters.) This led to me getting so frustrated that I basically just gave up, and we left. But this second place also led Chris to the conclusion that he should have gotten the first bag. Ah well.

We decided to meet our friend Annie at a Xinjiang restaurant for dinner. She said she knew a good one close to her house (which was close to school) so Sterling, Chris and I got back in a taxi, and attempted to get to her house. It was a bit rocky, but we met up with her. It was still cold (I was also wearing an insane amount of layers, so everyone was laughing at me) and we walked quickly to the restaurant.

Walking into this restaurant is one of the awkwardest things I have done in my life. It was a little hole in the wall place, just for the locals. I was in front of a pack of 4 foreigners, and as soon as we walked in, every stopped what they were doing and just stared at us. I almost turned around and walked out, because I felt like I was intruding or something.

We sat down though, and ordered. It was really good food. Lamb Kabobs, noodles and vegetable dishes were good, anyway. And pretty cheap, which is an excellent, excellent bonus. Outside of the restaurant (when we were done) they were selling raisins (a big bag for 10 kuai, which is about a dollar and a half), so all of us except Chris bought a bag. They were basically frozen from the cold, but that only made them taste better.

On the way back to Chris's house (and the bus stop for me) we stopped in probably 5 outdoors stores, looking for backpacks again. It was fun, and a nice way to get out of the cold. I hate being cold, more than anything in the world. Even more than scary movies. At least those end. So overall, a very good night.