We have been in Hong Kong for the past 3 days after a 25 hour train ride from Beijing. I have been busy with debrief meetings, working on pictures and blogs. I posted Blogs from the 13^th of October until today, so if you are interested you can check them out. If not, don't worry about it. I really don't like to leave projects unfinished and I did not want to leave any readers wondering about our experiences in China. I also wanted to complete my blogs for myself, so I could process and remember what we experienced.

Now I want to focus on processing this year and I want to spend as much time as possible with the other World Racers. I may not do many more blogs in order to make good use of my time. I am kind of mourning the loss of blog writing. I have enjoyed sharing my experiences, so I hope you have enjoyed them too.

It is getting harder every day for me to sleep and to sit still. My mind is racing with thoughts about seeing family and friends and about saying goodbye to friends and a lifestyle. Please keep us in your prayers as we wrap up the year. We are debriefing until Friday and then I fly home on November 19^th and 20^th. I will probably be sprinting through the Pittsburgh airport to see my family.

The main reason we traveled so far to Beijing was to see The Great Wall of China. We were given a choice to go to the touristy section of the wall which would involve less of a hike but tons of tourists or the "Secret Wall" where we would avoid the tourists and see better views. Thankfully the group chose the Secret Wall. Our bus drove out of the city and into the mountains we passed the wall that was stacked right on tippy top of the mountains. We saw hordes of tourists scaling the stairs to the top of the wall in two different portions, but our bus continued into the mountains. The mountains turned into hills and eventually we drove down into a village. Our bus scraped the bottom of a sign over the road, which was the first sign that not many tourist buses make it to this section of the wall.

The bus stopped on a random nondescript road. We were told to get out and hike, but we never passed a ticket vendor or any sign that we were headed to the Great Wall of China.

As I looked at the hills I started to get nervous that we were dooped into a poor substitute for the real wall. We hiked for about 20 minutes up steep rocky trails and finally we got a glimpse of the wall at the top of the mountain. After another 10 minutes we reached the wall; which was definitely not remodeled at all. The rocks were crumbled and plants grew threw the cracks. As we stood at the top of the wall we looked out into a spectacular view of rows of mountains.

To my left the wall climbed up a steep hill. To my right the wall curved left and right as it rode the mountain peaks.

The wind whipped at us and I felt like I was at the top of a ski slope. No longer did I feel disappointed about the Secret Wall. We climbed around the tower at the wall snapped pictures and shivered with the wind then our guide pointed for us to continue along the wall.

We walked along the wall made of large rocks, but really had to watch our footing, because most of the wall was crumbling away.

We made it to another tower and I expected that we would sit for a little while then go back the way we came, but the guide pointed for us to continue on. I cannot believe how many rocks and people were required for the building of the wall. It is a very visual example of the man power of China. However, as I walked along the wall I thought, "This is the coolest and most insensible wonder of the world." The wall was built for defense, but I don't know how it would really keep enemies out.

It rests on steep rocky and perilous peaks that would have been very dangerous for the construction crews. I wonder, were the Chinese more protected by the wall or did more Chinese people loose their lives due to the building of the wall?

The path on top of the wall was rather treacherous, so our group was spread out. We thought we may need to turn around, so we waited for our guide, but he told us to continue. A very steep gravely hill sent many of the World Racers sliding down on their butts, but no one was injured.

At the bottom we ran into a man carrying a big bundle of sticks on his back. He was the only person we saw along the trail. After about 3 hours of hiking on the wall I took a few last glimpses of the mountains and the wall then we climbed down into the village for lunch.

As I rode back on the bus I replayed the images of the day in my head. What an amazing experience. I am so grateful for the many experiences we have had this year.

This morning we woke up to such a beautiful blue sky with little smog, so Morgan, Candice, Emilie, and I decided to check out the Summer Palace. We took a city bus across the city of Beijing which took an hour and a half. Not only is the city large in population (17 million), but it is rather spread out. Once again with no guide to lead us around and tell us about the palace we learned very little about its history or function. But, it was really nice to take our time to walk around the beautiful lake and through the trees with friends.

We were blessed with the smells and sights of fall as some of the leaves were changing colors. We walked and talked and laughed together as we enjoyed the beautiful location. We were asked by many Chinese tourists for pictures. At one point the four of us had about a 10 minute photo shoot as a line of people jumped in to pose for a shot with us. We also opted to dress up and snap a few shots in some traditional garb.

We left the Summer Palace and hailed a taxi to go to the Olympic Stadium. A lady helped us into a taxi. But, I am proud of us for realizing that it was a tourist taxi charging more than the regular taxi. Our regular taxi took us to a freeway then motioned for us to get out. We walked down the freeway as cars zoomed passed us. I am a big fan of the Olympics and I have to admit I got a little chocked up as we approached the Beijing Olympic stadium. I am not a connoisseur of stadiums, but I think the bird's nest shape stadium is the most beautiful sports venue in the world. It is still far from completion, so we were only able to walk up to the fence to snap some shots. I wonder how they will complete the stadium on time, because all of the workers were enthralled with the tourists. The workers stared at us and took just as many pictures of us as we were taking of the stadium with their cell phones. It is going to be so fun to watch the 2008 Olympics and to learn more about Chinese culture through the stories of the athletes.

We hailed another taxi to the subway; which took us to the Silk Market. The Silk Market is a four story mall set up with rows and rows of vendors selling clothing, jewelry, and souvenirs. As I walked down the aisles the vendors tried to entice me into their stores, "Hello Beautiful Girl, I have a good deal for you, good quality, very cheap." The vendors would start out at a price that was 10 times the actual price and in order to get them to a reasonable price I had to bargain. Sometimes I like the game of bargaining. Sometimes it is really frustrating. The vendors at the Silk Market liked to grab my arm when I decided I didn't want to buy an item and I would have to yank myself away from them. After a year of fluid prices I am ready to walk into a store to see price tags.

I have never seen so much smog as we did when we rode through Beijing to our hostel.  The sun was out, but could barely be seen behind all of the polluted air.  We are staying in a hostel in the hutongs; which are also known as the urban villages.  The maze of hutong houses and alleys are slowly being demolished to build skyscrapers and big apartment buildings.

After settling into the hostel Candice, Morgan, Emilie, and I decided to check out Tiananmen Square.  A short walk after our hostel we arrived in the square with traditional Chinese buildings sitting at all sides of the large open square.  When I think of Tiananmen Square I think of the students that were killed when protesting.  There were so many Chinese tourists.  I wonder what they think of when they visit the square.

We decided to go ahead and visit the Forbidden City while we had time, but did not get a guide to help us through the site.  I wish that we would have paid for the guide, because we gained very little information about the place by simply walking through it. All I know about the Forbidden City came from my grandpa's stories and the movie The Last Emperor. There were so many people and so many tour groups.  Many people asked to get their picture with us, so that was rather funny. 

Many of the buildings in the vast palace were being remodeled for the Olympics which start in 275 days.

 There are clocks all over China with a countdown to the opening ceremony.  We walked and walked around the Forbidden city and I was impressed with the size of the place and the intricate details.  Everything seemed to be embellished with decorative carving or painting.

Today I am completely ready to be done with The World Race. This feeling started this morning when I tried to turn my laundry in to be washed. I was told the hostel does not do laundry even though I have had it done before. I was annoyed, but went straight to the lady doing laundry. She was not easy to communicate with. After a frustrating conversation she took my clothing and I am hoping I get it back in time for our trip to Beijing. Then I went down for breakfast. I was charged 8 RMB rather than 6. I tried to dispute the price, but they were already not happy with my due to the laundry discussion. So I paid then left the hostel. We have tickets to take a 29 hour train to Beijing. We will be sharing our cubicles with random people and none of us have bottom bunks. At first I was going to get a middle bunk, but things changed and once again I am on the top bunk. The worst part is that we have no idea where to go to catch the train. It is either in this city or about 2 hours away. No one has been able to give us a clear answer, so we are hoping that we make the correct decision. If we miss the train we loose our money and our chance to go to Beijing. The trains were hard enough to navigate last trip and we had a guide. I am feeling a little frustrated and ready to go back to where I can communicate.

This evening we took a taxi to a bus that took us two hours to a city where we took another taxi to the bus. Communication was a struggle along the way, but we were eventually able to navigate to where we needed to be. Our train turned out to be 38 hours long with a total traveling time of 41 hours. The top bunk was not too bad, but I could have done without the hacking and coughing.

This morning after I had some time to myself I walked out to shop at some of the street vendors. I stopped to buy at one of the booths and started bargaining with the lady. I started out really low and she started really low. I was willing to pay 15, but wanted to see if she would go for 10. She kept saying 15. I started to walk away and she asked me to come back, so I walked back and she said 25. Of course I refused and asked why she raised her price instead of lowering it. She would not lower it even when I offered to pay 15. She was laughing with me until I kept saying 15. Then she started yelling at me in Chinese and went at my neck like she had a knife in her hand and was going to cut my neck. Her face was full of such anger that I knew I would not get her down any more, so I left. Looking back I think when she was saying 15 she meant to say 50. What a frustrating job it must be to work as a vendor. They are at their booths from 10 am until after 10 pm. All day they deal with tourists that seemingly have a lot of money to blow, yet they try to pay so little for the goods being offered. Many of the vendors have a good time and joke around as they bargain, but some seem a little bitter and I can understand why. The job is all about arguing.

We met as a group for morning prayer time, but I could not stop thinking about the lady and how angry she was. The idea popped into my head to take her tea or something, but I worried that if the food was not sealed she would think I did something to it. So this afternoon I bought so iced tea and crackers and walked to her booth.

I approached her and said, "Remember me?" She grabbed the items we had been bargaining over and said, "Twenty five." I said no I don't want to buy anything I just want to give you this. I handed her the bag. She looked inside then said, "Sorry, sorry, sorry." Then she said. "Thank you…okay 15." I told her I did not want to buy anything, but just wanted to make her happy. She grabbed my arm and tried to get me to buy again and I was tempted due to the price, but wanted her to know that I really just wanted to make her day rather than get a good price. I again told her I wanted to be happy and again she said sorry as her eyes watered. I walked away leaving her at her booth with a confused look on her face.

This morning Andrew suggested that we rent mopeds to tour the surrounding areas. I have never driven a moped and would have preferred the exercise on a bike, but everyone wanted to ride mopeds and I thought it would be cool to try something new. With a deposit and a driver's license we were turned loose on the streets with 4 mopeds. Six of us rode with a buddy and Emilie started out by herself. It was a little nerve wracking to weave in and out of traffic and people, but eventually we made it to a main country road. I loved the looks we received as we passed locals and tourists alike on bicycles and in buses. I guess white tourists on mopeds are not a common occurrence.

We came to a tourist attraction of a mountain with a hole in it. At the bottom women carrying coolers with drinks, fans, and umbrellas joined us. They said it would take 20 minutes to get to the top. From looking at the top I did not think it would be possible to climb all the way to the top in twenty minutes and thought maybe we would get to a look out spot.

At the bottom of the hill the water carried by the ladies cost 2 yuan, but they climbed with us and so did the prices. After an endless amount of stairs we reached the hole in the mountain and the water cost 10 yuan, but I got her down to 5. I figured she deserved the extra 3 for the hike up. We continued up a dirt path and were able to reach the tippy top of the mountain looking out over dozens of peaks. It is so beautiful here, but there has not been a clear day with no smog since we have arrived in China.

After the climb back down it was my turn to drive the moped. I took it for a few laps around the parking lot then we headed out on the main road then off onto a dirt path.

The path took us passed rice fields, over streams, and through tiny villages. I fell in love with the moped within 5 minutes of being on it. I loved driving through the rural scenes with mountains in the background.

This was definitely a highlight for me on the entire race. We were out in the middle of no where with water buffalos and rice fields on the side of the road when a lady approached us. She had postcards in her hand to offer to us for a "cheap price". She was not the last villager of the day to offer us souvenirs. The path wound through taller, rockier, steeper mountains and along a river. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant along the side of the river and were not too surprised to find an English menu. Lunch was delicious cheap local food.

After lunch we headed back on the road and I was driving last in our parade of mopeds. I heard what sounded like a rock popping out from the side of my tire. Within a sort distance I realized it was not a rock, but a flat tire. I beeped my horn to stop the others, but they did not hear me. There were many villagers around and I figured my group would notice me eventually, so I was not too worried. But, I was a little concerned about getting the tire fixed. I pulled over and waited for them to notice I was missing. Within minutes a man was by my side checking out my tire to find a nail.

He offered to fix the hole for 10 yuan or a little over a dollar fifty. I agreed and finally my group came back to find out what happened. The man pulled out a pump, patch kit and tools to fix the tube, but in the process of taking the tire off he put a few holes in the tube. He ended up putting 4 patches on the tube as his wife and some friends stood nearby to watch. With each new patch he raised the price. Finally he had the tube patched and it held air. But then he needed to get the tire back on the moped. For the next 45 minutes he worked the tire over the rim and tube. It was not easy, so he used large spikes, a hammer, and any other sharp object he could find. Every time I went to check on the progress there were more chunks taken out of the tire and I worried about the inner tube having more holes. It was getting close to the time when we were to turn the bikes in, so I was getting nervous about getting back to town. I knew it would be a miracle to make it back to town with air in the tire due to the 4 patches and the chiseling the man had done on the tube.

Finally he finished the tire and it seemed to hold air. I was sad that our day on the mopeds ended this way. I held my breath as we drove back into town, but we had no more problems with any of the vehicles.

Today is Clinton's birthday so we decided to take a boat ride to a mountain town down the river to a touristy town. It was raining as we took the taxi to the boat dock. Seven of us climbed into a little motor boat with a tarp for a roof. We puttered down the river as rain came in through the sides and through the tarp. I was cold and wet and wondering how long 4 hours of this would last.

Slowly mountains popped up here and there along the river.

We passed bamboo boats being pushed with sticks or with motors. We watched fishermen and men using long sticks like chopsticks to take the green plants from the water. The water was so shallow we had to coast in some places and we could see the bottom. I was still wondering if the boat ride was a good idea until the mountains became bigger and closer to the water. As I looked out at the beautiful scenery it was a little easier to forget about my wet seat and the cold wind. We pulled off at a cave in the side of the mountain. A man used a stick to steer our bamboo boat into the cave.

The water cave contained glittery rocks and formations, but no bats.

After lunch at a restaurant along the way we continued down the river to our destination. Our driver sped passed large boats filled with tourists. We bounced through their wake then splashed right by them.

The city was a nice tiny little tourist town. There were many vendors, shops, and restaurants that catered to tourists. This evening we went out for dinner with Clinton for his birthday then went to bed with no plans for the morning.

"Go Big or Go Home." This is one of Emilie's favorite sayings on The World Race, so we decided to make it the theme for her birthday today. She had about 10 different choices to make in which she could decide to go big or go home.

The main choice was to go to the park and do some exercises with the old people or go for an adventure. Thankfully she chose the adventure which entailed a taxi ride to the base of a mountain. The weather was beautiful for our steep chair lift ride up the mountain. I really enjoyed the fresh air, beautiful trees, flowers, and even the sound of the chair lift.

The squeaking of the wheels was a familiar sound of home and fun times. At the top of the mountain we looked out over a spectacular view of strange mountain formations. The land is flat then mounds of mountains come up out of no where to form mountains.

 A student had told us that there is an ancient Chinese story that says at one time the land was covered with oceans. From the shape of the mountains that would make sense and it seems to go with the story of the flood too. We played around taking pictures and enjoying the view before we headed halfway down the mountain.

At the halfway point we climbed off the chairlift and grabbed sleds to ride on the slideway or alpine slide. The track curved down the rest of the mountain. I planned not to use my brakes, but the track was so fast that I had to.

After dinner this evening we talked about how we think the Lord is blessing us for the year we have put in. It is not easy for me to feel like we are doing enough here as we prayer walk and prayer as a group. But, I do think that this time is a gift and I may never have so much time to spend in the word and in prayers.