So let's play a game. I'll give you some hints, and you try to figure out where I'm going. First off, let's start with the clothing. I'm wearing Gortex Northface boots, Smartwool socks, Northface tights, Underarmor sweatpants, Northface waterproof pants, an Underarmor cold-gear baselayer shirt, an Eddie Bauer henley, a Northface fleece, a Gortex Northface jacket, Mountain Hardware gloves, and a toboggan. Any guesses yet? Maybe I'm going to an "I love outdoor clothing and I'm wearing all of it that I own convention." What if I told you that I also had my passport in my pocket? Does that help clear things up? Maybe I'm going to go hike the Himalayas or climb Everest?
Here's my Sherpa for the journey. Once he stops his taxi I tell him something that sounds like "Huang cha ling yo ju." Any ideas yet?
Give up yet? After about 10 minutes with my Sherpa we arrive at my destination!
That's right, all of that clothing + passport just to go to the post office! Going to the post office in Hengyang is a little different than America. It was about 30 degrees outside and raining, and of course there's no central heat anywhere. And since I knew I'd have to carry the packages back, I had to go fully waterproof because I wouldn't have a free hand for an umbrella. Once I got the 40 pounds of packages I carried them outside to try to get a taxi. Although I was standing in the rain, 3 empty taxis passed me by. At this point I had a decision to make. Option A: continue standing in the rain for who knows how long, hoping that a taxi will pick me up. Option B: get on the bus that goes somewhere near my apartment (I've never actually taken this bus before), get out of the rain and hope for the best. I went for Option B. Well, it turns out that the closest bus stop for the number 26 bus is about a mile from our apartment. Alas, I had to carry the 40 pounds of boxes a mile home-- but it sure was a great way to stay warm in the cold!
About now you may be asking why we'd go through so much just to get some boxes from the post office. I mean, why not just wait until a day when it's not raining? Because these guys were coming over that night to play games with us and they sure do love cookies and brownies. Totally worth it :)
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