Top 10 Things In China That Made Me Say WTF!

March 18th, 2013

Last year around this time I was traveling around China, and truthfully, it was a bit of a culture shock.  These were a few things that made me go WTF......

1.  Glasses With No Lenses-  The first time I saw this was when I was in an elevator filled with Chinese teeny boppers, I looked up at the girl next to me and noticed her lense-less glasses.   The elevator opened up only to find another group of teeny boppers with similar frames. This became an ongoing joke.  So one day while we were out shopping in Shanghai, we found several stores selling lenseless glasses.  We decided to buy a few (after bargaining of course) to "embrace" the culture.

2.  Public Ear Cleaning-  While traveling in Chengdu, China we were approached by men with rusty sticks with cotton like poofs at the end of them (that's what she said).  "Clean, Ear" they yelled.  I was familiar with the practice since I had seen it on an episode of No Reservations.  I somehow talked my friend Rance into doing it, and the look on his face says it all!  The unsanitary rods were placed into his ears, and with a metal instrument they would tap to cause a slight vibration ringing. 

3. The Beijing Nightmarkets- In Beijing, they have dedicated night markets specifically for selling edible bugs.  I even ate one.  It wasn't exactly the bugs that made me say WTF, but it was some of the other things they were selling like Sheep Penis!

4.   Chinese Hitch "Hiking"- While taking a hike in Emeishan I was surprised at the amount of men offering rides up and down the mountain.  The Chinese definitely do not dress to hike.  I saw many women wearing high heels, and fancy dresses as if they were ready to go to the clubs.  Then I saw a man in a full suit and dress shoes taking a ride around the mountain as if he were royalty.  Really people?

5.  The Lack of Western Toilets- Savor that picture, because western toilets can be a rare site in China.  In China, the most popular type of toilet are squat toilets.  It is basically a hole in the ground.  Some places (like in train stations) the "toilet" was a long flowing trough!  So in other words you would know exactly what your bathroom neighbor was doing because it would swim by your stall!   Some bathrooms didn't even have stalls or doors!

On overnight trains the squat toilet would "flush" right onto the tracks.  There was never toilet paper, and rarely could I find soap by the sinks.  At one place I stayed we had a blackout in the communal bathroom.  I had enough practice that I was able to use the squats in the dark with a flashlight in my mouth, and toilet paper and hand sanitizer in the other.    When I arrived in Hong Kong I almost wanted to kiss the first western toilet I saw!  I will NEVER choose a squat over my beloved porcelain throne. 

6.  The Constant Gawking- My previous post about this subject says it all!  The photo above was on an overnight train.  We were surrounded by curious stalking locals like this!

7.  Sichuan Opera- I cannot believe I paid to watch this.  It was one of the most bizarre and random things I have ever seen.  The Sichuan Opera was a collection of various acts, with the acts ranging from acting, very high pitched singing, music, face mask swapping, and even a shadow puppeteer.

8.  The Chinese Version of Online Dating (minus the online part)- While walking through a park in Chengdu we noticed groups of people looking at pieces of paper attached along a line of bushes.  We found out it was like online dating meets old school personals.  Some of the "profiles" even had photos. My friend Emma may have found the man of her dreams.

9.  Public Transportation-  Don't let our smiles deceive you, inside we were terrified! I have never hated public transportation more than I did in China.   The pushing and shoving was insane.  I always had a fear of not being able to get on or off, and being left behind.

In Beijing my friend and I were almost separated while taking the subway.   We were attempting to get off the train when a barrage of impatient people sucked us back in.   We started yelling, and eventually someone that was outside successfully plucked us out.

The subways were always overcrowded, and often times we held onto each other since we had little to no space to hold onto anything.

Taxis in some areas were also very unreliable.  In Xi'an, a taxi driver tried to charge us an extra bogus fee that was not even on the receipt.  We didn't want to pay him the extra amount, in retaliation he refused to open the trunk until we gave him more money.  Because of this incident I ALWAYS have my luggage with me in the back seat.  This proved to be a life saver when I had a massive fight with a taxi driver in Hong Kong that ended with me being dropped off at a random hotel and throwing my bag out of the back seat.  The situation could have ended worst had I placed my bag in the trunk.

10.  Chinese Justin Bieber-  And I was like Baby, Baby, Baby....Ohh.  Last but certainly not least, my last WTF was China's version of Justin Bieber.  This man boy was allllllll over snack bags!  We called him CJB for short.  We created our own little scavenger hunt while at grocery stores, we called it "Who can find CJB."

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I leave for my trip to the Middle East and Europe tomorrow morning.  I didn't want to completely abandon my blog while away so I have written a weekly post scheduled to be published every Monday.  If I don't respond to your emails and comments it just means that I have limited internet access, or I am having waaaay too much fun.  I hope it's the latter.  I will be updating my Instagram TripColor feed as often as I can. See you in May! 

Hike On A Glacier In New Zealand

Probably one of the coolest (literally!) things I've done is a Heli-Hike on Fox Glacier which is located in New Zealand's South Island. 

Before leaving for the glacier we were given a safety brief, and then donned on thick socks and sturdy boots to prepare us for our trip.  We climbed inside a 6-seater helicopter and took a short flight landing on the glacier. As we exited the helicopter, we immediately ran a few meters away and ducked our heads in case any loose shards of ice were to blow into us from the force of the helicopter propellers. 

As soon as our entire group arrived we were given cleats to put around our boots so it would be easier to walk around. It was not easy.  I wear flip flops more than shoes.  Another gal from Sydney also had similar difficulty, and between the two of us we fell a handful of times.  The glacier has the potential of being quite dangerous as it is constantly changing, and their is no clear path.  We followed our guide in a single file line and were told to follow his tracks.  The glacier was beautiful, and my favorite part was walking through a narrow ice tunnel. 

When going up and down the glacier our guide used his massive ice pick to chisel stairs for us.  It was scary. Some stairs were quite steep and some were more like a ladder which required us to use our hands to get up and down.  We didn't realize how much we had climbed until we got to our highest point and saw where our helicopter had landed. 

On our way back to the helicopter the sunshine had engulfed the glacier.  It was breathtaking.  A definite must do when visiting New Zealand.

Date Accomplished:  March 14th, 2009

Hike Torrey Pines Trails

After one of my favorite bloggers posted about visiting a place in her own backyard I decided to finally do something I've been meaning to do in San Diego for awhile. The Trails at Torrey Pines State Reserve are considered one of the most beautiful hikes in the world.   Most of the trails either lead to ocean views, or are right along breathtaking ocean cliffs.

My brother and I hit the trails at 8:30AM which was a perfect time since the weather was still cool and the trails weren't filled with people.  We started off doing the Beach Trail, which is just as it sounds, a trail leading to the beach.  You can access several trails from the Beach Trail, so on our way down to the beach we also did the Yucca Point Trail and the Razor Point Trail.  Both trails gave us stunning views of the picturesque cliffs.

Due to the high tide we couldn't walk all the way down to the beach, but we got pretty close.  After reaching the bottom we headed back up using the Broken Hill Trail, and once we reached the top we went up the High Point Trail (just guess...it reaches the highest point).

It definitely isn't the most intense of hikes, but its completely worth a visit if just to admire its beauty.  Most of the trails are loops, and all trails can be done in half a day if you're ambitious. Torrey Pines Trails is just another reason why I love the place I call home!  I'm already planning on going back next week!

Date Accomplished:  February 5th, 2012

Go Hiking In Yosemite

 Me in Yosemite...Finally!

It really is a disgrace that it took me 20+ years to finally make it to Yosemite.  It's not so much a disgrace if you don't live in California...like I do.  I'm just pathetic, really!  Now that I have finally visited Yosemite, I sit here wondering why I didn't start visiting Yosemite years ago! 

My friends and I planned a quick weekend getaway to visit one of the worlds most famous national parks.  On an early Saturday morning we were on the road headed towards Yosemite.  We piled the SUV with our day packs, a cooler filled with drinks, and a bag full of snacks to keep our tummies happy.    As soon as we arrived at the park, we were handed a map accompanied with some useful tips in the rare chance we would encounter any bears or lions.  The info sheet regarding the lions said, "If attacked, fight back!"  My info sheet would say, "If attacked, Shit yourself!"  Thankfully, I didn't get into any cougar fights during this visit.

Bridalveil Falls

 Creek off of Bridalveil Falls

Our first stop was at Bridalveil Falls.  When we arrived at the parking lot to walk to the falls the first two things I noticed was 1) Oh crap...it's cold!,  and 2) The powerful sound of the falls.  The mist from the falls made its way into the parking lot, and obviously the closer we got to the falls the heavier the mist got.  As we headed towards the falls I noticed people soaked, or wearing ponchos.   Amy and I decided to opt out of walking to the foot of the falls because we weren't prepared to take a cold shower in the morning.  Lily & Sam had brought their rain jackets and were able to walk closer to the Falls. 

Yosemite Valley

 Yosemite Valley & Yosemite Falls

After Bridalveil Falls we headed towards Yosemite Valley.  It was absolutely breathtaking!  No photo can really give it justice, it is 360 degrees of pure beauty.  We walked along the Valley and crossed a (not so) dangerous creek, we laugh about it now because it took three of us holding hands and crossing twigs to get across.  It was pure comedy to anyone that witnessed the fear in our faces trying to cross a 6 foot wide,  and half foot deep creek.  We saw a few deers, and of course our first views of Yosemite Falls! 

 The Clan at the Tunnel View

After our little walk around the Valley we headed towards the Tunnel View.  The Tunnel View is a viewpoint where you can get an amazing view of the Valley.  You can see El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, and Half Dome from that point.  What you don't see in the photo is the busloads of tourists swarming the area, and the parking lot filled to the brim with cars.  We headed to our Lodge at the South end of Yosemite for some lunch.  Our lodge was surrounded by trees, and right outside was a 12 foot pile of snow!  After relaxing and checking into our rooms, we headed to Mariposa Grove to see some Sequoia trees!    After our hike at the Grove we headed back to our lodge to get ready for dinner.  We drove South of Yosemite into this little town to find some eateries.  We settled for a not-so-great steak house, and none of us were able to finish our food that evening.  Maybe we were just too exhausted to even eat...or maybe the food was just THAT BAD!

Now we're ready for Bridalveil Falls!

 The Girls at Bridalveil Falls

So the following morning we headed back to Yosemite Valley, and stopped at Bridalveil Falls again.  This time Amy and I were a little more prepared to get closer to the Falls.  We put on jackets, took off our shoes and wore flip flops (cause one of the worst things in the world are wet socks), and then headed on our little adventure.  Two words...ICE COLD!  The closer I got to the Falls the more numb my feet got.  Thank goodness for our jackets for keeping us fairly dry.  Such an amazing experience, and I wish I still had my waterproof case for my camera!

We easily took 20 shots trying to get a picture of Yosemite Falls.  Failed!

 Lower Yosemite Falls

We then headed to see Yosemite Falls.  Yosemite Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in the world, and the highest measured waterfall in North America.  The Falls consist of three sections, Upper Falls, Middle Cascades, and Lower Falls.  Since the lower falls was so easily accessible we went there.  It was still amazing, but it wasn't as impressive as Bridalveil Falls to me.

 Half Dome

I salute anyone that has climbed Half Dome.  The thought of that near vertical climb up that rock makes me a tad nauseous.  I think I'd much rather encounter a lion than climb that thing.  Half Dome became an ongoing joke throughout our trip, anytime we saw a generously large rock we would joke, "Okay guys...let's climb half half half "Half Dome."  Maybe in a next life buddy!

 Mirror Lake

Since we were running out of time, we decided against the hike to Vernal Falls and instead do the quick hike to Mirror Lake.  Since we were near the entrance to the hike from Vernal Falls we started our hike to Mirror Lake from there.  We somehow veered from the path and made our way along the Merced River.  We finally hit a road and noticed we were still pretty far from Mirror Lake.  Sam was not interested at all in seeing the lake, but the rest of us gals were all for it.  We gave him the choice of going back to the car, or to come walking with us.  We won.  Most of the way to Mirror Lake was on a paved road.  When we were a little over a mile away from Mirror Lake we saw a sign to reach Mirror Lake from a trail.  We didn't go to Yosemite to walk on a paved road, so we took the trail option.

When we got to Mirror Lake we had one side of the lake all to ourselves, while the other side was filled with people that had taken the paved road.  We sat on the edge of a boulder and just enjoyed the scenery.  It was about a good 45 minutes before we got back to our car, and by then we were pooped!  We drove around the Valley one more time before saying farewell to our new found love, Yosemite!

Date Accomplished:  April 30th, 2011

Hike Diamond Head In Hawaii

The Start of our Hike

Hawaii is without a doubt a beautiful place.  One of the most famous hikes around Hawaii is the hike up to Diamond Head.   Diamond Head is a volcanic crater that provides an amazing panoramic view of Waikiki for simply a bit of effort. The trail is roughly a 1.6 mile hike round trip.  My friends and I started the hike in the morning with our hiking shoes on, and a large bottle of water.

 Halfway There!

The first half of the hike was a piece of cake, and consisted of a dirt and rock trail.  After the lookout, it required a tad more effort by climbing a 74 step staircase before heading into a 225 foot tunnel.  After the tunnel was another 99 steps up.  Then you proceed down a short tunnel, and go up three floors around a spiral staircase.  Once you exit the Fire Control Station Lookout, then you know you are almost there!  Just 54 more steps...and you see views like this......

View of Waikiki from Diamond Head

 Wow...I did a pretty good job drinking my water

Such a beautiful hike!  Mahalo!

Date Accomplished:  April 23rd, 2006

Climb Dune 45

Dune 45 is considered as one of the most beautiful sand dunes in the world.  It is located in Sossusvlei, Namibia and is best visited in the early morning when the weather is still bareable.  It stands over 170 meters high, and is composed of 5 million year old sand that was brought by the Orange River from the Kalahari Desert. My first sand dune climbing experience wasn't quite the best, but I was willing to give it a second chance. 

 The Sunrise over the Desert

In order to climb Dune 45 meant an early start to our day.  It was still dark out when we climbed into our overland truck headed to the dune.  We drove in complete darkness through the desert (no street lights here folks), and only stopped when we would see animals on the road.  We finally stopped in front of Namib-Naukluft National Park that is home to Dune 45.  Since the park opened at sunrise, we we were able to hop off the truck and see a sunrise over the desert.  STUNNING!

Once the park opened we drove for another 30 minutes to Dune 45.  On the way we witnessed more breathtaking views...

The Road to Dune 45

 Hot air balloon ride over the desert

Once we arrived at the dune we started our climb.  Just a few steps into it I remembered why I hated sand, especially climbing it! 

 Dune 45

I started counting a hundred steps at a time, and then giving myself a little break.  A hundred steps is NOTHING to this dune.  If it could laugh in my face it would!  This little sucker was steep, and after each bulk of 100 steps I felt like I was still at the bottom!  It was like a Stairmaster but with sand.

 I am coincidentally wearing the same shirt I wore when I climbed the dune in Chile

Then my ankles started giving out, oh no, an old travel injury back to bite me in the ass!  I ignored the pain, and told myself....move on chick!  You can do it!  Yes I can!

 The side of the dune

Someone behind me told me to walk on the parts of the sand that were already imprinted with someones foot print.  That definitely helped, but I will always prefer solid ground!

 Steep little sucker!

The best part of the whole thing was running down!  Jaco, our guide, asked me, "So how was it?"  I told him, "If there was hell on Earth, it would be that dune."  During my next press conference, I think I will announce that I am officially going to retire from dune climbing!

The last step after climbing a dune...getting the sand out of your shoes!

My friend, Katrin, trying to get the sand out of her shoes! Days later we were still finding sand from the Dune!

Date Accomplished:  September 12th, 2010

Go Hiking Through The Hills Of Dominica

 Hike to Trafalgar Falls

Dominica is known as the nature island of the Caribbean.  It is most known for its 365 rivers.  Locals say that you can swim in a different river for every day of the year (except for a Leap year).  The island is so green, the people are friendly, and it is definitely an overlooked country in the Caribbean. 

Our first hike was to Trafalgar Falls.  It was a short hike, with an optional hike to go down to the foot of the falls.  I made it near the bottom of the falls, only to turn back around because of the massive slippery boulders, and fear that my clumsy feet would cause me to get hurt.  My cousin said I made the right choice after she saw several people slip, including a woman that fell pretty badly with few people rushing to help her. 

After our little hike, the heat and humidity were starting to take a toll on me.  Our driver handed me a cold local beer that I guzzled down quickly.  The roads in Dominica were the worst I have seen, and I commend anyone that can drive there.  The roads are extremely narrow, and I can only compare the feeling to a car zooming through speed bumps (minus the actual speed bumps).  The alcohol buzz made the roads a tad more tolerable.

We then made a quick stop at Mr Nice's Fruit Stand, ran by you guessed it, Mr Nice.  Mr Nice was an enthusiastic chap who fed us "free" fruits in exchange for voluntary tips and donations.  The fruits were amazing, the bananas in the photo may not look ripe but they were easily the best bananas I have EVER had.  Perfectly sweet.

After our slight re-energizing feast we made our way to Emerald Pool.  Emerald Pool is a waterfall grotto located in the UNESCO site of Morne Trois Piton National Park.  To get to Emerald Pool you must hike through a lush rainforest, and then cross a narrow path filled with tourist to get to the edge of the pool.  On our way back from Emerald Pool we got a chance to walk through the rainforest in the rain.

Dominica is filled with adventurous hikes while being surrounded by amazing flourishing green scenery.

Date Accomplished: April 6th, 2010

Climb A Sand Dune In San Pedro De Atacama

When I was doing some research on Chile I had read quite a bit about the sand dunes of San Pedro de Atacama in Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna).  Suggestive of its name, the terrain of moon valley are filled with stone and sand formations carved by wind and water similar to a lunar landscape.  The area is considered one of the driest places on Earth, with some areas not getting a drop of rain for hundreds of years.

So prior to climbing the dune I was actually excited.  Then our ride got stuck in the sand....

Since we couldn't get our bus out of the sand, our driver called for some help and we headed off to unsafely hike through a cave, and then climb a rock wall with no safety equipment.

Our bus thankfully got out of the sand, and we were able to head towards the dune.  After one minute of climbing  I was over it!  It was difficult enough to walk in sand, but climbing up sand was exasperating.  It didn't help that most of us were already exhausted after our prior endeavors of crawling through a cave, and climbing a rock wall.   The view once we got to the top was incredible, and the sunset highlighted the beauty of our surroundings.

I had a momentary lapse of lucidity and decided to climb up higher, and ventured to hike a rocky hill by myself.  The view was even better BUT the most secure thing to prevent me from cracking my skull and falling off the edge was a small cliff barrier.  Despite being dehydrated and exhausted it was a fabulous experience. My biggest tip---bring patience and lots of water!

Date Accomplished:  October 20th, 2009