Another in my occasional series of "Flashbacks" looking back at blog entries made before this Weebly version started.
Despite only arriving in my new V.S.O. placement a week ago, I’ve been told many times that YiLiang's claim to fame is the nearby "XiaoCaBa" area of pristine, ancient forest and the TianMa grown there – a herb that cures all ills. Today I was woken early and told to be ready by 9.00am for the drive to XiaoCaoBa; “one of the most beautiful places in the world”, I'm told. Somewhat inevitably, 9.00am comes and goes…
2.30pm Someone finally collects me and takes me to a car park.
2.40pm No sign of our car. I'm told to wait in a restaurant.
3.00pm Car arrives. I'm told to continue to wait in the restaurant.
3.40pm Car leaves for an extremely bumpy two hour journey through forests.
5.30pm We arrive (I think) - the whole area is covered in fog. There's nothing to be seen. I'm told to wait in a restaurant.
6.00pm We eat a meal.
6.30pm I'm told to wait in the restaurant.
7.00pm I escape from the restaurant, walk up a muddy path and find a crab.
7.30pm I'm “recaptured” and told to wait in the restaurant.
8.00pm We finally leave the restaurant to go to an allegedly famous "Bonfire Party” in a large field. It starts raining.
8.30pm Torrential rain. The huge bonfire goes out. The party is cancelled. We try to leave, but our car gets stuck in mud.
8.45pm Our car gets onto the road, but is blocked by other traffic also trying to leave.
9.20pm We begin an extremely bumpy two hour drive back in the dark.
11.30pm I finally arrive back at my flat feeling sick and dizzy....
Next Day...
6.30am I'm woken abruptly and taken to school.
7.00am I'm told to give an impromptu speech in English and Chinese to 2000 students about how beautiful XiaoCaBa is!
2.40pm No sign of our car. I'm told to wait in a restaurant.
3.00pm Car arrives. I'm told to continue to wait in the restaurant.
3.40pm Car leaves for an extremely bumpy two hour journey through forests.
5.30pm We arrive (I think) - the whole area is covered in fog. There's nothing to be seen. I'm told to wait in a restaurant.
6.00pm We eat a meal.
6.30pm I'm told to wait in the restaurant.
7.00pm I escape from the restaurant, walk up a muddy path and find a crab.
7.30pm I'm “recaptured” and told to wait in the restaurant.
8.00pm We finally leave the restaurant to go to an allegedly famous "Bonfire Party” in a large field. It starts raining.
8.30pm Torrential rain. The huge bonfire goes out. The party is cancelled. We try to leave, but our car gets stuck in mud.
8.45pm Our car gets onto the road, but is blocked by other traffic also trying to leave.
9.20pm We begin an extremely bumpy two hour drive back in the dark.
11.30pm I finally arrive back at my flat feeling sick and dizzy....
Next Day...
6.30am I'm woken abruptly and taken to school.
7.00am I'm told to give an impromptu speech in English and Chinese to 2000 students about how beautiful XiaoCaBa is!
