The third email

Hello hello!
My apologies for disappearing for such a long time, we literally were in the middle of no where for about a week.

We spent a few days in a town called Bing Zhong Luo in the western Yunnan Province. These were days of rest and recoup (if we wanted) and time to prepare for our big trek across the mountains. This whole trip we had been traveling north up the Nujong River, but our trek would take us across the mountain range to the Mekong River (I have no idea how to spell these so I am going phonetic). The second day we were there, we were given free time and loose directions to a nearby Tibetan monastery, if we wanted to go visit. Trevor headed off first and 10 minutes later, I took off, alone. BIG mistake. I thought I would catch up to him or at least see him at the monastery. Yeah, I never made it to the monastery. I walked down the ONLY road in town to the end when it turned into a winding dirt road on the side of hill with a huge valley next to it and river at the bottom, and on the other side of the valley there was another mountain. The monastery apparently was over there and I had to find a way to cross this river, but I somehow missed that. I walked for a very long time until the road crossed a different river and I walked through a small town with a school. The road then went over a small-ish mountain and then cross another river and then turned sharply up. I climbed up with this mountain until I found a village on the first flat area. While wandering through this village trying to find someone to get directions from, I ran into an untied dog that was not too happy with me. It growled and barked and approached, and suddenly 4 other dogs appeared out of no where and surrounded me. I started throwing rocks like crazy and even picked up a dried piece of dung by accident and made a quick retreat. I skirted the edges of village, carrying rocks with me just in case and kept climbing up the mountain. Not long after that I realized that I had missed the monastery all together and was completely lost. I even lost my trail and had to slide down the side of a mountain through mud to get back on a trail. By the time I returned,
\r\n \r\nWe spend the rest of the time buying camping supplies and preparing for our trek. The next day was took a bus from Bing Zhong Lua up further north to Dima Lua - our base camp essentially. That night I got very sick with a sore throat and headache and stuffiness and all the fun things that go along with having a cold. I spent our day in Dima Lua sleeping while others went to Tibetan Catholic church services and to the market (Sunday = market day). Christina did take me out to lunch and I met a man who told us about his daughter. When she was 16, she tried to leave the town and find work elsewhere and followed a stranger who claimed he could give her work. He kidnapped her and sold her in a different province. The man hasn\'t seen his daughter since, but if she were still at home she would be 23. \r\n\r\n \r\nThe following day we began our hike over the mountains. Our team included 6 horses to carry our packs, food, and supplies, guides, and a goat we named "Dinner" (that was my idea). The first day we hiked for about 8 hours (2-3 hours longer than we were supposed to). Painful. By the time we got into camp, we were all sick and tired. We couldn\'t make it the last kilometer to our intended camp site, so we had to make do with a wet, wooded area next to a river. Julia got sick that night and I blacked out shortly after we got to camp. I had carried Julia\'s day pack the last half of the hike because she was too sick to carry it and she packed WAY too much in her day pack. Later on, Ben ran out of water and got a head ache, so I gave him the last of mine (that actually wasn\'t the plan. I said I could share mine with him and our leader took my camel back and emptied it into his. Woops). Yeah....so I was really dehydrated and tired. That night I should have slept like a baby, but couldn\'t because I was still sick. Not such a good start to the hike.\r\n",1]
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3.5 hours and approximately 10 miles worth of hiking later, I was tired, hungry (having missed lunch), covered in mud, and terrified of dogs. My new nick name is "Magellan" courtesy of Sar. Meanwhile Trevor sat peacefully with Tibetan monks drinking yak butter tea and eating sunflower seeds. He reported it only took him 30-40 minutes to get to the monastery and there was no serious mountain climbing involved. I'm not bitter, oh no.

We spend the rest of the time buying camping supplies and preparing for our trek. The next day was took a bus from Bing Zhong Lua up further north to Dima Lua - our base camp essentially. That night I got very sick with a sore throat and headache and stuffiness and all the fun things that go along with having a cold. I spent our day in Dima Lua sleeping while others went to Tibetan Catholic church services and to the market (Sunday = market day). Christina did take me out to lunch and I met a man who told us about his daughter. When she was 16, she tried to leave the town and find work elsewhere and followed a stranger who claimed he could give her work. He kidnapped her and sold her in a different province. The man hasn't seen his daughter since, but if she were still at home she would be 23.

The following day we began our hike over the mountains. Our team included 6 horses to carry our packs, food, and supplies, guides, and a goat we named "Dinner" (that was my idea). The first day we hiked for about 8 hours (2-3 hours longer than we were supposed to). Painful. By the time we got into camp, we were all sick and tired. We couldn't make it the last kilometer to our intended camp site, so we had to make do with a wet, wooded area next to a river. Julia got sick that night and I blacked out shortly after we got to camp. I had carried Julia's day pack the last half of the hike because she was too sick to carry it and she packed WAY too much in her day pack. Later on, Ben ran out of water and got a head ache, so I gave him the last of mine (that actually wasn't the plan. I said I could share mine with him and our leader took my camel back and emptied it into his. Woops). Yeah....so I was really dehydrated and tired. That night I should have slept like a baby, but couldn't because I was still sick. Not such a good start to the hike.
\r\n \r\nSecond day was much better. We only hiked for 6.5 hours, but it was by far the hardest day. About 5 of those hours were straight up the side of a mountain. We went from an altitude of 8,000 ft to 13,000 ft. Around 10,300 (After 2 hours of hiking) we came to a spot that we could have camped for the night. We either had to stay there or go all the way to the summit because there were no areas between there that we could camp (as in, nothing flat enough to put a sleeping bag down on - it was that insane). I was psyched when my entire group voted for going to the summit. We felt pretty badassed when we made it to the top. An hour from the summit, we found an abandoned yak herders hut to stay in for the night. We slaughtered Dinner the goat for dinner and WOW was that tasty. That was probably the best day of the hike.\r\n\r\n \r\nThe next day was pretty relaxed. We hiked down the other side of the hill for about 3 hours before finding a beautiful pasture with yaks and a yak herder. We decided to stay and rest for the remainder of the day (we were desperate for a rest day) and finish hiking down the mountain the following day. We did a 3 hour solo that day - a time when you go off by yourself where you can\'t see or hear or talk to anyone else and just think/relax/sleep, whatever you want. I headed out with my thermarest to sit on a bag of sunflower seeds and every article of warm clothing I owned (China is rapidly getting colder). I sat and ate sunflower seeds and pondered the meaning of life for a few hours and then passed out on my mat. I woke up not too long after to the sound of a rather large animal near me. I looked up and walking lazily in my direction was a giant wild yak. Our guides had warned us early against the wild yaks (there are wild ones and domesticated ones - even the domesticated ones can be dangerous). They said that might crush or stab you with their huge horns. Fabulous. So I jumped up and tried everything to get it to leave me alone. I moved out of its way so that maybe it could keep walked past, but it turned towards me. I threw things, but it was unphased. I yelled and stomped, but that only caused it to pause momentarily. I was finally backed up against a tree and about to drop my things and try climbing it when Christina (one of the leaders) appeared out of no where and saved me. Phew. \r\n",1]
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Second day was much better. We only hiked for 6.5 hours, but it was by far the hardest day. About 5 of those hours were straight up the side of a mountain. We went from an altitude of 8,000 ft to 13,000 ft. Around 10,300 (After 2 hours of hiking) we came to a spot that we could have camped for the night. We either had to stay there or go all the way to the summit because there were no areas between there that we could camp (as in, nothing flat enough to put a sleeping bag down on - it was that insane). I was psyched when my entire group voted for going to the summit. We felt pretty badassed when we made it to the top. An hour from the summit, we found an abandoned yak herders hut to stay in for the night. We slaughtered Dinner the goat for dinner and WOW was that tasty. That was probably the best day of the hike.

The next day was pretty relaxed. We hiked down the other side of the hill for about 3 hours before finding a beautiful pasture with yaks and a yak herder. We decided to stay and rest for the remainder of the day (we were desperate for a rest day) and finish hiking down the mountain the following day. We did a 3 hour solo that day - a time when you go off by yourself where you can't see or hear or talk to anyone else and just think/relax/sleep, whatever you want. I headed out with my thermarest to sit on a bag of sunflower seeds and every article of warm clothing I owned (China is rapidly getting colder). I sat and ate sunflower seeds and pondered the meaning of life for a few hours and then passed out on my mat. I woke up not too long after to the sound of a rather large animal near me. I looked up and walking lazily in my direction was a giant wild yak. Our guides had warned us early against the wild yaks (there are wild ones and domesticated ones - even the domesticated ones can be dangerous). They said that might crush or stab you with their huge horns. Fabulous. So I jumped up and tried everything to get it to leave me alone. I moved out of its way so that maybe it could keep walked past, but it turned towards me. I threw things, but it was unphased. I yelled and stomped, but that only caused it to pause momentarily. I was finally backed up against a tree and about to drop my things and try climbing it when Christina (one of the leaders) appeared out of no where and saved me. Phew.
\r\n \r\nThe last day, we finished out hike down the mountain and wound up in a small Tibetan village called Yongzhi where we stayed with a family for two nights. We explored the town, the river, the temples, did laundry, showered (muchly needed) and rested. I finally got over my cold. We drank Tibetan yak butter tea - an interesting experience, not to be repeated. It\'s like drinking a melted stick of butter mixed with bad tea and a lot of salt. We made friends with the villagers which was very easy because Tibetan culture dictates that they take in anyone who knocks on their door and treat them like family, feeding them food and drinking with them. We caught up on our Chinese lessons and even studied Buddhism. Several of us got sick from the food (not me!) but aside from that, the village was a lot of fun. We are now in the city of Deqin where I have finally found a computer. Last night was the birthday of China, so we went out street partying and disco hopping. It was....an experience. Everyone in the discos would stop dancing and stare at us when we went in. A couple of us had fun making fools of ourselves dancing like morons (and you know I was in the front lines). Everyone wanted us to sit and drink with them. Drinking is against Dragons policy, so that led to several awkward moments, but I am in no mood to get sent home. It was a fun night all together.\r\n\r\n \r\nTomorrow we are heading off to Yubeng, a 6 hour hike from the nearest road. It is a Tibetan village where many pilgrims stop. Our leaders think it will be the coolest village that we\'ve seen so far, so I\'m excited. After that, we\'ll be hiking back out and slowly making our way back to Kunming and my month of traveling will be over. I\'m doubting I\'ll have another chance to write before Kunming, so do not worry if I disappear for another week. I am loving all the emails - even if I don\'t reply, I am still reading them and enjoying them. Hope home/college is treating everyone well and keep me up to date on what is going on!\r\n",1]
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The last day, we finished out hike down the mountain and wound up in a small Tibetan village called Yongzhi where we stayed with a family for two nights. We explored the town, the river, the temples, did laundry, showered (muchly needed) and rested. I finally got over my cold. We drank Tibetan yak butter tea - an interesting experience, not to be repeated. It's like drinking a melted stick of butter mixed with bad tea and a lot of salt. We made friends with the villagers which was very easy because Tibetan culture dictates that they take in anyone who knocks on their door and treat them like family, feeding them food and drinking with them. We caught up on our Chinese lessons and even studied Buddhism. Several of us got sick from the food (not me!) but aside from that, the village was a lot of fun. We are now in the city of Deqin where I have finally found a computer. Last night was the birthday of China, so we went out street partying and disco hopping. It was....an experience. Everyone in the discos would stop dancing and stare at us when we went in. A couple of us had fun making fools of ourselves dancing like morons (and you know I was in the front lines). Everyone wanted us to sit and drink with them. Drinking is against Dragons policy, so that led to several awkward moments, but I am in no mood to get sent home. It was a fun night all together.

Tomorrow we are heading off to Yubeng, a 6 hour hike from the nearest road. It is a Tibetan village where many pilgrims stop. Our leaders think it will be the coolest village that we've seen so far, so I'm excited. After that, we'll be hiking back out and slowly making our way back to Kunming and my month of traveling will be over. I'm doubting I'll have another chance to write before Kunming, so do not worry if I disappear for another week. I am loving all the emails - even if I don't reply, I am still reading them and enjoying them. Hope home/college is treating everyone well and keep me up to date on what is going on!
\r\n \r\nLove you all lots!!\r\n \r\nMegan\r\n \r\nPS My apologies for the creative spelling and grammar. The more I study Chinese, the worse my English gets! Also, if you haven\'t already, you should check out our yakyaks at \r\nwheretherebedragons.com - go the the yakyak link, then current programs, then China. Students and leaders post updates there as often as we can, so even if I don\'t get a chance to email, there will be information there.\r\n\r\n \r\n",1]
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D(["mb","On 9/13/05, Megan Schoendorf <megan.schoendorf@gmail.com> wrote:\r\n",1]
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Love you all lots!!

Megan

PS My apologies for the creative spelling and grammar. The more I study Chinese, the worse my English gets! Also, if you haven't already, you should check out our yakyaks at wheretherebedragons.com - go the the yakyak link, then current programs, then China. Students and leaders post updates there as often as we can, so even if I don't get a chance to email, there will be information there.