Somewhere around 5am we both woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, even though we made it to midnight last night. This must be the other end of the lag we had for the first few days in Beijing: 7pm or so I'd be fighting to stay awake, trying to reset my clock. Sunday wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. We got in at 8am, came home, slept until 4, then continued the day as normal (hot wings and beer for dinner, a fitting return to American food). I thought we'd gotten off easy but it seems my body is still getting its cycles in order.

I'm already halfway through developing the 30-odd rolls of film I shot: just finished Xi'an, now in Summer Palace, then Beihai after that. I haven't scanned any yet or even looked at the 700+ digital pics. For now, I'm just happy the film came out—for the whole trip I couldn't stop imagining all of it zapped by the x-ray machines. Looks like there might be some good ones in there, and I even did pretty good at guessing exposures without a light meter. Will post scans as soon as I get a chance.

I know I should write something about the trip itself, but I think I need more time to digest it all. I don't have many impressions that come to mind because we didn't really get a chance to experience things: we spent most of the trip being herded around town with only a few hours for each location, busy watching the clock to make sure we didn't keep the driver waiting. More like touristing than travel. Next time (whenever that is), we'll be on our own schedule, taking as long as we need to get a proper impression of the place. For now, though, I'll write in upcoming posts about: Life in the Expat Bubble, Falling for a Tourist Scam, Buying Things and Spending Money, Eating China, and.. whatever else comes up as I structure my memories of the last two weeks.

Hoo boy I'm going to have a mess of pictures to go through when I get home. My digital folder is up to 4.5 G and I have some 15 or so rolls of film shot.

Over the weekend we went to Xi'an to see the terra cotta warriors and horses. Here's a lucky shot I got heading up to the Bell Tower in the center of town:

Back in two weeks.

Business flight across China leaves man stranded

Reading this article brought back bitter, painful memories, because I.. I'm also a survivor.

Last spring I drove my parents old '86 Landcruiser from Denver to Portland. On the third day of the trip, just across the Oregon/Nevada border, the car wouldn't start and I found myself abandoned in a little town named Burns. Burns, Oregon!—it still chills me to say those words out loud! With the aid of some helpful locals I managed to get the car to a mechanic, where I damn near had to fight to let them fix the car. I suffered every indignity imaginable: coldness, hunger, boredom.. By some miracle, I found a diner where I was able to purchase a meal, and then, wandering lost through town I happened across a motel—with a DSL line. <nearly breaking into sobs> That DSL line probably saved my fricking life.

With the help of a new alternator and the kind of courage that can only be found in the face of severe adversity, I bravely drove the rest of the way home to Portland. I may have survived, but some part of me died in Burns, Oregon.

Everyone who helped me: I'll never forget you!

(Any Hollywood studio execs interested in optioning the rights to this gripping tale of survival please contact me.)