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It was not crowded inside, and we were given
near-private seating with two attendants who ensured our water
glasses remained full, our orders were taken and delivered
precisely, and we would not leave hungry. I think what might have
made the meal particularly memorable was the quantity of
high-quality food that, like all of the restaurants we'd been to so
far in China, the price was minimal. We slept well that night in the
hostel, this being my first good sleep when I wasn't thinking about
transportation out of Beijing, China!
Habits, good or bad, are hard to break. I awoke
early, went outside to the guard's office that we had to pass
every time we left or entered the hostel, and became friendly with
him, via a smile and handshake. We didn't speak—words just get in
the way sometimes! I saw on his timeclock that I had gotten at least
five hours decent sleep, and we weren't due to meet in the lobby
until (07:00). It looked like we may have a beautiful day, with thin
cirrus clouds drifting high above, and returned to our room for
another hour of contented repose...!
I was up at (06:15), roused Katarena and Enrique a
half-hour later, and got ourselves ready to go, which included
eating breakfast, as well as buying the boxed lunches along with
water bottles. Despite holding up the group several minutes—we were
a snug baker's dozen in the minivan, a jolly mix of Westerners who
actually came from other hostels and hotels. I knew they weren't too
upset with us because they only cursed us some!
Actually, we got along rather well, with only two
repeat walkers, Joseph, of the Great Wall Adventure Club (www.greatwalladventure.com),
who ran this trek and was driving to the trailhead. The other was a
New Yorker named Robert, who was relocating to this great city and
attending language school here. We had two hours of close company,
and became particularly close to Robbie, a lawyer-to-be from
Edinburgh.
His former location of study was the reason for our
interest in him along with everything he had to say. In a few weeks,
we expected to spend at least two or three nights in Edinburgh, and
what better source of information than from a native? He also
enjoyed the attention, and had a near-personal connection
with J.K. Rowling, having watched her write Harry Potter at the
Elephant House restaurant. Katarena, entranced, had to sit next to
Robbie, as he continued to discuss witnessing other authors at work
in Edinburgh. I merely satisfied myself by touching his shoulder,
mentioning something about osmosis and writing....! Then he informed
me that what he had told us, as well as the brush of my hand on his
jacket, was going to cost me. Everybody hearing this palaver enjoyed
a hearty laugh when I informed him that the cookies and peanut
butter we may share with him, from our lunch basket, was
going to cost him an equal amount.
We stopped midway to our destination for gasoline, as
well as the chance for a last minute stock up of supplies and
draining bladders. Entering the loo, I never realized that there was
a protocol to using the squat slot until I saw a naked posterior
quite exposed, while its owner kept his face hidden behind the
partition. It was gross! I immediately turned around, knowing that I
could hold it for later.
Back on the road, I became absorbed with the terrain,
which was becoming continually more mountainous, occasionally
dropping into the conversation if I had a pertinent point, my last
comment being “...camping with Scouts can be a challenge...” I then
noticed how the roadway had diminished considerably from a fine
interstate quality multi-lane to a dirt path, and came back to the
conversation with “I always want to do it.”
All eyes became focused upon me as the chit-chat came
to an abrupt stop. Even the car engine and the birds outside became
part of the dead-silence. Joseph, in traditional Chinese fashion,
became flushed and politely excused his shock at my inappropriate
admission with “I had to stop to determine how to go through this
pothole.” He quickly looked forward again, as if to analyze the dirt
track for a secret passage. It seemed to be an uncomfortable
eternity.
Unfortunately, I had missed a significant part of the
conversation, which had somehow digressed to transvestites during my
distraction. Everyone was astonished about why I might proclaim my
desire for a sex change operation. Robbie was amazed, then knowing
that I had missed a critical part of the discussion, inquired, with
a completely straight face, “How long have you wanted that, Juanito?
Or should I call you Juanita?” Smiling broadly, he summarized what I
had missed: “Scottish males do wear kilts on special occasions, but
they harbor no desire to actually become female. Are you interested
in retracting your statement, or do you continue to stand by
it?”
To say the least, I quickly rephrased my statement,
connecting it to the fact that I always want to go camping with the
Scout troop, even if it can be a challenge. Everybody let my faux
paś drop, guffawing, although I did see a few sideways
glances. Robbie used his lawyer-skills to give the group redirection
away from me toward an opposing school: “There is nobody on Earth
who can outdrink a Scot. And nobody comes close to being as perfect
a drunk as a law student in Caledonia University, Glasgow”. Robbie
continued to verbalize about the antics of an inebriated Scot,
particularly emphasizing the cross-country rivals. With perfect
timing of self-deprecation, and to the ballyhoo of all present, he
declared, “I speak as an experienced Scot myself”.
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