High Speed Getaway

There’s something to be said for flying past the countryside at 346km/hr.  I’m just doing some off the top of my head math, but that’s approx 210mph.  This isn’t our first time on the high speed, but it still amazes me and that’s too damned cool.  Also, I gotta say, the security and controls to get onto the rail are so much easier.  A quick scan and look at the passport and away we go.  The other nice part is no pressurized cabin, so it’s not dry as hell.  With the four stops along the way, we ordered burgers and coffees at the second stop and now we just fly through the country for about 90 minutes now until a stop just outside Beijing and then it’s about 45 minutes into Beijing.  We’ll be in 16:15 (4:15pm) if on schedule.  Right now we are 2 minutes behind, but that’s kind of how it goes and we’ll either make up the few minutes as we cruise or we won’t and we’ll get in 16:17.  Either way, we’ll get to have dinner in Beijing tonight.  From what we’ve seen and J’s been told, the hotpot there is a bit different in it’s flavor profiles and the pot style.  I guess we can go and find out. 

We’ve also got plans to do Peking Duck with there and that’s something we’re excited to have for dinner.  I mean, it’s kind of one of the “known” cuisines of China, so why not?!?!  Sure, crispy duck skin and luscious meat isn’t the best for my cholesterol, but I’ve been good about how I’ve eaten recently.  Thailand our travels included.  I mean, I’m down 10.4kgs since my stent placement.  That’s 23 lbs.  The doc and I were hoping to get me 12-13kg by years end.  So, I just need to not balloon up once the winter gets here.  I do have a gym membership as of this last Saturday past, so it’s just keeping at it.  I think my body can afford peking duck and hot pot.  Besides, I’ll get to walk it off Great Wall style on Wednesday.

The hotel in Beijing has an indoor pool and we are planning to have a pool day tomorrow and maybe see about walking over around the downtown area we are staying in for a bit.  So, that said, I’m again ok with eating a little bit “bad” for a day or two.  I’ve not eaten beef in over 2 months, besides that.  I’ve been good, watching portion size, watching fats, eating more fruits and veg, and I’ve also added about 16oz of water to my day as well.  The other reason we plan of tomorrow being a pool day is because it’s forecasted to be HOT tomorrow, whereas on Wednesday, it’s predicted sprinkles and cooler.  We’re ok with hiking in wet.  Better than hiking in HOT.  27 (81F) is much better than 33 (93) for hiking on the Great Wall.  I’ll get wet for that.  Besides, I think it’s going to be like when we hiked in the Avatar Mountains…. Sprinkling and damp, but not epic downpour soaked.  

Excitement abounds, but we just pass the time.  Kiddo is watching Monsters Inc. on the iPad, J is doing some reading and I’m writing this.  About 50 minutes now until the next stop, so I can sit back and read and relax.  Seriously, if America could spend the next decade building out a high speed rail network, it would change everything.  It’s so much more comfortable and easy and at a cost that is a fraction of air travel.  Don’t want the rural and middle America folks to see TOO much of the country or of those damned liberal “blue” cities to know they are clean and well run and form opinions on other folks.  Gotta keep the poorly educated so certain people can stay in office.  

After this trip, though, the year starts; at least, that’s how we see it.  J goes back in a week to work and school.  Kiddo is two weeks behind.  J is going to apply for work, not that we hate Shanghai and SMIC, but it’s time to see what’s out there and if another school, city, or even country tickles us.  Plus, and I’ll write more about this later, I’ll be traveling for 2 weeks in September and October to catch up with the one and only BSchmittah and doing a week in BKK and the a week in Saigon (HCMC) as that’s the easier path for B and his beard instead of trying to get him into China and doing a visa here.  As J always says, once you got it, it’s all good, but getting it takes jumping thru ALL of the hoops, then jumping again, before jumping through the mystery hoops that you didn’t even know about.  Once done, though, it’s a breeze and everything is quick.  Our in and outs, our train travels, everything we do, we don’t even flash our passport page, we flash our visa page; we are given a cursory glance and go right now though.  Mostly because we’ve filled out and been subjected to doubt 10x the scrutiny in that then anything we’d get a boarder control, so why eat the time on us, when the energy can go elsewhere.  It’s a pretty great system, truth be told.  Not that this is utopia, but there is something to be said for the initial over caution, but ease of travel and movement after that.

The adventure continues and we’re being curious and not judgmental.  Who knows what comes next, after the Great Wall that is and, can I just say… One of the Seven Wonders of the World!  WOW WOW WOW!  Quote on quote Kiddo here, “Only six more to go.”  Love the attitude.

Let’s go, Kiddo… we are 90 minutes outside of Beijing on the high speed and everything is going fine.  You’ll get to swim, you’ll get to explore, you’ll get to try a different version of Chinese cuisine, and you’ll get to see a World Wonder; in person!  You’ll have seen more and gotten more passport stamps and experiences than most kids your age will get in a lifetime and certainly more than 99.9% of Americans.  You speak Thai, Mandarin Chinese, smatterings of Korean, and (Thanks Mabel) a sprinkle of Spanish.  Well, Zahua helped with that too.  I gotta say, pretty cool!