Hello from the other side of the planet!

[mattman]

Just sitting here in my hotel room in Jilin City, China getting ready to go out for the day.

First of all, this trip is the most outrageous, outlandish, and downright dangerous thing I have ever done by myself! Quite frankly, I should have done it a long time ago!! I've only been here a day, and I'm already the hotel novelty. I haven't seen a single other westerner since I left the Changchun airport yesterday.

Here's the progress so far.

5:00 am bus ride to the nearest major airport

Turbo Prop airplane from there to LAX

4 hours navigating LAX and it's international departure center "Tank you Berry Much"

12 hour BUMPY 777 Airbus overnight ride up the western US coast over Russia and down into Korea

4 hours in Incheon Intl Airport with LOTS of interesting people.

2 hour flight "around" North Korea to get to Changchun China. The pilot must have been former military on that one. The landing felt more like a strafing run! Yikes!

Screening and luggage process entering Chinese customs. I gave my screener an A+ on the optional "how did I do"
questionare...yes, they really have one.

The best part!! My lovely lady was waiting for me at the gate with roses.

Also met our personal driver only to find out that he drives WAY over the speed limit, honks every 5 seconds and nearly causes an accident every 3 seconds. I have since seen that EVERYONE here drives that way if not
worse. Seems I got a good driver! He hasn't hit anything/one yet. I'm amazed!!

Drove (way to fast) to Jilin City, and had lunch. At this point, I'm not even sure what it was. I have learned not to ask. Sometimes its better that way.

From there we spent the afternoon walking and talking along the Songhou River (literally across the street from the hotel...very cool). It started getting a little cold so we went back to the hotel where she helped me settle into the hotel room and pampered a me bit before going home for the night. Now before anyone gets the wrong idea...By pampered, I mean a cup of hot tea and a neck massage.

The only REALLY bad thing is that I think the Radiation detector in Changchun seems to have destroyed the memory card in my camera. It worked up to that point anyway. Luckily, I'm in China so a replacement should be easy and cheap to find. That will be first on my shopping list when we go out today. Hopefully my next post will be "fully illustrated".

Take care everybody,
Matt

[Jeff S]

Hey Matt:
Great to hear from you. All I have to say is - you shoulda traveled a generation ago. You think it's bad now? You shoulda seen what it was like flying in a DC-3 in the 50s in a thunderstorm, or traveling to  places in the 70s who didn't like America.

Anyway, enjoy your trip. China today is a great experience for the traveler - safe and fun. Have a great trip and keep us posted on what's happening!

- Jeff

[Dave H]

Hey Matt,

It sounds like you are having a great time...keep it up! 

Dave

[mattman]

OK, camera is back up and running!! Here's some pics from today. We had an awesome time!!

[img=http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/6394/cimg0010xc0.th.jpg]

[img=http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/4475/cimg0013qw7.th.jpg]

[img=http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9023/cimg0017qg9.th.jpg]

[img=http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/1095/cimg0021hw3.th.jpg]

[img=http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/8203/cimg0035xo3.th.jpg]

[img=http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/6066/cimg0037fv5.th.jpg]

[img=http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/3194/cimg0043ke0.th.jpg]

More to come tomorrow. Laptop battery is about out of juice. Hope everyone enjoys my ugly mug along with my fiance.

Take care everyone,
Matt

[Jeff S]

Great pics Matt. Thanks. You guys look great together - happy too.

- Jeff

[Dave H]

Hope everyone enjoys my ugly mug along with my fiance.

Take care everyone,
Matt

Hi Matt,

Now I know why you are having such a great time! Your fiancee is a very lovely lady! But why is she smiling?  Just kidding! You are a great kooking couple! I am looking forward to more pictures!

Dave

[Marshall K]

Way to go, Matt!  I just looked at the map.  I didn't realize you were so far away from where I am!  No need for a coat here.  She looks like such a sweetheart as well as gorgeous, too!  I don't know which of you looks more happy, but I know who is prettier!
Our streets and traffic are so orderly and proper that it takes some getting used to, but you can only trust God to get you wherever you are going.  Thai drivers are way worse, because they know that if killed they will come back again. 
Savor your time together and be happy knowing it only gets better.

[Jeff S]

When I was there in May I realized that basic traffic laws in China are merely suggestions.

[Dave H]

When I was there in May I realized that basic traffic laws in China are merely suggestions.

Hey Jeff,

Same here in South Florida! I don't know why DOT even bothers putting up street signs and traffic lights! It seems many police officers (having jurisdiction) have become so acclimated to the brazen disregard for traffic laws, that they seldom enforce the laws or issue citations. Several times, with police cars waiting beside me at a red light, I witnessed cars drive off the roadway and onto the easement to go around traffic stopped at the red light. The cars proceeded to run the red light, forcing traffic with the right-of-way to stop.  The police officers (Latinos on cell[hones) didn't even react. After the light turned green, another Gringo and I followed one vehicle (new Range Rover with a temporary license tag) which pulled into a gas station. It was a middle aged Latina yakking on her cellphone. She got out and we asked what she was thinking or apparently not thinking. She tried to pull the ol' "Mi no peaki English" routine. But, the other Gringo spoke better Spanish than me.  The lady dismissed us by waving her hands around in the air, making the "HMMMFFF" sound, and turning her back to us. She could have cared less about what she did. I think some of the LB guys are in for a real driving experience in the future! 

Dave

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opAzdY15Mpw&feature=related

[Bear]

Nice pics!    Glad things are looking good.

Cold in China?  How can that be when if you draw a line from Chicago all the way around the world you'd find more than 2/3s of China north of that line. Some one once told me that 75% of the people in the world live north of Chicago.  Draw that line and you'd have to believe it.

The Bear Family

[Jeff S]

You're right Bear. And the Southern tip China is about on a latitude with Cancun.

I saw plenty of places in China where the traffic looked more like that in India:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZBuDPx9r44

- Jeff

[Dave H]

Hey Jeff,

That is what I call driving! No wrecks! We have the '#1 most dangerous intersection in US' just down the street from my house. The roads are very nice, and the signals all work...but somehow after countless amounts of money spent on studies and 'improvements' people still manage run into each other at the highest rate in the nation. I could tell the traffic safety 'experts' the answer (I'm sure they already know) for free...but the truth is not politically correct or profitable!  Some drivers here are just not willing to obey traffic signals and American driving laws...but most have their cellphones held up to their ears yakking, without a clue as to what is happening around them!

Dave



 

[Marshall K]

Matt, when you're in a car, put your camera on video for a couple of minutes and just film.  Your friends at home will be impressed.  It somehow all works, though.  In Ashland this year some lady was yacking on her cell phone and stepped in front of a car and was killed.  It was a huge scandal with traffic studies, speed bumps, police stings, etc.  Yesterday I saw a guy on a scooter with his toddler on the gas tank, cell phone cocked on his shoulder using pedestrians for slalom poles.  Our economy is tanking and theirs is booming.  Is there a connection?

[Dave H]

Here it is folks...the '#1 most dangerous intersection in US' at the very end of video #1 and start of video #2. Nice intersection. In fact all of the roads around here are great except for the section being widened and resurfaced in video #1. But, I can't count, the number of serious accidents and rollovers I've seen on the very roads the cyclists are traveling. Try not to stare too hard at Wendy's chest...she is a nice Hialeah Latina! 

Dave

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9N9WpAikxQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnMN9YcvHNs&feature=related

[mattman]

Hey again Everybody!

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go and visit her family in the country for lunch. By "the country" I mean "back
in time 100 years"!!! 3 hours to get to their little bitty town where they still cut crops by hand and live in not much more than shacks. I thought I stuck out in the big city like a sore thumb! The people and the food were amazing! By the way, I shaved most of my beard before going. She recommended it to gain a younger appearance to her parents. We are only 5 years apart, but a greying beard adds a few more years to me.

The initial mood was pretty cold, but I put on my "A" game and all ended up with hugs, laughs and their blessing. Gifts worked well too. She picked them out. I never thought a nice canister of protein powder and a 2 for 1 deal on a bottle of booze could go so far. We received a gift from them also. They slipped a large cloth sack into the trunk as we left and waved goodbye. I about crapped my pants when I leaned my head back on the headrest and heard "HONK, HONK, HONK". They had slipped a couple geese into the trunk!!! We re-gifted the geese to the driver and his family.   SSSSHHHHHH 

Here's some pics from the day:











Today we visited North Mountain Park. Absolutely amazing! The weather has been much warmer today with sunshine all around. Also managed to sniff out a Pizza Hut tonight. Literally, walking along and my Pizza radar went off. Followed the smell and found it! Funny thing is that she was almost as grossed out by my slice of pizza for dinner as I was at lunch with her plate of whole squid!  We had a good laugh out of that one.

Here's my favorite pic of the day we took together.



Some more from the park







And now for a fun one. Does your hotel room closet have one of these? 



Just in case anybody is wondering why I have all this time to post while on vacation, we are not married yet and her family is very traditional. She meets me at the hotel every morning at 9am for the day's events, and departs strictly at 7pm. She is 30 years old but never married, so we respect mom's rules on this trip. 

In other words, don't expect to hear much from me on the next trip!   

take care everyone!
Matt

[stevjulietb]

WTG Matt,

DaveH,  this past week we had a Middle School Student killed in a bus accident.  The semi driver that hit the back of the bus was yaking on his cell phone!

Steveb

[Jeff S]

Looks like you're having a blast there Matt. Pretty amazing place isn't it?

[mattman]

Looks like you're having a blast there Matt. Pretty amazing place isn't it?

Time of my life Jeff!!!

In a word....Epic.  In two words....life changing. This may be my first trip to China, but definitely not the last. My next trip will be to get married in the Spring. From there, my fiance's parents have requested that we visit once a year if possible. To their amazement, my response was "ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!"

Matt

[Bear]

Looking good mattman.

The Bear Family

[Jeff S]

Sounds like you not only picked out a sweetie, but she has a great family, too. That's a unexpected bonus!

[Marshall K]

Matt, Yali and I have been enjoying your pictures and story a lot.  I could have told you to lose the beard .  I think the traditional values are great and really test your sincerity.  I did the same thing when I first met Yali in person, until we were married.  I can tell you your life will not be the same after .
Enjoy the rest of your trip, man!

[Dave H]

Hey again Everybody!

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go and visit her family in the country for lunch.

I thought I stuck out in the big city like a sore thumb!

The initial mood was pretty cold, but I put on my "A" game and all ended up with hugs, laughs and their blessing.

Matt

Hey Matt,

It sounds like you were the first westerner that her parents have ever met. After years of listening to how evil the 'capitalist pigs' are, I'm sure that they were quite weary! It's good to hear that her family warmed up to you! That your fiancee at 30, still follows her morals and her parents rules, even when they have no way of knowing, is a good sign!

Dave

[Dave H]

Hey Steve,

I'm sorry to hear about the student! Here we have to worry more about the crazy school bus drivers, especially the private schoolbus and van drivers! Every morning a lady (Maria? - name on her van) pulls up across the street from my house at 6:30 AM and blasts her airhorn a half dozen times or more, picking up two kids. I'm about ready to get up at 6 AM and wait for her, so I can tell her what to do with her horn! Needlessly blasting horns is a popular driving pastime around here...especially one millisecond after the traffic light turns green!

You see very few drivers around here who are not chatting on their cellphones or texting! Most people here don't use hands-free devices because they want to be seen talking on their cellphones (always held in the hand next to the window, elbow raised to shoulder level or higher) because they think it makes them look 'popular.' The worst part is that most are bad drivers without the added distractions! When they turn right, they go into the left lane first, like they were driving a huge semi truck. Their driving skills are quite evident at shopping centers. Very few are able to park a car between the  two lines in a parking space. Instead of backing up and straightening out their car, they just leave it.

Dave

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idhWjcjNS3w&feature=related

[michaelb]

Sure, sure, what's so hard about talking on the phone while driving an automatic? I can roll a cigarette while driving a manual transmission in traffic.

True, most of the time I use a Rizla box, especially in the car. I can do them by hand too, but not while driving. Never learned to do it with only one hand though.

[Dave H]

Sure, sure, what's so hard about talking on the phone while driving an automatic? I can roll a cigarette while driving a manual transmission in traffic.

True, most of the time I use a Rizla box, especially in the car. I can do them by hand too, but not while driving. Never learned to do it with only one hand though.

Hi Michael,

It is not hard talking on a cellphone and driving...unless the all too common chicken head takes over!