If it ain’t broke, you probably didn’t buy it in China.

Never before has a smallish white girl looked at a large brown man and thought, How nice! One of my own kind! But in this case I was truly pleased to meet a fellow English-speaking foreigner—an Indian dude, who spotted me within my first few struggling steps into the mad circus that is Chungking Mansions. He talked a blue streak, as you come to expect merchants in China to, bargained, cajoled and flattered me, but even the salesmanship didn’t make me like him less.

Anyway, thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit, here I am on a flower-sheeted single bed, in a room hardly bigger than it, in front of a small window in “Yan Han House”, the top floor of Chungking Mansions (vastly less opulent than it sounds, I assure you), Kowloon, Hong Kong.

In the events leading up to this moment, I have discarded two thirds of my worldly belongings, left chunks of suitcase in four different cities, stayed in two hotels I couldn’t afford, frolicked in the Pacific Ocean, cried thrice, been caught in the rain multiple times, eaten the most delicious egg tart of my life, and been helped by at least four angels disguised as regular people: two Chinese, one Dutch and one Australian.

Bottom line, I am okay. I am here, I am alive, and I am definitely paring down my belongings—again.

Summer. Moving on from Suzhou.

Today was my last day of classes. Packed a little. I am boring when I'm very tired. Like right now.

Paring down belongings to fit in one small suitcase, weight not to exceed 20 kilos on pain of financial rape. Is there a different word for that when it's done at an airport? Aero-rape? Corporape?

Anyway, Thursday I'll spend the afternoon in Shanghai with Jason, then fly to Shenzhen and visit with Horsei and hopefully Andy and Jason (another one) as well. Shenzhen timing unspecified due to latter two not emailing me back yet.

After that will go to Hong Kong to visit with Lana, will be legen wait for it dary. Timing also uncertain. Depends on mutual fun quotient, her tolerance for my houseguestness, availability from werk, independent entertainment possibilities, funds.

After HK will be back to Yangshuo. See Liz and other excellent people. Then Aug 6 back to Edmonton.

It's gonna be cool, I'm sure, but right now I'm tired!!!

Also, still must find a home for the best bunny ever :/ Hoping to find a good one, may end up settling for one, period.

Love you. Miss you. Hope you still think of me a little and my absence won't be old news by the time I get back in August.

<3