Say Goodbye

Ahhhh, I have been waiting for some weeks to post this entry.
Tommorow, I leave Chenzhou for a month and go and explore Asia. Its an exciting time for me as I finally have earned enough time to get out and actually see the country--but I won't be spending too much time in China. Its really dismal here right now and there is a place that is nicer-- THAILAND.
Ahhh, yes, temples, Buddhism, freedom and good food await me in the land of the sun.
But, I have to get there first. In typical Hogg style, I have decided to go the most difficult way possible, just to check and see if it is possible.
Here is the scheduled itenerary:
Tommorow, about 2:30 my time, 11:30pm your time on the left coast, I will get on a train for Chongquing--the 3rd largest city in China-- 20 million people. It is a 24hour train ride because it is high in the mountains--the same mountains where the famed Yangtze river begins. If you don't know much about the Yangtze, you will. Right after the summer olympics in 2008, the Chinese government will flood the Yangtze plain, which stretches from Chongquing to Shanghai *essentially and it will be the largest enviromental change of its kind ever done. In total, more than 2 million people will be displaced--probably more when most of this scenic and historic area goes underwater. So, I want to poke around and see it before then. When the flood happens, Chongquing is expected to become the largest city in the world within 10years--mostly due to the explosion of huge demand for products, which will all be made here.
Following a week of exploring there, I will head to Yunnan province, which is considered to be one of the golden gems of China. It is where most of the tea for the world is harvested--and the temperature will go up about 30 degrees when I reach the area.
All in all, I will spend about a week travelling in Yunnan, to Dali and possibly Lijang--before heading to the "banna" region of the province, which is near the Laotion border. I will attempt to hire a cargo ship to take me to Thailand, which should take about two days in total.
I will then be in North thailand and will spend time touring the north and sightseeing and enjoying 80+ degree weather. Then its off to Banckok to see Andrew, which I am sure will result in Choas, which I am quite looking forward to. Then, depending on how bad the hangover is, I will head down south to Phuket to see the Tsunami zone in all of its glory.
I will try to report back as much as I can.
I turn 33 on Saturday--what an awesome way to spend your birthday-- I feel so young and so old at the same time. I didn't think that this is where I would be when I turned 33, but I have to tell you, its probably better than where most people are in their lives.
:)