The Hong Kong skyline, viewed from Hong Kong Island, gazing north over Victoria Harbour. After more than 12 hours of travel and travel-related stress, bureaucracy, or general international-travel drudgery yesterday and after plodding like a pack mule overburdened with bags from Hong Kong to Shenzhen to Kunming, I am still exhausted. The past few days in Hong Kong, I have caught my mind whirling it's problem-solution wheels, as it seeks to sort out the challenges of this upcoming trek I have planned; beginning its calculations in the moments of waking and distracting me throughout the day, as if I have my own built-in mental mosquito which I can't seem to fend off, buzzing constantly and causing me to fret. I'm coming up against the inevitable murmers of doubt-- what took them so long to speak up? I thought I should be way more panicky about this trip than I have been for the past month or so; and yet, the details did not seem to be overly daunting until this week. In my attempt to ignore and stifle natural fears about this trip, I have coped through procrastination. Now, here I sit in Kunming, after successful application of the Chinese visa I have been so worried about obtaining -- due to my loose, rebellious tongue that repeats so many anti-communist rants on this blog. Kunming is the Staging Point for my 1210km/751mi (I hope!) trek, where I will organize gear I need for the First Leg of my journey (I suppose I need to decide exactly what distance will comprise Leg #1), and eliminate gear unneeded until the Second Leg (perhaps starting in Bathang). On Friday, while I was in Hong Kong, a co-worker friend help me out tremendously by shipping a load of gear from Chengdu to Kunming; it arrived intact this morning! Yay, SF Express! And only 115rmb to ship three >10 kilo boxes (that's about 17usd)! Yay, friend! I was going to complete the rest of my shopping and prep here, then head to Dali and have that area serve as my Jump Point between wormholes. However, the forecast for rain has me reconsidering not only my entire route, but timing of the entrie trip! It's monsoon season. Last year, I hiked and traveled throughout Kham, and only recall a few rain days. But looking at the forecast (although it's hard to get accurate data in China--they don't want their weather secrets leaked, apparently), it shows a deluge for a month, throughout the entire area where I am supposed to be camping! Last year, I experienced a sun-drowned trek through the mountains, requiring sunscreen and lots of hydration! With the rain, comes the hazard of landslides and flooding, although my research shows not too much flooding will endanger me. The landslides are another story though, with Yunnan being a province with a propensity toward these muddy destroyers, and Sichuan carrying its weight in mud as a locale for both landslides (fewer) and earthquakes (more). Landslide Research: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825217305652 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/516138/1/Chen%20et%20al%202016%20Introduction%20Landslide%20research%20in%20China%20QJEGH%20manuscript.pdf https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19475705.2018.1502690 I've vetoed the idea of starting my trek in the rain: this trek is a major endeavor, and I must keep both my morale high and spirits up, especially at the beginning. Too many setbacks or problems at the outset may mar my outlook for the duration. Ideally, I want an easy start of a 5-10 miles each day in fair weather. I still do not have a planned route through Yunnan, as I consider my knowledge of the area sparse in comparison to my geographical familiarity with Kham region of Eastern Tibet (Ch. Western Sichuan). The terrain is similar but the altitude is much lower. I do not yet have a grasp on water sources as I have not had time to research tributaries and rivers running through the area (except for the Jinsha), running north-south through both provinces). Simply put, I had months to study the geographical features of Kham, and also feel a comradeship with the land since I have visited so often-- but Yunnan is unknown to me. Add to that the fact that I changed the Jump Point from Kangding/Bathang in Kham to Kunming/Dali in Yunnan. Simply not enough time was available to me to research the area and potential routes, since during the past few weeks I have been focused on moving, packing, and storage. I will take a rest day today, since yesterday was an arduous travel day between Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Kunming ( more on that experience later). I'm also overwhelmed with the decisions that need to be made, along with the minimizing of my packed gear I will carry. Later, I'll work on route and plans and rain contingencies. I also need to get the last few pieces of necessary gear (or possibly unneccessary, but I believe I need them), so I'll wander around the city tomorrow and check out the outdoor gear stores. I need a Chinese Blind Massage and foot scrape before I start my trek; I'm still experienceing rib pain and my feet need to be prepped. Between the research and errands, I might extend my stay in KMG (Kunming) another day or two. For those concerned about my health and safety, I will file a Flight Plan, aka POP (Personal Outdoor Plan)... hehehe ... love that! "Flight Plan" is more accurate than can be realized! ... with friends and family that includes route plans, stopover locales, and directives if I fall off a mountain. Hey, I am simply being realistic! Last year I escaped both a pack of wild dogs and HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema)! This year, who knows what's in store for me out in the wilds! My current plan is to trek until my 60-day visa entrance expires on September 27 -- or day hike when I'm tired or overwhelmed from my personal Walkabout (look up Australian Aboriginal culture) -- then fly somewhere for a house/pet sit gig for a few months while I wait out winter. I'm leaning toward a farmhouse in the Loire valley of France or someplace equally EPIC! #doepicshit! My I-Got-My-Chinese-Tourist-Visa Celebration dinner in Hong Kong at Olive, a Mediterranean restaurant.
1 Comment
More Doorways of Possibility have opened! An idea tinkled its crystalline wind chime in my mind, catching my attention. I delved further and learned more and voila! New avenues paved in yellow-brick brighten before my eyes; an Emerald City of Opportunity and Adventure beckons! I answer, "Yes!". I shouldn't be surprised at the number of opportunities awaiting me online, but I am. I come across blog and after blog of writers living the life I have vicariously sought out. Then I discover estate management, pet sitting, house sitting ... the hurdle of finding long-term, affordable lodging while I travel and write is bounded over with joy and relief and renewed excitement! There are less than half-a-dozen reputable websites serving as contact exchange between home/pet caretakers and those seeking such service, but they have shown me a very real way to partially fund my writing endeavors! I can choose almost any location in the world for a duration of one weekend or more than several months. I have the option of dog-sitting in Hong Kong to bird-and cat-sitting in Queensland, AUS. I can work as paid employ in estate management or trade my caretaking service for lodging in a luxury villa on a palm tree-lined, white-sand beach. This feeds my hungry dream to focus on writing and publishing. It becomes a simple matter of timing. How and where do I fit this in to my trek? Should I even return to China? (Yes, all of my belongings will be stored here, and yes, I still want to trek through Kham!) The timeline is perplexing me because in between the trek and travels and Chinese tourist visa procurement (atotalbeeyotch of a process), I want to get some freelance copy-editing work. I will also need time to establish an online professional portfolio for estate management and caretaking service. ...And then there's the entire Get Published Universe I am barreling through, with Monetizing My Blog To-Do Lists asteroiding through this I-Need-More-Time-Zero-Gravity-Vacuum while Freelance Opportunity Dwarf Stars expand and contract in their brightness, miniature Galaxies of Copy-editing and Proofing Jobs blur past me beyond the porthole as a Podcast Wormhole leads me toward the Time Suckage Black Hole that is the minutiae of this National Ginagraphic Digital Nomad Start Up. I really need to hire some of this out to a Social Media Tesserac Assistant who can complete the drudgery of photo uploads, SEO activities, and online promotion -- propelling me past the mundane so I can remain grounded on my Authentic Creative Production Effort Planet of Ginaness. The creation of this particular missive is purely to work through the options, rolling them around, testing New Flavors of Serendipity on my tongue. My thoughts flow into The Plan. Phase 1 includes flying to Hong Kong to acquire my tourist visa (2-4 days). From there, Phase 2 begins. I will take a train northwest to Kunming and Dali, hole up for a week to dayhike, relax, and write. Then, remaining mindful of sleeping elevation gains (which affect AMS - altitude sickness), I will make my way north to Bathang and Lithang, to begin my trek. All destinations and times are variable and flexible dependent upon discovery of Yunnan and its trekking options, elevation, and increasing fitness level. Adhering to my budget, one month or so later I will embark upon Phase 3: caretaking/petsitting in some amazing ocean or mountain setting with plenty of time to realize the goals below. The logistics of transporting trekking gear and a small carry-on for Base Camp Activities (holing up at a guesthouse for an extended period to write and work) are still unfolding. The Prep Phase has already begun: packing up the household for storage, planning my trip to Hong Kong, and planning the UltimateKhamTrek2019. The timeline of all the above is flexible since although my school contract ends July 21, I can stay in my apartment through the 31st. Also helpful is the Humanitarian (H) Visa I will get, allowing me to remain in China after my resident permit expires, extending my stay through July 31. I can either wrap everything up in Chengdu the weekend of July 21st, head to Hong Kong and then back into China to begin my trek in Yunnan, or return to Chengdu to finalize packing and depart for Kangding to begin my trek, which has been the original plan all along. I do want to have the household packed and ready by the 14th -- or 19th at the latest, just in case I experience visa issues. Expats in China don't just have to jump hoops to gain entrance into this Communist, tightly government-controlled country, we have to leap talleffingbuildings in a single screaming bound -- while the building is on fire. Yes, that is an apropos metaphor for getting a Chinese visa. As today is June 30, I have a few more weeks until my original work permit expires. It will then be transferred to H visa status, allowing me to remain in China 30 days from application, expiring July 31st. As soon as school ends, I will fly to Hong Kong for a Tourist Visa. Considering that I will have an additional 11 days before I have to leave the country (between work permit expiry and H visa expiry), the dates for my trip to HK may change, depending on what happens over the next few weeks while waiting for the H Visa. I'll have to research and compare the costs of returning to Chengdu and heading west to Kangding, versus going straight to Yunnan from Hong Kong. At least I have options and flexibility when my work permit expires. The school doesn't tell its overseas staff that we even have the option of the H Visa --- most think they have to leave the country immediately upon work permit expiration. I am lucky to have learned about this from a coworker who lived in China previously! Last year, teachers scrambled stressfully to get packed and prepped to leave the country, while still working up to the day of their departure! It's really a horrible game if you don't know the rules; a shame that this legal right of legally-employed expats is kept secret by our school (I have no idea if other employers do the same, but our school is reputed as one of the better and more upstanding schools for whom to work. Some foreigners have gotten completely screwed by their employers, so I guess we are lucky). Back to organizing and packing! I will decide this week when to visit Hong Kong, and start making reservations for Phase 1. As I pack and organize, I will also plan logistics for all the options available to me, and perhaps get a head start on applying to publishing companies for freelance copy-editing positions. Thank you Goddess Serendip! Click "Read More" below the image to discover my goals for both the KhamTrek2019 and career transition to published writer!
|
Gallivanting Goddess...Fears nothing! Archives
September 2019
Categories
All
|
|