Mine is fine so far.
I'm not dead, and I have lurking on LJ, meaning to update for ages, I'm just not sure where to start. I will rectify this soon, I promise, now I do actually have things to talk about...
Anyway, have a really good Year of the Tiger!
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
omniocular's September Challenge. The computer I'm using right now won't let me put a link, but just go to omniocular and look for the post - it's easy to spot. Right now they are collecting AU's for the Challenge - the more off the wall the better. They close at midnight US time, so hurry over there and add your Alternative Universe suggestions to the list while there is yet time! Or just read through the suggestions - there are some real corkers there already.To the China-lovers, China-experts, Old China Hands, lovers of online bookings and anyone else who knows what's what on my F-list -
My Mum's thinking of taking a boat down the Yangtze River. And I've realised to my deep embarrassment that I really don't know anything about how to set such a thing up, what goes on or how to make sure she gets a good deal. I mean, I could fudge something together I'm sure, but I have nil experience of boats in China, Chongqing or any of the stopping-off points. Or booking things in China online. And I have such a knowledgeable F-list...
So, do any of you have any experience of this journey? Or a tame travel agent? Or words of wisdom about online booking in general? Or any helpful comments of any sort? I'd be very grateful to hear from you.
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Other news: After tomorrow I'm going to be a bit out of touch for a few days - going to sunny Portsmouth to talk interminably about China with an old friend. No internet access, so no commenting from me.
Do leave me a note, though, if something unmissable happens...
But you aren't going to be seeing much of me over the next month or so, as I'm going to China! I'd be dancing with glee if I wasn't so tired - in fact, I think I might permit myself a little dance anyway, as I really am very excited about this.
I'm going to a corner of the little-known south-west, where I lived for two years, where the mountains look like corn-on-the-cob or loaf sugar; where the food has lots of garlic and chilli and tastes like heaven; where at this time of year you can smell the wonderful scent of ripening rice in the fields, and see children doing their homework on the back of the water buffaloes they're supposed to be minding. I know nothing's ever that perfect, and it's poor and underdeveloped round there as well as all the natural beauty and kind people, but it's a magical place.
I might also take in the deserts of the far north-west - the Silk Road, in short - but we're still negotiating the money part of that.
Anyway, I'm off tomorrow morning. I may update from time to time, if anything of particular moment happens while I'm out there - but it won't be that often. This means I won't be there to enjoy the flutterings in the hencoop in the wake of HBP - or the germination of a thousand insane and brilliant theories - which is a pity, I suppose, but oh, I am so pleased to be going back to China!
