All aboard the train to Tibet!

The train to Tibet was scheduled to leave Beijing West station at 20:00. I arrived at the massive train station via taxi and found the waiting room for the train to Lhasa, Tibet. It was huge. I scanned the room for any whiteys like me. Nope. None. I'm accustomed to being in this situation, and I actually prefer it compared to the hoards of tourists.


I shuffled through the large room, stepping over bags and weaving through clusters of families sitting on the floor with their luggage. I could feel a sea of brown eyes on me, but I wasn't phased by this. India has made me a strong traveler. I could almost hear them thinking "girl, whatcha doin' here all alone?"


When the doors opened that allowed us access to the train, it was a mad dash, despite the fact that the train wasn't scheduled to leave for a good 30 minutes. "Why is everybody running? Am I missing something here?" I thought as I nonchalantly walked down the stairs to the platform, stopping to buy water along the way. Frantic passengers whizzed by me, like a bunch of crazy shoppers on Black Friday.

The scenery on the train did not disappoint, it was went on inside the train that made the trip less enjoyable. There was a constant hocking of loogie's, snot rocket blowing and smoking that I could have done without. I cringed every time I heard "cccckkkkk shoooo!" and heard the wetness splash against the sink in the hallway, the same sink I needed to brush my teeth in. It was nothing short of vulgar. Didn't their mama teach them any manners?


Despite the 'no smoking' signs clearly displayed, the Chinese men congregated near the bathrooms and puffed away on their stinky ciggies, day and night, polluting our precious air in the confined space, giving the air a look of perpetual fog.


The fact that they had no cosideration for everyone else's air just so they could feed their nasty addiction made it a difficult 48 hours. The lack of amiability along with the public display of bad habits that I have witnessed in China thus far make it very difficult for me to grow a liking. I just wasn't getting good vibes.

Not a single soul on the train spoke English, (surprise!) including the workers. While trying to communicate my order to the waiter (he didn't understand that fish wasn't vegatarian), a lovely Japanese lady named Joy piped up in her broken English and helped me order. She moved over to my table and we stammered through a conversation about our travels. She instantly became my new best friend as the only person I could actually speak to on the train.


The temperature dropped drastically as the softly rolling hills morphed into dramatic snow capped mountains. Suddenly I was in a winter wonderland. It was magical. Shaggy yaks and prayer flags became more frequent. So peaceful. Small villages with smoking chimneys floated by the windows as we chugged higher and higher over the barren land.


As the highest train in the world, supplemental oxygen was needed to counteract the thin mountain air. An outlet in each room hissed as it fed us oxygen. I was required to sign a waiver that said I was healthy enough to be in this high of elevation.

I was grateful to not experience any symptoms of altitude sickness; the same cannot be said about my friend Joy. She became ill from the decreased amount of oxygen and had to visit the hospital as soon as we arrived in Lhasa. Poor thing.


This reminded me of when I once had a patient, an ex-Hells Angels, that unexpectedly had a low oxygen saturation and started hallucinating. I secretly died from laughter as he started joyfully singing the song "yakety yak (don't talk back!)" in his loopy state. This song played through my head as I wondered if I myself wasn't hallucinating from the low oxygen levels. Was I rrrreally seeing all these yaks? Yakety yak!


24 hours into the journey over the rooftop of the world, we stopped at a desolate station to pick up more passengers. A group of Tibetans, carrying huge bags of who-knows-what hopped on the train. This was my first glimpse at the Tibetans. They had tan, leathery skin and were wearing their traditional attire. I couldn't help but stare. They looked like they came straight out of a National Geographic magazine. I was unprepared to see them so early into the trip, I caught myself saying "no way", as I looked at them with wide eyes. This was a "we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto" moment for me. One of the elderly Tibetan ladies made eye contact with me and gave me a genuine smile. I smiled back at her and felt so comforted to have personable contact with someone again after being deprived of this while in Beijing.


I'm going to like Tibet, I just know it.....

The GRRREAT Wall

Ahh the Great Wall of China, what can I say? It was..... GRRREAT! (said in my Tony the Tiger voice)

In case you didn't know, I'm a bit of a cheapskate when I travel. In order to travel for months at a time, I have to be. That's not to say that I don't splurge every once in a while. Because I do.

Naturally, I decided to skip the over-priced tours (tours are for tourists) and opted to find my own way to the Wall via the local bus, squeezed in tightly next to no one but locals. I want to get to know this culture firsthand.

Remember, at this point, the only words I know how to say in Chinese are- hello, water, vegetarian, yes, no and thank you. I'm guessing the only English word they probably know is "hallo!"  I knew this was going to be an adventure, and I welcomed it with open arms.

First, I needed to take the subway to the bus station. I was having a hard time finding the subway, so I took a shot in the dark and asked a group of Chinese "do you speak English?" one brave lady softly said "yes". I couldn't believe it! This was like finding a needle in a hay stack. She spoke better English than anyone in China I've encountered thus far. I was impressed.

Not only did she go out of her way to walk me the 7 blocks to the subway, she rode the subway with me to make sure that I got to where I was going. Out of the goodness of her heart. This gave me a lot of hope in the Chinese people. I thanked her profusely as we parted ways. She has good karma coming her way.

On a side note, the way the Chinese pack themselves into the subway is incredible. They create such a tight fit, I bet if I lifted my feet off the ground, I would be suspended in the air with my legs dangling. Can you imagine?!

I found bus #916 to bring me to the Mutianyu section of the wall. Cost: $1.75. Cost if I would have taken the tour: $50. See why I'm a cheapskate? Plus, this way is much more fun.

After a bit of research, I discovered the Mutianyu section is the more scenic and less touristy section of the Wall. The bus took me an hour and a half through the outskirts of Beijing. I could see civilization slipping the farther we inched away from the city. At one stop, a rough looking Chinese lady wobbled in, I scooted over and she sat next to me. She started rattling off a friendly string of Chinese words to me. I just nodded and smiled at her. Do I look like I speak fluent Chinese?

At the last bus stop I needed to catch a cab to get to the Wall. I bartered hard with a taxi man. A crowd of locals formed and got a good laugh for the day as I lightheartedly joked with the brown toothed taxi driver. Travel tip: ALWAYS barter with a smile :)

He waited 3 hours for me while I hiked the Wall. It was a fairly steep 30 minute hike before I actually reached it. My anticipation grew the closer I got. The first glimpse I got of the Wall stopped me in my tracks. This was one of the main reasons why I came to China. I've dreamt of this moment for a long time. A big smile spread over my face (the same way it did when I first saw the Taj Mahal, the Pyramids, the Colosseum....) When you've seen so many pictures of a famous structure, to actually see it with your own eyes seems so surreal.

I hiked up and down the rugged, uneven steps and through the many watchtowers of the old Wall. It slithered over the hills for as far as I could see, like a giant snake. What an amazing feat of engineering. The autumn colored leaves created a photo op at every turn.

It was a perfect day. To be more accurate, it was a GRRREAT day! To top it off, I had the most scrumptious vegetable dumplings at the bottom of the Wall. They were overpriced (for China) at $6, but they were worth every penny. You can't always be a cheapskate....

P.s. I'm headed to Tibet tonight on a 48 hour train. It's the highest train in the world! I will be in Tibet for 10 days, so I'll post again once I have Internet!

Welcome to China!

Minneapolis to Toronto to Beijing. 16 hours of being trapped in a metal tube. It was a looong flight. I was happy to be seated next to a friendly elderly Chinese couple, whom filled my head with endless knowledge of China.
Flying over the Arctic, the plane finally touched down in Beijing, the door opened and all the recycled dirty air spewed into the Beijing sky.

 The plane was filled with 95% Chinese. All 12 of the foreigners skimpered off to the comfort of their tour guide. I, on the other hand, was left to fend for myself. I would have to navigate myself through this city of 13.5 million, all on my own. This is what being a real traveler is all about. I was exhausted from the lack of sleep along the journey but the excitement of being in strange lands livened me up. This was a challenge, and I'm a sucker for them.
I breezed through customs and picked up my 35 lb backpack. First things first, I made a beeline to the ATM. I need me some yuan!
Next, finding my hostel. This had me a little nervous. Armed only with a small, hard to read map that I had printed off at home, I set off.
I was looking for the subway, but ended up taking a bus that I thought some Chinese lady told me would take me where I wanted to go. First off, I need to say that English is almost nonexistent here. If you do come across someone who speaks it, it's very broken and minimal.
I bopped on the bus for over an hour before we came to my stop. Along the way, the bus filled with the group of 12 tourists stopped next to us. The bus was illuminated inside and I could see the guide talking into a microphone, the tourists resembling zombies.
I chuckled to myself. THAT would be the easy way. But that's just not my style.
I slung on my backpack and skipped off the bus into an unknown world. I had no idea where I was on the map and it was dark out. SO I decided to take a taxi. I flagged one down, I pointed at the map where I wanted to go, he shook his head no and sped off, almost taking my arm with him. Um... Ok?
I was used to rickshaw drivers doing this to me in India. I shrugged it off and hailed another cab.
This time it was a cute old Chinese man. I opened the door and started to point at the map, but he was frantically gesturing for me to get in. I fumbled with my bag as he grew more anxious. Ok ok I'm getting in! It was a busy street, and he wasn't allowing me to take the time to put my backpack in the back seat. I thought 'how's this going to work?'
I squeezed in next to my bulky pack in the front seat, more like sitting half way on top of it. My head was actually rubbing on the ceiling of his cab. Guess I won't be wearing a seat belt. I pry my hand out from between the door and grab my iPhone. I point at the name of my hostel written in Chinese on my phone. I was prepared. He pulls over, puts on his reading glasses (this litttle old man was adorable) and looks intently at my phone. I'm watching him with a smile. I'm secretly praying at this point that he knows where it's at. His eyes light up and he speeds off. He speaks no English, except for one word, "hallo!"
He keeps looking over at me and laughing because I'm sitting so uncomfortably on my pack. This, in turn, makes me crack up, and we laugh the entire way to the hostel.
It's nice to know that no matter where I am in the world, a laugh and smile is always understood.
My eyes are glued to the window, watching Beijing whiz by, soaking it all in, trying so hard to figure this city out. We finally stop and he points down an alley and says  the only word he knows, "hallo"!
He keeps pointing and yelling "hallo!" Oh geez, he's making me nervous. "hallo!" Every time he says it I keep looking at him like he's going to tell me something. "hallo!" I pry myself out of his cab and make my way down the alley. Yes folks, I know it's not wise to walk down a dark alley at night in a foreign country, but did I really have a choice? After 5 minutes I arrive safely at my hostel and I'm sleeping the second my head hits my pillow after being awake for 28 hours. Uff da.

My name is Rachel, and I'm a blogger

So often when I return from a lengthy trip I am confronted with the statement, "so tell me ALL about your trip!" I kind of "er" and "um", I mean, WHERE do I begin?!! I have had so many experiences, I couldn't quite possibly tell them all in one sitting.
So after many requests, and to help keep my mom's sanity, I've decided to blog on this trip. I promise to update it as much as my schedule and internet access allows. Go easy on me now, I'm no fancy dancy travel writer here.
I will share with you the everyday humor I run into being in a foreign country, and what goes through the mind of this 30 year old female as she makes her way through the world solo. I will also incorporate some of the stories from my previous trips, since it would be a shame to keep them all to myself :) For some odd reason, I'm a magnet for bizarre and seriously funny situations. I'm always having something CRAZY happen to me! At least it makes for good blogging.
With my brain constantly being stimulated by new environments and cultures, the thoughts provoked have helped create some pretty interesting journals (and dreams!).
During this adventure, I will spend the majority of my time in Asia. I'm also traveling to the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
Everyone asks me: "how long will you be gone?"
This is my answer: I don't know.
6 months? At least. 1 year? Maybe.
Traveling through the world will undoubtedly change you. Join me on my adventure and witness the change that occurs. Perhaps it will inspire you to throw on a backpack and explore this beautiful world!

Off to far away lands!

Goodbye Girdwood

In just 3 short weeks I will say goodbye to my favorite town in Alaska~ Girdwood. This is the longest I've lived anywhere since I graduated college 7 years ago. Naturally, it feels like home to me. This town is in my blood, and has become so special to me. There's a vibe here that I can't quite explain. It's an aura I felt the second I arrived in this quirky little ski resort town with a cozy population of less than 2,000. It's my refuge from all the stress in Anchorage at the hospital. There's a way about this relaxing town that will steal your heart. It's like living in a little forest, with all the unique log homes nestled in between, as to not disturb the nature around them. The residents here are often called hippies, but to me they have the best philosophy on life. They are carefree, healthy, and in touch with nature. Thats the way it should be.
Some residents, like me, make the 45 minute commute to Anchorage for work, weaving along the elegant mountains. The windey road provides majestic views of the ocean with the sweeping mountains as it's  backdrop. This is the most beautiful stretch of road in Alaska , unfortunately it's also the most deadly. I've driven that road hundreds of times, and each time I'm in awe of it's beauty. I won't lie, I'm not a fan of Anchorage. Compared to Girdwood, it doesn't even seem like Alaska to me. In Girdwood, the mountains are my backyard, they are so close I feel like I could touch them. There are no big stores here, no fast food joints, and no long lines of traffic. The air is cleaner in Girdwood. Nothing beats the smell of nature on a cool, crisp morning. I mustn't forget to mention the bears of Girdwood. They share this magical place with us too, mostly harmoniously, except when they think it's a good idea to have my garbage as a snack, and leave me to clean up the mess they made of my front yard. Thank you, Yogi :) Or when they make a surprising appearance while I'm walking my dog. It's nearly impossible to not have bears on your brain each time you leave your house. But you just learn to deal with it. The people of Girdwood are very outdoorsy, and they're not going to let some measly bears get in the way! Oh, no! That's what bear spray is for!
I'm going to miss the house I've called home for both the times I've lived in Alaska. I'm grateful that I was able to find this perfect place, it was just meant to be. I'm going to miss the 3 glacier view from my deck, the sound of the rain on my tin roof while I sleep, the glitter of the ice on the trees  in winter, the insulated, quiet feel I get when I drive through the dirt roads that wind among the log cabins, the Christmas lights that bring cheer during the long winter nights, the warmth of Chair 5, and the locals that gather there, wearing their xtra tuffs. I'll miss seeing the ski lifts light up the white mountain at night as I drive into town, the graceful fall of the enormous, fluffy snowflakes, and seeing happy people walking, running and biking through this eccentric town surrounded by the mountains. I'm going to miss seeing the husky dogs with mesmerizing blue eyes running around freely with no owner in sight, the fact that no one has a lawn to worry about mowing, or keeping curtains over their windows, and the  pitch blackness at night due to the absence of street lights. I'm going to miss the " Merc", the tiny over-priced grocery store in the middle of an almost non-existent town center, the lady that works at the post office that's took a liking to me and is always so friendly and helpful, the signs the locals post on the billboard at the post office, and the unique locals that read it when they stop to get their mail from the p.o. boxes. You see, there are no mail boxes in this cute little town, only one paved road that runs through town, and most of all, no worries. It's laid back like that.   
Me and this town.... we just fit. 

Mainstreet Girdwood

India nostalgia

The luck of the Irish

After an overnight flight I finally arrived in beautiful Ireland. I attempted to get some zzzz's on the plane but it felt like an ice box and I'm positive I looked like a dork wrapped up in 3 blankets. Nonetheless, we landed safely and I stepped off the plane to thaw out, hello Ireland! Land of Guiness and gingers! My first impression of the Irish: they are kind, humorous and like to have fun!
I meet a girl in transit from the airport, a teacher from New Jersey, and we have been exploring the city together since. Mom, i know you will be happy to hear this. I'm rarely ever by myself during my travels. Backpackers are like a secret society, I went so many years without knowing these people existed. When I discovered them, I thought "oh my God, they are just like me!" They have an insatiable thirst for travel, like me! One of the things I love about traveling is the people I meet on my journeys. I've met some pretty amazing human beings over the years.
Dublin is a fairly small city so it's easily seen on foot. St Patricks cathedral is amazing. Trinity college, Molly Malone statue and the Temple bar are must sees. Me and Lauren did a day trip tour to Kilkenny. We saw a castle that was built in 1170! Whaaattt?! That's difficult to comprehend. The fact that I'm standing in a building with so much history blows my mind. I love you Europe for being so old :)
The girl at the front desk of our hostel decided it would be a good idea to put us in a mixed dorm of 16 beds. After hiking up 3 flights in a stifling hot staircase, jet lagged with our shoulder-crushing backpacks on our back we finally found our room... which came with an old drunk Irish man sleeping with his pants undone. Brilliant! Ok, so I gave it a chance and gave him the benefit of the doubt. After he woke up he actually turned out to be a pretty friendly guy (maybe too friendly) but then when another man whom was as old as my dad comes in and passed out in a bed I thought, "oh, hell no. What is this? The dorm for old drunken men?" I requested another room which put me and Lauren safely in an all girl dorm. Ah, the joys of staying in a hostel! Lots of stories which I'll save for another day. We ended up meeting some very interesting Canadian and German girls and didn't have to sleep with one eye open :(
The Irish like their meat but I have managed to find some good vegetarian grub. However, they have an odd obsession with mayonnaise, yuck. We ate a traditional Irish meal along with a must-have Guinness beer, which tasted lovely.
Whats the story behind leprachauns? Leprechauns are small shoemakers and for every shoe they make they get a gold coin which they keep in a pot at the end of the rainbow. Still no leprechaun sightings but my eyes are peeled...
Another tidbit I learned while in Ireland: The famous Kennedy's are Irish and were cursed for 5 generations after they knocked down a fairy ring in order to build a mansion in southeast Ireland in the 1800's. Don't believe it?Think about it, they HAVE had a ton of bad luck. Lesson learned: don't mess with fairies.