sayonara, august paycheque!

i'm trying to type with these crazy fake nails right now and it's causing me extreme hand trauma. my fingers keep stumbling off the keys, wtf, who seriously buys these things with the intention of using them. picture on right depicts my exact emotions over said nails.

got the hair dyed and trimmed today, also bought an unbelievably beautiful silk dress by sweet chemise on sale half price ($85!) at broderick's. will be perfect for tory's bachelorette tonight as well as for wearing to vicky's wedding. it's this lovely japanese-esque pattern, all cherry blossoms and interesting swirls in brown and cream and turquoise with this big brown 'obi' at the waist. looks totally awesome with heels but i imagine it will look great this fall with a cami and cardigan and my new gray boots from spring shoes.

i've purchased way too many things over the last two weeks, clothes for fall and various what have yous, to the point that i'm scared to open my visa bill. erk.

danielle's backpacking adventure 2009 (but wait! there's more!)

So I'm officially moving back to China in January. Specifically, Hangzhou, to once again take up the ESL teaching torch at the children's language school where I used to "teach" (read: babysat). As my job winds down in its final few months of event planning, miscellaneous design projects, and trying to keep the events calendar in some semblance of order, I'm finding myself increasingly looking forward to exchanging my skirts and blouses and wobbly heels for jeans and hoodies and a big old backpack. That's right, I'm spending my first two weeks back in China as a bonafide hostel-sleeping backpacker. I've been trying to plan this trip and figuring out where I want to go, and it's been a rollercoaster of places.. at first I was all set to scour Xinjiang (too cold), then I decided instead to spend a couple of weeks in Laos, and then it was Thailand and the Kho Phagun Moon Party (too rowdy), and now it's finally come full circle and I've planned out a fantastic adventure around Yunnan province with a few days dabbling next door in Guangxi. The itinerary is as such right now:

January 8: Fly to Shanghai – bus from Shanghai to Hangzhou – couple nights in Hangzhou to drop off luggage and prepare for backpacking EXTRAVAGANZA!

Flight from Hangzhou to Guilin City – Bus from Guilin to YANGSHUO (3 nights):

 See Karst scenery, villages, awesome stuff, etc.
 Stay at: Yangshuo Culture House or West Lily Hotel

Flight from Guilin to KUNMING (3 nights):

 Spend a few days in Kunming, explore Shilin stone forest etc.
 Stay at: Cloudland Hostel

Train from Kunming to LIJIANG (2 nights):

 Explore Lijiang, Naxi culture, visit old Naxi villages and Lijiang Old Town
 Stay at: Panba Courtyard Guesthouse

Train from Lijiang to DALI (3 nights):

 See sights, meet weird backpackers, check out scenery/side trips
 Stay at: Jade Emu International Guesthouse

Flight from Dali to JINGHONG (3 nights):

 See home of Dai minority, Xishuangbanna area, wicked culture, Galanba, bike around, etc.
 Stay at: Banna Guesthouse or Banna Hotel

Flight from Jinghong to Hangzhou.

* Everything subject to change.

I'm saving money for this, getting really stoked about hoofing it all over the place, and preparing my index finger for getting snap happy with the camera. I'm even moreso stoked about doing this thing alone, just me and my ipod and whatever quirky travelers I meet in these hostels. I want the entire thing to finish just before Chinese New Year starts so I don't end up stranded in some sketchy airport in the middle of nowhere with ten trillion other people all trying to get to Hangzhou. I fully intend to wile away my new years month with sleep, foot massages, and bad karaoke. And plenty of day trips to spots near Hangzhou with occasional excursion to Anhui thrown in for good measure.

My Chinese lessons are going really well, it shocks me everytime I see one of the few characters I know and I can actually *recognize it*. It shocks me even more when I can *read an actual sentence*. Of Chinese characters. It doesn't take a lot to impress myself. It'll be nice to be able to get around a little more and have that basic conversational background as opposed to my limited survival vocab that I was spouting before. Plus I'm starting to grasp the tones which is a whole other ballgame in itself.

The next month is shaping up to be remarkably busy - Saturday is Tory's bachelorette party, Sunday is the Guelph Scottish Festival/recovery from said bachelorette party. Then NEXT week Friday is Dave and Tory's wedding rehearsal, wedding on Saturday, brunch followed by special outing on Sunday. Week after that is my friend Vicky's wedding. Then Sensational Elora hits in an explosion of festivities and volunteering and too many committee meetings to count, but that's okay! Thanksgiving my mom and I are seriously considering just going away for four days to a place where Thanksgiving doesn't exist, and thus running away from our first holiday without my dad. We talked about Hershey, Pennsylvania or maybe Vermont, even tossed Cape Cod and Boston around, so we'll see. I don't care where we go as long as it's the U.S., I love going there, not really sure why maybe it's the Olive Gardens and outlet malls.

Tonight I start Tai Chi, also new Prison Break, tomorrow is new Fringe, it's sad that I measure my life by television programming. Ciao.