I'm here in China!!! It was a "sleeper" bus from Hong Kong, little rows of bunk beds, on a bus, like the train without walls or a door, rocketing down the highway, stuff flashing by in the dark. The bunk under me held a wee child, less than a year (and mom) who had no interest in sleep, wanted to explore. I glanced over at one point to see her sweet smiling face at my bunk level? Alarmed, I looked down to find her standing on sleeping mom's right hip. I lunged for her shirttails as she loomed dangerously near the stairwell on the far side of the bunk. Mom awoke just then too and hauled her back (yet again) to the safety of the walled side amid protests from said explorer. She slept soon after, in mid climb over mom. Such a fun experience, not much sleep (of course) but the experience alone... priceless. 

I had made my way to the boarder via bus then train, through the official stuff and with much to smile about, on to the bus depot. And the bus depot was an event all on it's own. Lots of activity, big voices and hand waving to enhance the expression ... toilets with footprints where to stand (we Canadians know not of this) and no doors, (I'm beginning to think doors are over rated) at least you don't have to worry about what you might catch off a door handle if there is no door, right? 

In the light of day I was alerted urgently, in chinese, that my stop was at hand. The man who spent the night in the bunk next to me noticed my anxious face and took me in tow to the downtown area where he called my host and they arranged to come to my rescue. The people are so sweet and helpful. I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed and expect to meet a house full of people tonight at 6:30pm... "no room for vacillation"...