Wuhu

This weekend about half of the team went to Wuhu (yes, pronounced like “woohoo”), a city about 3 and ½ hours away. Some of the people from our region (the three provinces close by) were getting together just to hang out. It was really good to get away for a couple of days, to go outside the realm of where your bicycle or the city bus can take you. The weekend included…
- Train ride to Wuhu Friday night. I still like trains, although shorter is definitely better in China.
- Hanging out in big, comfy arm chairs (I didn’t know they made that kind in China!)
- Meeting Charlie, the spastic cat.
- Bisquick waffles and Starbucks coffee.
- Half a dozen games of Catch Phrase.
- Climbing across a mini-mountain to get to the amusement park on the other side.
- Bumper cars, ferris wheel, a bungee catapult thing, and other spinning rides. Some people are concerned about those shopping-center amusement parks in America. Haha. The squeaking and shaking and rustiness and lack of any real safety precautions are all part of the adventure.
- Amazingly relaxing hair-wash/head massages.
- Riding on the back of a motorcycle taxi. I can’t believe we don’t have those in Yangzhou!
- Spending time with some region-mates, like Tre, my Southern friend, Tina, one of the sweetest people I know, and Sherri, one of the craziest people over six that I know.
- Watching “Nanny McFee” – which was quite enjoyable. A little bit like Mary Poppins with a twist (and seven really cute British kids).
- Sharing Tre’s foam-padded bed. Yes, this was a highlight. It was actually soft!
- Fellowship time of singing and lifting up the things happening at our various schools.
- Korean BBQ
- Stocking up on pasta and candles at the new Wuhu Walmart. It didn’t have too much special, but they just cut out the pasta supply in Yangzhou, much to our sadness.
- 3 hour really rough bus ride home, swerving over bumpy Anhui roads. I still like trains.