Final part of Canuck's Unexpected May Holiday Trip
We exited the bus, retrieved our packs and were issued rooms. The rooms were not good. They were rooms built to hold large groups of skiers. The layout consisted of two large bedrooms and a large living room with TV and a few chairs. Now
that the winter ski season was over these rooms were abandoned for the summer.
They had no water, the WC did not have water for the wash-basin or even the toilets. There was a public WC but no shower facilities, something I would miss so
much after returning from a sweaty climb up mountainsides. No heat, poor lighting, no keys for the steel door. Only a red plastic basin and vacuum flask for hot
water. I wondered how well our kids would enjoy these minimal accommodations.
As to the dogs … there were 5 of them and they soon stopped their warning barks
and watched us closely. I could see that there was an older shepherd dog and 4
much younger dogs. In fact I observed that the younger dogs were just like human teenagers. They were big and strong but in fact they acted like they were still puppies. When one slept, they all dropped down and slept. When one barked, they all jumped up and barked, even when they could see nothing interesting to bark at! They were timid and would not let anyone but their owner touch them. The
oldest dog seemed to be their mother. Our children had nothing to fear from them
.
With military precision the kids were given rooms and we explored the area before supper. Subsequently we found that every breakfast, every lunch and every dinner was to be exactly the same dishes during our 4 days; rice with mutton for lunch; a bit of chicken and potatoes for supper along with a few green veggies and
a soup.
What did we do during our stay? Coaches attended to games with the kids, two hikes into the foothills and up to hilltops for panoramic views of the lowlands, and eating. The bus had left and would return only on the day we were to return
to Dushanzi.
The kids got comfortable with their "Hello's" and "Goodbye's" with me with a few
"What is your name?" and "How are you." expressions. Most were unable to communicate much more than that with me. A few were able to have short conversations
and that was very good for them. In fact, having confidence to try to speak with a foreigner what has been learned from text books is a big improvement and good progress.
I read my English novel, a Russian spy thriller and hiked to the tree-line and I
enjoyed the company of my wife and wonderful green and fresh pine trees and fresh mountain air.
The trip back was uneventful. A few English skits, short English plays that my
wife taught the kids, were performed for the parents who came to retrieve their
kids upon our arrival … and the holiday was OVER!
(Was that satisfactory dear Pan?)
David
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