Most Likely my last blog post from China... actually from Asia for the summer of '08

So, it's been 7-10 days since the last blog post. I had an amazing 3 day trip to Hong Kong starting on the evening of July 15 and ending on the afternoon of the 18th. I met up with some "friends of friends" that live over there. I re-connected with my buddy Matt from Villanova who lives over there now with his wife Shannon and their less than 1 month old baby. Finally, I met with some people who were nice enough to share their professional experiences with me and tell me a little more about their work lives, etc... I wouldn't exactly call them job interviews, but I wouldn't not exactly call them job interviews either. Sorry, no pics from HK... really just didn't have the time. I had at least 1 meeting everyday and I wasn't going to be toting my camera around with me all the time.

Nothing much exciting planned for my last days in China. I leave on July 29 and fly to Hanoi, Vietnam for I guess what could be considered the finale for my Asian experience. So on July 28 I turn in the keys to my apartment and collect my security deposit. That night I will crash at my buddy Daryl's place, and the next day it's off to Vietnam.

I get into Vietnam late on the 29th. On the 30th I will have a quick motorbike lesson to ensure that I don't crash and burn somewhere along the Mekong Delta... then on the 31st I will go on a 3 day/2night cruise of Halong Bay. Here are some details: http://www.handspan.com/?opt=tour&cId=47&tId=236

I get back to Hanoi late on August 2nd, and the next day our 5 member squad leaves Hanoi riding some Honda motorbikes along with 2 guides. It's myself, Jon from Fordham, two Brits, and one Dane. Should be a blast. Here are some details on that: http://www.offroadvietnam.com/eng/2-1.php

If anyone from this blog's readerbase would like to join last minute feel free (that's one of the reasons I am sharing the details). I believe there is room on both the cruise and motorbike tour.

I'm looking forward to the Vietnam trip as I believe it can probably be considered a once in a lifetime experience. That being said, I am missing loved ones, family, and friends more than ever and it will be wonderful to see all those people soon and nice to assimilate back into Western culture/comforts come August 14 or 15.

Starting on the afternoon of July 29 I will most likely not have any email or internet access for the remainder of my trip. My 917 cell phone # should work in Vietnam, so if there are any emergencies call me and hopefully I'll be able to hear/feel my phone ringing over the buzz of my bike's engine. It's been nice to stay in touch with people via this blog and hopefully the masses found it humorous, informative, entertaining, or at least more fun to consume than a spreadsheet, sales report, a children's book that you have read aloud 9,863 times in the past 7 months, or anything similar... you get the drift.

Final Note: John Dorrian's literal and ultra-literal human footprint will be left in Beijing, China for eternity. I have consumed many things here and produced waste just like the rest of the population, so that's the literal part. The ultra-literal part is that my running shoes smell so God awful (not exactly sure why because I really don't have a chronic foot odor problem) that I am going to toss them into one of the construction sites that I pass on my last day here... those puppies aren't coming with me to Vietnam. So even if I never return, there will always be some tangible remnants of my existence here. And in all likelihood those remnants will be on the feet of a rural Chinese migrant construction worker about 24 minutes after I toss them into his workspace. Wear them with pride my friend.... wear them with pride.

Zaidjian!

p.s. Check my public photo gallery on Google in the middle of August or late August for what will probably at least 800 pictures of Vietnam. I just bought extra memory for my camera today, so I plan on snapping away quite liberally! In case you misplaced the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/jdorrian2334