“Without the ability to revisit a moment in time, revisiting an exact place is impossible. Our memories always keep us comparing.” -Old Sean
Hired to Flee
One month ago, I flew back from Mongolia with photos, interviews and unique travel destinations researched. For the next month, after work hours, I put together a series of brochures for Chinese tourists. When these were presented to a prospective employer, I was offered a new job.
I accepted. I’m going to Europe soon to create more content by taking photos, researching destinations, performing interviews and compiling stories for travel-brochure-booklets.
My time in Beijing is nearly done. My time in China is nearly complete as well.
With the weeks winding down, I’ve submitted my one-month notice of no-contract renewal to my teaching/franchising company. I’ve tried and largely failed to save up money for the upcoming trip.
Since it’s nearly time for me to permanently depart China, I’ve been resupplying equipment, renewing my passport and completing other such departure tasks. Sporadically.
Of course, the most bittersweet tasks include saying farewell to folks who have put up with me since my arrival. While I can do a lot of this in Beijing, most of my correspondents live half the country away in Chongqing.
Revisiting Chongqing
After flying basically everywhere for the past few months, I was eager to try a different form of transportation to see more of the coutnry.
I decided to take an extended train trip. I would be visiting my old stomping grounds by revisiting Chongqing before heading to the Fengdu Ghost City and eventually the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi’an.
This was a terrible idea. Traveling by train in China is supremely cheap, passably comfortable and (aside from a quartet of old men with a harmonica and deck of cards) the experience is fairly quiet.
But regular trains in China are torturously slow.
My initial trip was from Beijing to Chongqing, where I spent eighteen hours periodically drooling on my neighbor’s shoulder. When I couldn’t sleep any longer, I finally woke up for the remaining six hours, persistently wishing my laptop’s charge capacity was doubled. I read and reread my book, drained all my phone’s batteries listening to music, doodled, stood lurking in corners to stretch my legs and unconsciously began to whistle until my mind finally eroded.
I’m quite good at whistling now.
A Glowing Welcome
Finally, while the sky was still somewhat dark, I was revisiting Chongqing.
I was deeply comforted. I’ve forgotten how lush and green the city gets in the spring, when the weather is still crisp.
The legions of unseen birds audibly decorate the early hours, and the view from the Riverwalk is forever spectacular, especially on the clear days.
The morning I arrived, I got to see the sun rise along the Yangtze River. Living up to it’s name, the entire river flared a powerful, all-consuming yellow. It was a mirror of sunlight separating two halves of a Chinese super-city.
Uphill Chongqing
My day was spent visiting old friends and revisiting some of my favorite places. I was happily reminiscing, so I abstained from whining about the gradual uphill battles while wandering the city.
I had forgotten how steep some of the streets in Chongqing are.
For the majority of the day, I visited old students, friends along the river and met up with an old coworker in the local mall. I spent some time in the city’s central square area (Jiefangbei Square) with it’s bustling crowds and stately clocktower.
A Night Revisiting Chongqing
As night began to fall, I visited Q’s Bar, one of my regular haunts in Chongqing. The American-owned bar sits on a hidden floor above Chongqing’s restaurant street, so I made sure to stop by for a drink. As always, the American Q was there, happy to provide enthusiastic hellos and a strange, tingly alcoholic concoction.
Later, I found my favorite ramen truck parked in front of my old apartment and sat down for a quick caffeine boost at BG Café.
I never actually fell asleep during my night in Chongqing. I never even booked a hotel. Instead, I joined some friends at a 24 hour KTV and hummed my way through choruses for the entire night.
When the sun finally began to rise, I passed out a few gifts and returned some things I had borrowed and wandered back to the train station.
For a second farewell, it was harder leaving Chongqing than I anticipated. I’m off to somewhere new next. My unholy-early train is taking me on a quick hop to Fengdu, a famous Ghost City nearby.
Until then,
Best regards and excellent trails,
Old Sean
Written April 16th, 2018
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Ten years ago, I abandoned my military surplus store backpack for a Farpoint 40 Osprey Travel Pack. I brought my original Osprey backpack from Asia, to Europe, to Australia and South America. I’ve never replaced my bag since. Two years ago, I bought two more Osprey Backpacks for my younger siblings on their first tour outside the country. I have nothing but praise for Osprey Products.
