Big Bate Adventure

Monday, June 2, 2008

Meg in Guilin/Yangshuo, China - April 2008

The trip was 6 days. We left on a Sunday night and arrived in Guilin. The flight took about 2 hours and was fun because i was next to my roommate Samantha Hale. The school made us choose roommates to bunk with in Guilin and Yangshuo. I chose to be with Sam. Then the school told us we were to be put into groups of about 11 people who we will do the activities with, as well we were to have a group leader. I was in a group with the coolest group leader and i had a ton of my friends in my group. I was pretty happy. We went to the Guilin hotel and ate a good meal. Then the next morning we packed up again and took a ferry to Yangshou. The ferry was 5 hours long but beautiful. We went to our hotel (very very beautiful, BIG rooms too), and were given 2 hours to explore the market outside our hotel. West street was really cool with restaurants and great shopping. Then after that we went to the Moon Hill Hike on the same day. Looooooooong day. The view from the top was beautiful. It's called Moon Hill because of the rock on top that is shaped like a moon. The next day we went to an elementary school to give books and play with. They all wanted our autographs. We also went to watch cormorant fishing which was cool. Also that night we had a BBQ dinner and went on West Street. Over the few days after that we canoed, hiked again through a village, ate a lot (a KFC was right next to our hotel), rock climbed, bamboo rafted, and shopped. It was the best school camping trip i have been on and i wish i could go again! Loved every minute of it.

Me and my roomie Sam bamboo rafting down Yulong River. Day 4.

Two children in the rice fields on our hike in a village. Day 4.

View from the Moon Hill hike. Very beautiful. Day 1.

Rock-climbing at The Point. Day 3.

West street market, shopping and eating. Everyday.

Ferry ride from Guilin to Yangshuo. Travelling day.

Friend Janice (right) and roomie Sam (left) in the airport.

What we ate on the airplane. Coca-cola and chocolate cookie :)

A fan store on West Street, thought it looked cool.

Cool buildings surrounding West Street.

Me and a cormorant after watching it catch fish.

On our hike through a village area, very very beautiful and clean too.

Roomie Sam and me on the hike. Notice the hills in the background, lots of those.

Me and best friend (in Hong Kong) Gaby on the ferry ride to Yangshuo from Guilin.

Two men bamboo rafting on the Li River. Imagine if they fell in..

The school we visited. We played games with them, danced and gave out autographs.

Cormorant fisherman.

Boat attached to the cormorant.

The hike through the village rice fields.

Rice fields X2.

They still use oxes to farm in China.

Old home (still in use) on the hike.

Beautiful view from Moon Hill hike.

School, playing basketball with the kids.

At the school again, the school was run down and old.

The cormorant fishing.

Ferry ride to Yangshuo from Guilin.

View from Moon Hill.

Ferry ride.

Ferry ride again.

It's called Moon Hill because of this rock that looks like a moon.

Houses along the Li River.

Ferry we rode on from Guilin to Yangshuo.

Canoing down the Yulong River with a guide and team leader.

Alley way on the end of the hike through the village.

Me and roomie Sam on the bus to the hotel from hiking.

This trip was one of the best i have been on and wish i was still there. It was a fantastic place to go for a vacation and the school made it funner. I loved staying with my friend Sam who is exactly like me in several ways (she's athletic, energetic, loves foooood, and is a really good person). My friend Janice was in my group as well and she is a good friend.

Hopefully you now have some insight into what my trip was like, sorry it took so long!

Friday, April 4, 2008

Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen!

Our baby girl turns 16!! Who'd have believed it - her parents don't look a day over 29...

A new Macbook laptop - never going back to PC after working with these!

Can't believe our baby is 16!

16s decorated the walls, the floors.... finally something on the walls!

Sarah's favorite cake, brought by her girlfriends - cheesecake - yum!

Sarah's friends surprised her in her room! Keisha, Devon and Tiffany

Sarah had a great day, and then a sleepover -

B0b'art'

Lots of messages and hugs from home - Janet and the cuzzies sent 16 objects from the beach at home - so cool - we're going to set up a feng shui bowl in the livingroom.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Kevin McMillen comes to Hong Kong!

Kevin arrived late on Thursday, March 19th - Bob picked him up at the airport (plane was late leaving Vancouver, late arriving Hong Kong - Air Canada, anyone?). After 14 hours, and no tv onboard, he got to our little flat about 10 pm, and was so great to see him! We had no plans (yes, Kev, that was deliberate!!), and spent a great week of our first Spring Break week off, visiting new places, and exploring our city with him. So much fun - it was hard to say goodbye today (March 29th) - I hope you had fun, Kev - enjoy the pictures!