33

I thank the Lord for this unique birthday experience

12-1am- I welcomed the Chinese new year and my 33rd birthday on top of the Bund overlooking Shanghai's signature skyline. Caught in the middle of a conversation ( I didn't understand unless translated) with a few couchsurfers, two Americans, a Brit, a German and a Chinese guy. where everyone was speaking Chinese except the Chinese guy

1am-130am-Walked the streets of Shanghai, hanging out in convenience stores

130-2am-Ended up sharing a cab with a German guy (working in the aerospace industry-sounds like a rocket scientist) who lived two stations away from our hostel

2am-My heart skipped a beat when the taxi dropped me off in a street corner that was totally unfamiliar (the German guy supposed to have told him where to go), several scary moments later, we managed to figure out where we I need to go with the help of a map on my pocket. The driver turned out to be a nice guy who said ba-bay when I got off in front of my hostel.

2:30am-4am REM

4am-woke up

10am-got up
1030am- Got locked inside a toilet with a broken knob. The door ended up being opened by a guy (after my noisy pounding on the door) with only a towel wrapped around him

11am-spent our coldest day in Shanghai walking around the french concession looking for a park and what-nots

4pm-tasted my best Xiao Long Bao I tasted so far; my travel buddies treat for me

6pm-Went back to the hostel and packed. Said bye to Rock and Wood and the Uighurs in a restaurant down the street

820pm-took the maglev train for 8mins which covered 19 miles (biting pieces of a hard uighur bread I have grown to like)

9pm-Got approached by a bunch of guys to carry a letter to the Philippines (a most bizarre experience which capped this extraordinary day)

11pm-waiting for my flight to Pinas with only three Pinoys and the rest are Chinese in an ongoing diaspora during the Spring festival

Phew!

2012 baby!

Let’s start the year on a very positive note.

1. Jan 1 - Given another opportunity to speak in church

2. Jan 2 – Arriving in the office 30 minutes earlier after coming from Iloilo

3. Jan 3 - Being able to get the last seat on a flight I wanted to be in at 2% of its actual cost

4. Jan 4 – Hitting the pavement

5. Jan 5- Deepest sleep in recent memory after a fun fun night (was not able to wake up on my ringing alarm)

Thank you Lord.