I’m coming home from China tomorrow and here is where you can read about the motorcycle misadventure on a Chang Jiang sidecar bike from the beginning.
I’m still in Beijing–I was blogging for a tech conference for Sun Microsystems downtown and am now back at my friend Teresa’s. During the conference I was trying to refer to Wikipedia, and I couldn’t get to it because it’s blocked here as is YouTube, and now they’re methodically blocking RSS feeds. All of them. Critics like to laugh and say that the Chinese government is trying to build the "Great Firewall of China."
It is very interesting to see firsthand a country that is so very desperately striving to catch up to the first world, with all its positives and negatives, and then to try to manage . . . rather "control" something as complicated as the Internet. Do they really think that the people of China don’t know that they’re trying to cover up sites that might be critical of the government? I wonder. It’s such a diverse place, with vast, sophisticated cities, but there is also vast countryside where people live in primitive huts, even caves.
In one small town the owner of an Internet shop went to get the police when we showed up, because he was sure it was illegal for foreigners to get online. It’s kind of telling that he didn’t have a phone–landline or cell phone–but had to literally run down the (dirt) alleyway giving us time to "escape." Meanwhile, the fifty teenage boys glued to their terminals were not at all distracted and not at all interested in us or the ordeal. Kind of scary, really. Our usual experience in small towns was to be surrounded by a passel of young people curious to look at their first foreigners, and maybe even get a "hello" in return. In this same town the police showed up to examine our passports just a few minutes after we appeared in the hotel lobby. The existence of an incurious young people disturbs me. I wonder how they’ll turn out? I fear, xenophobic. Later I found out that there is an attempted ban on youth entering Internet cafes, and that many Internet cafes are speakeasy-type businesses.
It’s a funny place. But then, I suppose, so is America.
Please have a safe trip back to the states, Carla. And thanks for sharing your adventures! I really enjoy your writing style and your sharing a piece of your life with us!
Carla, Just finished the last four entries to the China Dispatches. What an amazing country and experience for you. I am old enough to remember what a big deal it was when Nixon opened diplomatic relations with China in the early 70’s. What a far way they’ve come and have yet to go. But then, don’t we all. As always, greatly enjoyed the writing and your commentary. Looking forward to the book. What do you have planned next? Might I suggest down the east coast of South America. Would love to see you write about Brazil and Argentina. Just a thought. Ride safe. D.
Hi CK, Kozmo here, a fellow Moto/photo journalist. Just finished American Borders, where the hell was I for your misadventures in 95? I used to visit Timothy and have ALL his books, personally signed. To the present, my friend runs himalayanroadrunners and I am planning a trip through the Himalayas. Look into this, it may be of interest to you. Also you may know another friend Glen Heggstad. (Two Wheels through Terror), he may go also. Great work! Koz