Goodbye New Jersey. Hello World! A record of my journey as I give up my job, my possessions, and life as I know it to go off and see the world!

Photos: Li River Cruise And Other Pretty Yangshou Sights

Monday, 11 Oct 2010 | Photo Gallery

Thanks For the Help - But I Do Not Want To Buy Your Postcards! Experiences Interacting With Chines

Monday, 11 Oct 2010 | Views [2135] | Comments [3]

There are some days that I love interacting with Chinese people. There are other days when I want to tear my hair out with frustration. What I love about them is that they are always very helpful when you are in serious distress. At least this is ... Read more >

Tags: china, guilin, xingping, yangshou

Photos: Yangshou Meat Market And Cleaning Dead Dogs In the River

Saturday, 9 Oct 2010 | Photo Gallery

"Fresh" Chinese Cuisine

Saturday, 9 Oct 2010 | Views [4014] | Comments [4]

I do not think that I will be eating chicken again in China. Yesterday I was sitting alongside a river close to Yangshou, China, and I watched a lady kill a few. Okay, sounds like not a big deal, right? I mean, every chicken I have ever consumed has ... Read more >

Tags: china, food, yangshou

Adventures in 3rd Class "Hard Sleeper" Chinese Train Travel

Wednesday, 6 Oct 2010 | Views [5563] | Comments [4]

If you follow my blog posts then you know that I am quite used to train travel by now.   I spent 8 nights sleeping on the Tran Siberian on my way from Russia to China.   But I would like to state that the Tran Siberian was a bit of a “pampered” ... Read more >

Tags: china, train travel

My Love/Hate Relationship With Shanghai

Wednesday, 6 Oct 2010 | Views [2833]

I spent my last night in Shanghai at the top of the Shanghai World Financial Center.   At 492 meters tall, it was the tallest building in 2007.   What is really interesting to me is that the building it beat to be the tallest at that time was currently ... Read more >

Tags: china, shanghai

Where In the World is Lauren? A Reflection 3 Months In

Wednesday, 6 Oct 2010 | Views [1239]

I have been traveling for three months now.   As I reflect where I have been I am riding a 24 and a half hour train from Shanghai to Guilin.   How does one pass all this time?   Well, I have used part of it to realize I have slept in 41 different ... Read more >

Photos: Shanghai

Sunday, 3 Oct 2010 | Photo Gallery

Don't Walk Barefoot in Beijing: Reflections of a Great City

Friday, 1 Oct 2010 | Views [4543] | Comments [1]

China is the most interesting country that I have ever been to. Okay so I have the time - why not list all the countries I have been to? America, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, ... Read more >

Tags: beijing, china

Photos: Birthday in Beijing

Thursday, 30 Sep 2010 | Photo Gallery

To My Tran Siberian Tour Mates: Thanks for the Good Times

Wednesday, 29 Sep 2010 | Views [2562] | Comments [1]

I wanted to list the highlights/low lights of the 17 day tour that I have just completed. The 16 of us spent 8 nights and 7 days on a train and thus these unique memories are bound to happen. These are the things that I don’t want to forget years to ... Read more >

Tags: china, mongolia, russia, tran siberian

Things You Wouldn't Expect on the Great Wall of China

Wednesday, 29 Sep 2010 | Views [3002]

I arrived to Beijing via the Trans Mongolian railroad with one thought in my mind: “I can’t wait to go to the Great Wall of China!” I wanted more than anything to get that photograph of me in front of it. It’s one of those things on “the list”. You ... Read more >

Tags: beijing, china, great wall of china, trans mongolian