of bungess and bicycles

Wednesday night I looked through the crack of the curtain separating the interior of the sleeper bus from the dull dark outside of industrial China as it's night slipped by in glimpses of green factory light or headlights of a passing car lighting the leaves on the surrounding trees. I was top bunk sardined in my bed spilling out over the edges of the tiny cot. Techno music blared off the speakers directly above which was an actual relief from the Chinese movie which had been playing previously. I assumed I would sleep after the day Wednesday had become, very tiring and exciting all the same. As a closer to our stay in Yangzhou, I rented a bicycle from the sister of a woman I had met practising her english and rode out into the country side for the first time. I was unsure which way to go and had denied many offers for a guide for now I was seeking solitude as I peddled my way through small villages untouched by time, pictures into another era of humanity, rice farmers and chicken herders, villagers leading cattle through small trails would stand aside for me to pass. On occasion someone would pull out a Coke or some product to remind you the century. The landscape was absolutely amazing, a river cutting through the Karst mountain scenes and I was admiring it contently when my wheels came to a crashing halt almost sending me over the handle bars as I skidded out on the trail. A bungee cord (I had purchased in Georgia after some contemplation in Target as it came with a whole bunch of cords I didn't want and finally bought for I though the little sucker may come in handy) which had been holding my camera bag to the bike frame had now weaved it's way into and among the chain and gears of my cheap ride. How such a weave could have been produced was beyond any human skill and was a product of the chaos theory or simply my bad luck for the bike was rendered motionless far from one of the villages I had passed. A symphony of bad language rolled off my tongue as I contemplating my next move thinking of the approaching meeting time with Hop to catch the sleeper bus some miles away now. Just then a woman on her bike approached. She was a minority woman from a nearby village with dark skin, pretty features, missing teeth but a nice smile all the same. She did not speak a word of English of coarse and my Chinese isn't exacty understandable, but we communicated our way through the predicament and with only a lighter and our hands pulled and burned the bungee from the gears. We were now both covered in grease and sweat was pouring off my hair into little puddles around the bungee pieces and the bike was broken. It would roll now but the peddles were useless. I was lost and pissed. Through another series of sign language we determined she was to guide me to a nearby town to a repair shop. I agreed picturing Hopper watching the bus leave and wandering where the hell I was. (Hop was actually lost on a scooter nearby, but I would not know that till later)
The villager and I walked through the countryside unable to communicate but we enjoyed each others company pointing at things we thought were nice. I imagined the humor one from home would find watching from afar. We made it into town and she translated the problem to the local repairman who was able to rig it enough to give me one gear to work with. I paid the woman more than she asked and it was a good day for her, payed the repairman and hauled ass on the bike now down the highway being passed by all sorts of crazy vehicles for another few miles with just the easy gear and least productive and I made it back to Yangzhou and in time for the bus.
Alas could not sleep, the bus pulled over a few times for piss breaks which were experiences all in themselves. The first bathroom made me question humanity. It was all I could do to even walk into the place. Men squatted around little holes and others just went where ever and the scene and the reek was nearly unbearable. Outside the bathroom was actually some kind of restaurant and people were really cooking and eating alongside this filth.

TO be COntinued......