Six days ago, as all our bikes and bags and hopes and dreams were smashed into the world's smallest van, and the driver refused to budge another inch, and we were still 2oo kilometers from where we wanted to be, and it started to rain- we realized we had a problem. The problem was Charlie kept making the rubbing-his-fingers-to-signify-money-sign and then waving his arms and yelling "NO!" and still everyone didn't seem to understand that we wouldn't be paying unless we were driven to the town we had agreed to go to. The driver kept making the "police will beat me up if I drive this van with a roof rack on it into the next province" sign. And so there it stood. For TWO HOURS!! Finally, Breckan decided we should find an English speaker. I walked around asking smart-looking people if they spoke English. Finally, in a teahouse, I met a guy named Tsering Perlo. Tsering Perlo spoke English. Want to know what else Tsering Perlo does? Oh, he hangs out with Uma Thurman's dad. Yep, this guy has Uma Thurman's dad on speed dial! How freaking cool is that?! We are in Backlick, China and find a guy who speaks English and when he speaks English he talks about drinking coffee with the foremost American expert on Tibet.
The guy solved the problem. Told us interesting stories and then ate Yak meat soup with us. Also, he had made a documentary about the place we are right now. It's hitting the film festival circuit but you can check out a preview here. AWESOME!
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Hey Spencer, your old Roommate Gregg here. Long story short, my work had "employment reductions", and lucky me, I was part of it. Since I am part of such a classy operation, my severance package is getting to work a month before I am officially let go. As you can imagine, that doesn't motivate me to work, so I pretty much read your entire blog today. You guys are doing something special here, and seeing things that most people will never get to see. Enjoy every minute of it!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck,
Gregg Hale
I love how totally nuts you guys are!!!! Not very many people could do what you are doing and I think it's incredible. I love reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteBreck, I think you must be wonder woman!
OK, this is your mom writing and its been 9 days since you left Yushu and I am checking every other hour to see if you got to golmud. Emma says you are just fine and probable charlie just needed to rest more often than you expected! I imagine you all starving at the side of some goat path with swirling snow all around you! I know that if you are together then you both will be fine. Spencer you are as fearless as your Dad. Or is it you are as 'NUTS' as your Dad! He would have loved Breckan so much. We cant wait for your email or blog! The Tibetans are gorgeous people!
ReplyDeleteGASP!! No way! you met a guy who knows uma’s dad! so jealous! I once met a woman who told me she hangs out with gwyneth paltrow’s aunt, but we later found out she was lying— super sad emoticon.
ReplyDelete