This post was written by our newly met friend, Neomi Soils, whom we met in the grassland.
I’m no stranger to solo travel. I often find myself booking flights to new places with no plan at all. I truly believe if let you life lead you, it’ll take you to some amazing places.
This trip exemplified this quote. My time at the guesthouse was nothing short of amazing, but not in a grandiose or annoying type of way, rather I felt at home. There was such a welcoming spirit that dwelled between the concrete walls and laughter that vibrated through the kitchen. It was enough to make some one who hates morning wake up at 7 with a smile. Not every day was perfect, but I found soundness in the slightest of things. Cliché, I know, but when you have great company it can bring the sappiest of the lines out of anyone.
I fortunate enough to able to experience Ayi’s warm smile as she insisted that you eat more, and to be awoken by the sound of ShuShu’s(叔叔) motorcycle every morning as he prepared for the day intertwined with the laughs from Xiaolele(小樂樂) as he “assisted” his grandfather. Everyday I would taste Xiaoqu’s(小初) and WuDaGe’s(五大爺) cooking using fresh vegetables from the garden and home grown lamb, i smelled the strong fumes left over from attempted tackles, hugs, and kisses given to me by Shiqi(十七), I would touch the dirt that floated in the water as I begrudgingly cleaned every mushroom I picked with XiaoHao(小郝), to heard Kin’s opinions on any and every subject imaginable to man while reading Akie’s face expressions to detect accuracy, and to saw how XiaoZhong(小鐘) saw the world through the photos and videos she took everyday during her break time.
Even the animals played a part in the experience, I can honestly say the most intense discussion I had during my whole time was with Lavender. She would tell you her opinion unapologetically and you would sit there and listen.(but I didn’t mind because I got some nice kisses every now and then) Daisy kindled memories of my cats back in Shanghai and offered a cuddle or two (mostly against her will) but I appreciated them. (Even if she didn’t)
My time at the guesthouse house offered peace and a sense of belonging, somethings that often get muffled when living in a big city, and while some memories will fade with the time, the feelings that were evoked during my time there will not. It’s experiences like this that make me grateful to be God’s favorite.
To find more photos of the trip