Noël writes...

Wolong

A route similar to Noël's

Email recieved August 31st:

Hello again!

Sorry it has been so long since ive written... internet has been very limited if available at all. Anyways, we have been having a quite incredible time here. Last Friday (8/24) we left Chengdu and drove about two hours to Du Jiang Yan where we learned how to catch bees and 'pin' them which i must say is now one of my favorite activities. When we are done with the trip were going to send all of the insects we've collected to a museum in Chengdu. A few days later we had to wake up at 5am to drive up the mountain pass to a town called Wolong which was very quaint and comfortable despite the toilet being a hole in the ground and the shower being a hose, haha. In Wolong me, Patrick and I and a few other people in our group went on a hike which was amazing and had the most incredible views, although it was a rather strenuous hike. Then the next night we all played a big basketball game with the locals which was really fun and pretty hilarious as some of our teammates didnt know the rules. I havent really gotten sick (yet) from the food... just a few little stomach aches, which haven't been bad. I must say that I definitely miss the food at home. When we were in Chengdu we went to dinner at a hot pot restaurant where they serve you food that you cook yourself in a big boiling pot. I can now say that I have tried brains, tongue, intestines, ear...and many other organs I dont plan on having again any time soon :) I figure if i survived that, i will be able to handle the rest of the food here. Yesterday we drove up over the pass to the town that we are in now called Rilong which was quite an interesting trip. We stopped over the pass for about 45 minutes (~ 4500 m) where three of the people in our group developed altitude sickness (including Patrick) and we had to break out the oxygen tanks. But now we're at about 3500 m and everyone seems to be doing fine. It is so beautiful here, I wish you all could see it. Soon we are going to begin planning our main projects which i'm excited for although i'm not sure what I want to study yet. Anyways, I better get going. I hope all is well there and that you are enjoying the last bit of summer!

I love and miss you all!!

Love, Noël


I was fortunate enough to talk to Noël over the weekend. She called and sounded like she was next door! No static, or lag or anything. She sounds like she's having a great time!