The second day of lunar 2018, I went to see my aunt in the
village. No bus operated that day and the taxi charged me 50
Yuan for the 15km one-way trip. In the afternoon, I couldn't
find anything to take me back to town. I knew that could
happen and had a backup plan before the trip.
I hated the fuss this caused at farewell and begged her:
"No need, really! Don't feel bad and thank you for giving
me a chance!" I walked, no, I marched back.
The air was cold, the smog light, the landscape bleak, and
everything looked grey. I needed some exercise but didn't
like to run with a backpack. So I strode with zeal and had
to take off a layer of pants in one or two miles. The road
became wider and busier as I got closer to town. I hated
having to constantly make way for cars. It might well be
that the roads were built without pedestrians in mind.
Thankfully I didn't mistake the place for Canada.
It took me two hours and 20 minutes in total to get home
without breaking a single sweat. During the trip I saw no
one else travelling on foot, one riding a bicycle, and one or
two on motorcycles. Everyone else was in a car. They must
have thought I was crazy ;-)
My cousin and aunt still thought it was remarkable as I
called back to report my safe return. I was sure it would be
the talk of the village over time because I planned to make
it a tradition: walk to visit aunt whenever feasible. It was
indeed unusual in this day and age. But my grandpa pushed a
flat wheelbarrow carrying sacks of wheat and peanuts all the
way to visit us when I was small. How things changed, humans
adapted, and yet my admiration of him stayed.
