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downfall
day 352: 乌鲁木齐 (Ürümqi) = 11,9km
My dear readers, my dear friends.
This is going to be the last one: 11,9km.
For now.
—
My friend 申叔叔 (Uncle Shen – fire in the hole) is here, taking good care of me.
He guided me through the city to find a good place to stay.
All I had to do was keep walking, and slowly follow him through the voices and the street signs, the smells, the crowded avenues and the silent back streets in the late autumn light…
…it almost felt like that day when I had initially left Beijing (the first day).
Once I saw an elderly couple silently walk down the street…
…and I had to look away so 申叔叔 wouldn’t see me cry.
Soundtrack: Nino Rota – “The Godfather Waltz”
—total: 4646,1km
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October 26th, 2008 at 07:29
I don't know what's going on. But, my friend, you have my very best wish!
October 26th, 2008 at 07:32
Christoph, nur dass Du eins weißt: ich finde es klasse, dass Du diesen Blog so ehrlich und authentisch schreibst. Gerade das macht ihn so lesens- und betrachtenswert. Eben nicht einer von diesen Reiseberichten, die nur neutral alles am Wegesrand aufzählen, sondern ein Bericht, bei dem deine lesenden Begleiter dabei sind. Weiter so! Und nimm Dir die Zeit, die Du brauchst. Dass Du jetzt dort jemanden hast, dem du "durch die Straßen folgen kannst" zeigt doch auch nur wieder, dass Du gar nicht allein bist!
October 26th, 2008 at 08:38
kann flo da nur zustimme
wollte als ansonsten anonymer leser einfach mal danke sagen für die tollen postings und wünsche dir alles gute
October 26th, 2008 at 10:23
Viel Glück Christoph.
Wir warten hier auf dich und hoffen, dass es irgendwann weitergeht!!!
October 26th, 2008 at 11:50
So, muss mich leider abmelden. Bin eine Woche beruflich in Eutin und bei der Polizei ist das mit dem Internet immer so eine Sache.
Aber, wie gerade die letzten Tage bewiesen haben, hier gibt es ja jede Menge ganz liebe Menschen die bei Dir sind. Da wird mein Fehlen sicherlich nicht so ins Gewicht fallen.
Ansonsten kann ich nur noch einmal dem beipflichten, was hier in den letzten Tage gepostet wurde.
Irgend wann ist auch der trübste Himmel wieder blau!
October 26th, 2008 at 12:27
Danke für die vielen tollen Fotos, danke für die interessanten Berichte und danke für deine Ehrlichkeit. Ich bin sicher, dass dir die Fans treu bleiben.
Lass uns wissen wenn du den nächsten Anlauf nimmst. Es will ja schliesslich niemand den 5000er Tanz verpassen.
October 26th, 2008 at 15:12
Hallo Christopher,
aus versch. Gründen hab`ich erst heute wieder bei dir reingeschaut – und dann zurück geblättert bis zum 17.10.
Diese 9 Tage en bloc zu verfolgen, 9 Tage in vielleicht gerade mal 15 Min.,
da komprimiert sich was zu einer Wucht, die mir den Atem nimmt.
Und das jetzt erst mal Ruhe braucht- und danach einen neuen Anlauf- oder auch nicht.
Aber was würde das schon machen?
Gerne würde ich dich weiter begleiten (einfach weil ich neugierig bin, wie`s da so aussieht & was du so erlebst).
Aber das entscheidest du und diese Entscheidung wird richtig sein.
Herzliche Grüße!
October 26th, 2008 at 22:02
I know it is tough, but simply dun give up!!! Everything will turn out to be right, it is juz matter of time!!!
October 26th, 2008 at 22:30
I feel ur not ok. But still i hope always for safe journey.
October 27th, 2008 at 05:31
Kopf hoch … vielen Dank für den Blog bis jetzt. Ich freue mich immer, wenn ich von dir lesen kann. Der RSS bleibt im Reader. Cheers from NZ.
October 27th, 2008 at 06:09
I wish I could help you. You have already helped me. You've let me understand the many people you have met on the way. Best thing to do is be around people for awhile and pick it up again when it feels right. My thoughts are with you.
October 27th, 2008 at 06:33
I have to say, Xinjiang is an entirely different order of brutal.
I once rode up to the salt lake Sarayam near Yili, only to have my horse die of hoof and mouth disease in a blizzard, and I had to drag the saddle back on my own back. The clouds would part momentarily, and the sky would pierce down to the rippling waves on the lake, and it was so beautiful, but the surface of the lake is all saltwater. There is fresh water, trapped at the very bottom, but there's no way to get any of it, and nothing to drink, and despite all the beauty, that was really all I cared about at the time. The bleakness and the beauty really do a number on your head. I know.
But think about this: it takes time. Things sink in slowly. And as we wait for our understanding to catch up with our experience, there's this devastating gap or nothingness where there should be something.
Or maybe this is all just bullshit. Who knows – I certainly don't. But you've impressed the hell out of me. You've also done a great service to the people of China, by shining a light on their real lives, without pretense or editorializing, or imposing some Orientalist mythology on them. In your blog you let them be who they were, not who we wanted them to be, and that is a spectacular achievement.
I hope you take some time. Urumichi is a nice city. Tian Chi, up in the mountains is beautiful, and well worth the trip. And you might want to wait out the winter.
But remember this – this journey you are on never ends. It just changes. It might not always be walking. It might not always be from China to Germany. By thinking up this idea you changed your place in the world. Now, wherever you are, whatever happens next, the journey is still going on.
And I, for one, would love to read about it some day – no matter where it takes you.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:51
Chris, enjoy your life — the actual "LongestWay" !
October 27th, 2008 at 12:16
:.-(
October 27th, 2008 at 14:49
Hey Chris,
vor allem die harten Phasen Deines Lebens haben Dich zu dem Menschen gemacht, der Du bist. Dadurch hast Du die Kraft, diesen Deinen Weg zu gehen und bist insofern in der Lage, vielen anderen Menschen durch diesen Weg Kraft zu schenken. Jeder Mensch gerät ins Wanken, wenn eine seiner Säulen wegbricht und manchmal sieht man den roten Faden nicht mehr. Aber vergiß nicht, wieviele Menschen Deinen roten Faden verfolgen! Wir warten auf Dich, gib Dir Zeit!
Alles Gute von Ina
October 27th, 2008 at 15:22
do whats best for your heart & soul. everything else can and will wait. peace!
October 28th, 2008 at 18:15
Chris,
Take a little time and clear your mind. Your very intelligent and can figure this out better than anyone else. Life is a lot like this walk that you have been on. Lots of twists and turns and not knowing where in the hell your really going and what is around the next bend. Follow your heart, it's a very good one, it won't guide you wrong.
October 28th, 2008 at 21:45
Chris-
You are by yourself, but you are not alone. We are all with you.
Don't let go of the dream.
October 29th, 2008 at 14:01
Alles gute Christoph!
October 30th, 2008 at 02:42
it doesn't matter they are sad or happy, to me they are all beautiful. memories that is. can always find out my true self when i look back. be glad man, after this you ganna 脫胎換骨 (peel embryo change bone- short meaning of it is reborn.)
September 1st, 2010 at 17:39
[...] was going to take a few days off this summer to pick up where I left off and add a tiny bit of length to the long red line. [...]
October 9th, 2010 at 11:10
[...] 你可能从我的博客或者视频中知道了。我只走了初始路程的三分之一，从第一天（26岁生日那天） 到大概一年之后垮倒的那天。然后停了下来，理完发刮完我的胡子后，乘飞机回家了。 [...]
December 12th, 2010 at 11:14
i have just found your website and watched your video, the one with the beard–my curiosity is piqued and i plan on revisiting your journal. mainly hat i am wondering today is if you had any experience with traditional chinese medicine? from reading your last entry, it sounds like you needed an emotional boost and a rest, which you wisely sought. tcm could help restore your balance and give you strength to figure out where you stand. my guess is that if you were engulfed in the Chinese culture, you wouldn’t be able to avoid tcm, so this musing may be solely for my own info, and nothing for you. ah, well…
December 29th, 2010 at 05:10
[...] 你可能从我的博客或者视频中知道了。我只走了初始路程的三分之一，从第一天（26岁生日那天） 到大概一年之后垮倒的那天。然后停了下来，理完发刮完我的胡子后，乘飞机回家了。 [...]