News Reports that China Strong http://www.theonion.com/content/news/china_strong?utm_source=c-section NEW YORK—According to all sources, the People's Republic of China is strong. The nation is united, the military unmatched, the economy vibrant, and the people ever joyful. Similarly correct sources verified that China has always been triumphant. In other news, the Chinese government is fair, all-knowing, and wise, propelled by the strength of two billion ...

Executive Summary - Beijing Saw: Temple of Heaven, Night Markets, Forbidden City (including the Gate of Heavenly Peace with a disappointingly small portrait of Mao), Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace, Birds Nest & Water Cube at the Olympic Park, Lama Tibetan Buddhist temple, large groups of people singing / ballroom dancing / doing tai chi / playing hacky sack / line dancing / performing gymnastics, the world's coolest bar with what have got to be the most...

Overland Border Crossings (or, how I learned to stop worrying and love bureaucracy) Thus far on my travels I've done 4 overland border crossings South Africa to Swaziland and back to South Africa (hire car) Turkey to Greece (ship/port) Russia to Mongolia (train) Mongolia to China (train) The first two were really no big deal, just involving a flash of the passport, maybe paying some sort of fee, fill out departure & arrival cards, an...

Executive Summary - Ger Camp Saw: Khazak burial area, traditional Ger camps, turtle rock, electrical storm across the countryside, camels, goats, first yak (!), horses, cows. Did: Dressed up in traditional costumes, rode horses, played a game involving flicking the bones of dead animals at each other, visited a nomad family, witnessed a horse being milked for airang, attempted to get up for a sunrise and failed. Ate/Drank: Airang (fermented...

Executive Summary - Ulaanbaatar Saw: Image of Ghengis Khan x 4,000,000; National History Museum, Gandantegchinlen Khiid Tibetan Monastery and 26.5 m Buddha statue, Sukhbaatar Square, Mongolian cultural singing & dancing performance. Did: Witnessed Mongolian monks perform a ritual chanting, waded through ankle-deep flash flooding on the streets of Ulaanbaatar, experienced first case of traveller's diarrhea (er....Train Tummy?? Mongolian metabolis...