Dinner With Friends

I had dinner with a few friends tonight. One friend who moved from Shanghai back to the US in June is over doing some seminar work and flew in yesterday. She goes by "Crazy Patti" behind her back, but something tells me she wouldn't mind the nickname. She was one of my earliest friends in Shanghai and traveled with a pack of gals in their 50's. In my wildest days, I couldn't begin to keep up with that crowd and slowly fell by the wayside.

One of my closest friends here, Kathy, arranged the get together. Kathy is my traveling and shopping companion and arrived in Shanghai about five months after me. We've been roommates in Vietnam, Tibet and Nepal and are well suited road warriors. The fourth gal at the table is more of an acquaintance, largely because we haven't had the opportunity to talk. She is a delightful person, and I appreciated the chance to spend some quality time discussing her life in China.

The picture below is from our recent trip to Tibet. Kathy is on the right. Her college friend and fellow road warrior (Kathy doesn't sit still) is also in the picture.





During this Golden Week, we were supposed to be in Jakarta, but for a small hiccup on my part. We have on two occasions tried to get to Cambodia and failed due to progressive disturbance known as "someone else will take care of the travel arrangements." When it is apparent that no one has, someone steps up to the plate only to learn that all tickets to Cambodia are sold out. Tonight Kathy announced that we should try our hand at Cambodia again, this time over Thanksgiving.

Crazy Patti, who does not suffer from the same lapse in initiative, traveled there last Chinese New Year and was extolling the virtues of Anchorwat. So Kathy and I made a pact yet again that we would circle the wagons on Monday and visit Helen at Great West Travel for some direction. I fully expect that Helen will faint given the lead time we are providing. Assuming we actually get there on Monday.