14 hours

 It’s September 28, 2008 at 5:45 in the afternoon and the bus had a stopover at a certain gasoline station for the people to use the lavatory. The bus is the same with the normal one but the difference is that it doesn’t have any inclining chairs as what we normally see; but bank beds. Bank beds that would only fit your whole body from edge to edge, it has a blue cushion that is a little bit filthy, mini tattered pillow and a blanket that I don’t know if it’s clean or not. In front of me is a small television with just limited channel to watch and beside me is the window with an off white embroidered curtain. Departure time was 9:30 in the morning going to Nanning City and I didn’t know what to expect yet at that moment, and my boss who is beside me keeps talking about “experience” but he is really annoying. Since last night, I really can’t understand everything he said and he keeps telling me about the “old side” which made me think if there’s a new side. The culture word that keeps coming out in his mouth that for him this is what I have to accept to make my life easier here in China, but nothing makes sense at all.

 At this point, I don’t know where are we neither the two girls who are helping me out most of the time since all of the passengers are locals. We are kind of practicing “charade” because I can’t understand what they are saying. The sun is slowly setting and all I can see are trees, farmers and nothing else.

 The first stop was at a certain restaurant corner with a mini store. We had a stopover at around 12:30pm for lunch and lavatory use. Even if I don’t want to use the lavatory I had no choice because I’m already at the peak of needing to use it. So I went with the girls and the lavatory is terrible, if there will be a word that is worst than terrible then that’s the best way to describe it. I don’t want to elaborate it further because you might get nauseous while imagining it.

I’m just killing time watching gossip girl because I’m having back aches already and so my neck from just staring outside. I’m already hungry and my taste buds are already numb from the taste of the mini bread I brought. Of course I didn’t drink water at all to prevent me from using any of the lavatories. According to them the manager of the shop will meet me at the bus stop and bring me to the hotel where I will stay for 3 days.