This post if for New years day. The start of our adventure. We were sent off by Jeff's aunt and uncle in the usual way that I've become accostumed to leaving people who's language I do not speak. It ends in "Shei SHei" (Thank you) and "Tsai Chien" (goodbye). We set off crossing a red line painted on the road as our first official step. Walking on a busy highway is just as glamourous as it sounds.
Loud. Diesel. Dangerous. Some words that come to mind thinking about it. The shoulders are okay and will get better in the south. To avoid walking on the road, we saw a lower road that lead by the train tracks. We started walking near the train tracks as it was quieter except for the occsional train. We calculated that our walking would be a safe distance from the train. It was. Barely.
As we walked we ended up going on a thiner bridge-like stretch with a 15 foot drop to our left. We started on this stretch, Jeff voice recording, both of us looking ahead. All of the sudden:
HOOOONNNKKKKKK HOOONNNNKKKKKKKKKKK
A Train.
We did that thing that you do when your in a dangerous situation and you don't think and you don't remember what you thought after the fact and you just act:
I think that's the definition of survival.
We quickly sat, feet dangling off the ledge, ready to jump if need be, and ducked as the train passed at 60 miles per hour 2-3 feet to our sides.
Jeff was recording the incident the whole time and upon listening to it again, the whole series of events from the first Train whistle to the time that the Train had passed, couldn't have taken more than about 5 seconds.
After the incident Jeff said, "Lets get outta here!"
We got out of there. I came to the conclusion later as we continued walking on the road that
You live and learn, as long as you don't die.
Luckly, we learned.
Not long after, around dusk, we stopped, both of us mentally and physically exausted (we got about 3 hours of sleep that night.) We went to a giant, cold hostel that housed no one but us, and went to sleep. It was 7 pm.
Today's famous doctor: Dr. Kavorkian
Loud. Diesel. Dangerous. Some words that come to mind thinking about it. The shoulders are okay and will get better in the south. To avoid walking on the road, we saw a lower road that lead by the train tracks. We started walking near the train tracks as it was quieter except for the occsional train. We calculated that our walking would be a safe distance from the train. It was. Barely.
As we walked we ended up going on a thiner bridge-like stretch with a 15 foot drop to our left. We started on this stretch, Jeff voice recording, both of us looking ahead. All of the sudden:
HOOOONNNKKKKKK HOOONNNNKKKKKKKKKKK
A Train.
We did that thing that you do when your in a dangerous situation and you don't think and you don't remember what you thought after the fact and you just act:
I think that's the definition of survival.
We quickly sat, feet dangling off the ledge, ready to jump if need be, and ducked as the train passed at 60 miles per hour 2-3 feet to our sides.
Jeff was recording the incident the whole time and upon listening to it again, the whole series of events from the first Train whistle to the time that the Train had passed, couldn't have taken more than about 5 seconds.
After the incident Jeff said, "Lets get outta here!"
We got out of there. I came to the conclusion later as we continued walking on the road that
You live and learn, as long as you don't die.
Luckly, we learned.
Not long after, around dusk, we stopped, both of us mentally and physically exausted (we got about 3 hours of sleep that night.) We went to a giant, cold hostel that housed no one but us, and went to sleep. It was 7 pm.
Today's famous doctor: Dr. Kavorkian
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