Xingping/Yangshuo/Guilin

Took a bamboo raft on the Li River to Xingping

Cool door knockers...they were cats actually so naturally I was excited.

Just cute little Xingping in the background

Camping on the Li River!! 4 people in a 2-man tent? DONE. In China.

Isn't Yangshuo just so picturesque? 

About to do something on my bucket list....

...SWIMMING IN MUD!!!!

Riding bikes through the mountains makes me feel so aliiiiive!!!

Found this cutie at Elephant Trunk Hill

Lemme tell ya, the Chinese cameras were going wild.

Oh...just exploring. Takin' it off. the. MAP.

A view of Guilin

This past week was National Day and so everyone and their pet duck went on vacation in China! It was pretty busy and hectic, BUT I'll tell you one thing. God was watching out for us 100% of the time. Every time we didn't know which bus to take or where to go, someone would come up and ask if they could help us. It amazes me how a) because of our faith, trust, and hope in God, he provides a way to where we need to be--every day I thank Him for keeping me safe and comforted and practically carrying me and b) people in China are sooo selfless. So many people have taken the time out of their lives to help the two American girls failing at talking to a taxi driver through broken Chinese and lots of pantomiming. They are so kind! And even when they are probably sooo nervous to speak English to us, they still help us anyway. 

When we were riding on the bus home, I had a cold and so I was fanning myself because I was a wee bit feverish. And then this cute little boy I had made friends with earlier (he was probably about 10) came over with a fan and started fanning me. Isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever heard? And honestly, I was so grateful because I was miserable. The littlest things can really help out. After,I fanned him and we had fun watching the Chinese action movie on the TV together.

Seriously, this week was awesome and SO fun. I am amazed at the beauty of this world and of the people that live on it. Everywhere and everyone is different, but it's all unique in its own way. I'm grateful to have experienced these fleeting moments of the present--they are moments that I will never experience again. Which is pretty amazing to think about, in a way. Every moment is so precious.