Where in the world is Ashley Churchill?

Hey everyone! I offically landed on Canadian soil at 2am this morning. The 20 hours proceeding my homecoming can only be described at pure, concetrated, bad luck for myself and everyone within a 1 kilometer radius of myself.

So I get to the Beijing Capitol airport several hours before my flight time. I REALLY didn't want to miss my flight and everything in China has an air of unpredictability. I just wanted to cover all of my bases. So I get there and wait at my gate a while. I get on and take off is delayed slightly. I get a bit nervous, but the flight attendants seem pretty confident that the delay is pretty minor. As I was getting myself comfortable, a man two rows ahead of me starts having a grand mal seizure. Paremedics had to be called in and he had to be removed from the plane. So that delayed take off for another hour. But atleast it happened while we were still on the ground. I don't want to think about what would have happened if he started seizing 30, 000 ft. above Siberia! Anyway, so we take off and a baby across the isle from my starts bawling. And doesn't stop until 10 minutes before we land in Newark, 13 hours later. So we land in majestic and enchanting Newark, New Jersey about 15 minutes behind schedule. No big deal. However, this before I get on the phone with my mom and I learn about the massive storm in Toronto. The skies in New Jersey looked pretty clear, so I figured she was just my mom making mountains out of molehills as she always does. Anyhoo, so I head to my gate. They have the wrong city on the board. So I went back to the screens and catch myself up to speed. Its changed to another gate and delayed. So I go to that gate and its another wrong city. So I go back to the screens and notice that its on time again and at the original gate. So I go back there and that is when I realize that Continental is SCREWED UP! Every flight heading anywhere in Canada and the northeast US is delayed or cancelled. So I go to a customer service counter to get some answers. Anway long story short, its a that the second gate and delayed a second time. I make it on the plane and take my seat. I board around 9:30pm. Take off... 12:45am! So I finally land at Pearson in Toronto at 2am. Leaving a foriegn place that you love (like Japan, NZ, or Australia) is always sad. But returning to the familiarty of home is always awesome when you haven't been around in a while. I actually forgot that they redesigned the 20 dollar notes!

To express my mood at 2 o'clock on the morning of June 20, I am posting this picture:
Yes, even Ashley Churchill flips the bird when she feels the situation calls for it. And referrs to herself in third person when the mood strikes her.

I get home, power is completely out from the storm. I wash the 36 hours of sweat and grossness off and pass out.

So today was pretty uneventful. First item on the agenda was to get an XL double double from Tim Horton's. When I'm abroad, I actually have dreams about Tim Horton's. That can't be healthy. I replaced my red roots backpack. The zipper broke somewhere in Europe and it took me a year to replace the damn thing. Bought several cans of pea soup. Yet another vice of mine that is not carried in forgien countries. Helped an extremely elderly man off the subway and took him to the currency exchange at Yonge and Bloor. Now I'm about to make dinner.

To update on my summer concert interary; I now have tickets to three of Hanson's dates for the summer promo tour. I for sure will be attending Boston, Rhode Island, NYC. Probably more as dates are released. And yes I realize exactly how far gone I am. This is also including Cary Brothers, Billy Talent and Muse.

I would also like say a word of warning to anyone who ever plan on visiting China. In China, this is what they call a toilet. But if you're smart, you can tell what type establishments exclusively have 'Chinese Style' and which also have 'Western Style'.

And yes, I know I talk about toilets at length to a point where it makes people question my sanity. But I've listened to people discuss to great lengths about the price of shoe laces. We've all got issues.

Anyway; the next time I venture outside what I consider home, the 3 people that read my blog will be the first to know the truth about it. I've never been to Boston or Rhode Island. Any reccomendations?

ashleychurchill@hotmail.com

Peace out!

AC

I absolutely loved Tokyo. I got to do just about everything I wanted to do there. I have mixed feelings about Beijing. It does have some of the worlds most treasured historical landmarks, but the city is nothing special. Mostly just highways and people that spit. Dodging oncoming cars is a full time job. And not only do they drive on the sidewalks, but honk at the the pedistrians infront of them! I am more the willing to put money where my mouth is and state that come the 2008 Olympics, we'll be hearing more about tourist and spectators being run over by cars then about the games themselves. One thing I'm looking forward to is regular food. When I was in college, one of my classmates brother went to China and contracted dysentery! So I've maintained a strict diet of crackers and bottled water. Well, I've never heard of a digestive catastrophe resulting from ritz and evian. I'll also enjoy my old mattress, its much thicker than 5cm.

Anyway, as a promise to my favorite (but clearly delusional) Belgian, I'm posting some pics of myself in Asia.

At some temple in Tokyo

At the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

At the Great Wall of China.

Pounding back some tea in Beijing.

This is at the 'Old Summer Palace'. Its not so much of a palace as it is an enormous park. And its a good thing that know what the characters for 'exit' are. I got really lost and if I couldn't ask someone how to get out, I probably would have ended up camping out there.

Anyways, next time you hear from me, it will be from the Great White North! (that means Canada, you nitwits!)

AC

In 24 hours, I'll be off to the airport to bring my second overseas adventure to a close. Once again, its a bittersweet feeling to go home. On one hand, I'll have all the comforts of home again. But I also miss the feeling of adventure and uncertainty (but good uncertainty) from being on the road. Since being in China, I have gone to the Great Wall of China (duh! like I would really miss that), the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. Today, I'm checking out the Summer Palace. I can't upload any pics here. So you'll all have to wait until I am back home to see them. Despite the historical treasures that China posseses, I'm kind of glad that I'm leaving. Respect for others is a trait that is pretty rare here. And dodging oncoming cars is pretty much a full time job. I LOVED Japan though. It was everything I was hoping it would be and more. The only thing that I didn't do was visit and Onsen (sorry 'A', I know how much you were looking forward to that!). Deffinately a place that I reccomend. And as for NZ, I spent two weeks there and deffinately wasn't enough to experience everything the country has to offer. Everyone knows how I feel about Australia. And they certainly haven't seen the last of me!

As I said earlier, I will be on my way back to Toronto tomorrow. In honor of the city that raised the crazy Canuck that I am, I'm posting a 'You know you're from Toronto when' list. Hopefully, it will inspire certain Europeans (Who shall remain nameless, but you know who you are) to trek to my neck of the woods someday.

You know you're from Toronto when.....

You know not to swim in Lake Ontario

You know what phone numbers like 967-1111 mean

It will ALWAYS be the Skydome to you

A gay guy on Church St. asked to give you head when you were coming home from the Gardens

You've eaten at‘Hooker Harveys’

You know Harold and Kumar was filmed there

Acronyms like "T-Dot" puzzle our friends across the border and in other Provinces

You've had a 13 year old squigee your car

You know Duff's has the best wings in the city (besides Wheat Sheaf)

You know Sneaky Dee's has the best egg's benny

You know it's spelt MATS Sundin NOT Matt Sundin and worry about his health more then your own

You know where the Condom Shack is

Oliver Jeweler PAYS COLD HARD CASH for you're gold and diamonds

You only trust taxi drivers of "East Indian" decent

Shoveling snow was a daily ritual growing up

You have seen many radio stations come and go, but only 103.5, after 3 name changes, still remains

You've been to the ROM and the Toronto Zoo for school field trips

You pass up on an overpriced $5 coffee from Starbucks for a box of Timbits and a double-double from Tiimmy Ho's

You hate the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens to death

You were sad the day McDonalds announced it would stop serving Pizza (they only did it in Toronto)

You know Yonge St. is the longest street in the world

You know the CN tower is the tallest free standing structure in the world

The TTC is your main method of transportation, depsite the fact that you LOATHE it.

You bank at TD

You had a seasons pass to Wonderland every summer as a kid

You get‘crunk' to Kardinal Offishall

Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark are still your heroes, even though they left for better teams

Vince Carter comes back to town and you boo the shit out of him, even though you still love the guy

You're proud great actors like Jim Carey, Mike Myers and John Candy are from your hometown

You'd rather shop at the Bay and Zellers over Walmart and Sears

You remember the Eaton's Company

You have no idea who any of today's Blue Jays are, except Vernon Wells, but can name the whole '92 and '93 MLB World Series Champs roster and put emphasis on Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar

You were devastated in 2000 when the Big E wasn't traded to the Leafs, but when he finally was in 2005 you couldn't wait to see him go

American's have no idea what you said when you told them you're going to the "rink" to play "shinny"

The Buffalo Bills are your favorite NFL team only because they're the only team you've ever seen play a live game

Rogers is your choice for TV over Shaw

You went to get your first cell phone and thought they were giving you a Barrie number when the area code was 647, NOT 416

The LCBO and Beer Store are 85% of your credit card charges, with the remainder going towards purchases at the Friendly Stranger

Your beach of choice is in Wasaga, but you still despise it cause there are so many Gino's

You've skied at Blue Mountain (Yes, there is a 'Blue Mountain' in Canada, too.)

The teacher's strikes of 1997 and 2000 were the best times of your life

YTV was your favorite TV station growing up

Mr. Lube and Speedy change your oil

You call everything north of Eglinton, west of Keele, and east of Kennedy "The Boonies".

You know where Scarberia is, and only go there when you intend to be unconscious.

Hey everyone, I just arrived in Beijing last night.
Ok, so I print the directions to my hostel. Basically, they tell me to take a shuttle bus to a specific station and then take a taxi to the hostel's address. One problem, NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THE FREAKIN' HOSTEL IS. A group of taxi drivers and pedistrians croud around and start yelling over my directions for about an hour. Then some guy comes along and says that its right accross the street from his building, a few blocks away. I figure its my best bet unless I want to spend the night on the street and wait until its light out to wander aimlessly around the city. I'm always a little weary of locals that seem eager to help. I guess I've just seem too many episodes of W5 of tourist ending up decapitated in a river somewhere. So very cautiously, I follow him for a few blocks. I see the Hostelling International insignia from about a block away, say 'thank you' and haul ass to the hostel. I haven't done too much today. I'm a little aprehensive about taking a bus. It might take me to the city centre, but it might take me to freakin' Mongolia. How would I know? So I walk and take the Metro. It takes forever, but I figure its the safest bet.
I booked a tour of the Great Wall of China and Ming tombs.
I'll let you know how that goes.

Still alive.

AC

Hey guys. Its my last full day in Japan. The weather SUCKS and I have no idea what I did to it, but my foot really hurts. I was going to go to some park outside town. But it looks like its going to be a quiet day indoors. Yeah, that bites. I know. This morning, I have to pick up my visa from the Chinese embassy. I might see if I can get another bottle of dirt cheap perfume. They have pretty much all the brands that they do back home, but for half what you pay in Canada. If the weather clears up a bit and my foot doesn't give me anymore problems, I might head over to a park in the city and swing by a temple.

One of the greatest inventions, in my opinion, is the flush toilet. Some may say its the zip lock bag, but they're wrong on a consistant basis. Think about it. You can drink in excess of what your liver can handle, press a button, and it all goes away. I thought the toilet as it currently states, has reached its evolutionary peak. There just simply isn't anymore to be done to improve it. That was until I came to Japan. Its peak is merely a standstill. Japan has always been the forefront of technology. One of the modern day devices that they have managed to perfect even further is exactly that, the flush toilet. They have installed a beday spray, a musical device to mask any unwanted noises, water pressure control, AND the seat is heated.


However, one other invention that I cherish, that they don't see the importance of is the lock. Specifically, on shower doors. I recently had a situation with one of my room mates. I don't usually introduce a man to muffy and the twins until after he has bought me several drinks! And I realize that I post more pictures of toilets than what some people would consider 'normal'. But simply put, I am far from normal.

As I am reaching the end of my travels, I'm starting to find ways to fill my time when I return to my home and native land (lyrics from 'Oh Canada!'). So far, I will be seeing Cary Brothers, Billy Talent and Muse(who better be good, the venue is all the way out by the freakin' airport!) in concert this summer.

As for my next abroad journey; it will be New Zealand followed by a brief stopover in Australia (yes, OZ again!), Seychelles, and Tanzania. If anyone has any reccomendations for any of these areas, drop me a line at ashleychurchill@hotmail.com.

As I said, I'm off to Beijing tomorrow. So the next time you hear from me, it will be after I've scaled the great wall of China!

Peace out.

AC