exactly 2 weeks till departure!

It's been one busy week, and it's not even finished yet!

Apart from organizing the wedding, buying flights, booking tours, translating for random strangers from Toronto!, we managed to get out into the mountains again for another weekend (in a row!) of camping.

On the way back, we managed to smash the back-side window into smitherines while trying to pass next to an oncoming truck.

No major harm done and i should add that the guy did a surprisingly fantastic job repairing the window and frame - he even placed an identical sticker on the window, although it's in a bit of an awkward place but oh well.

Lately my mind has been acting like it's on adrenaline, juggling an infinite amount of numbers and letters in my head.

Dates and times of guests' arrivals, their passport numbers, their flight numbers, prices for catering and hotels, plane/train/bus tickets, exchange rates, etc.

We have 32 people from overseas arriving in just under a week and i just hope i haven't messed up considerably. I must admit, as a result, i've been in a bit of daze and have been extra careless in my day to day ongoings.

Just yesterday i left my mobile in the taxi when i was rushing around trying to buy industrial-size tin foil for our caterers and then hurrying to make a lunch date.

No more hot pink cell phone with the cute teddy bear on the wallpaper screen. Boo.

But on the sunny-sideup, I got myself a brand new phone with a camera today! Nifty little thing and i'm having a blast trying out the very many different features.

I just have to be more than super careful now and should probably chain it to my wrist as so not to 'forget' it in a taxi again. Lesson learned.

Having Matt's parents here is wonderful. "That's amazing!" was the weekend's motto as i experienced, yet again, Urumqi and Xinjiang through a newcomer's eyes.

It is definitely a unique place in the world, where the environment is desolate and stark, rich in natural grandeur and purity.

It seems to me that people who stumble across here are amazed at the different colours and textures in scenery and humanity, but the longer you stay here the more it sucks you into its vortex, wriggling its way into your memory bank so you will never forget this unbelievable place.

It's like certain people you meet in your life who leave footprints in your heart, some you've known for ages and some only a few minutes; this jewel in the world does the same and you don't realize it until you are packing up and getting ready to leave.

Hhm... which is exactly what i should do now. It's Matt's last day at work and we're all going out to celebrate, hurry hurry.