Day 4: "Outside"

Today was another glorious reminder that spring was just around the corner. In fact it was so nice out (and with a little help of inspiration from Pradeepan's blog) I decided to take a jog around my block... 20 minutes later I returned home wholly winded and was reminded that I may have to do some more running to be able to get in shape for this summer.

Today's chapter is titled, "Outside."

Description: What about a time you slept outside? Ten minutes. Go.

"Outside"

A time that I slept outside... I have many memories of sleeping outside, but the most prominent memory has to be on the tail end of summer, 2001.

I was with five other guys traveling from town to town in southern China (this night was preceeded by a day with the local authorities, but that's a different story). It was dark, we found ourselves in a small area of grass looking at the border crossing between mainland China and Hong Kong, our chances of being 'free' that night were made low. The border was closed.

Exhausted from a whole day of traveling and eager to find ourselves back home, we decided that we would sleep the night right ther

e in the middle of that field and cross over the first ting in the morning. Rather then going through the hassle of finding a hotel for the night.

We agreed that each of us would take turns staying up, guarding our belongings and ourselves from potential pickpockets & R.O.U.S.'s (Princess Bride anyone?).

The first of us got in his guard stance and we all laid on our packs to get some shut-eye. The grass was hard and sharp, like hundreds of pine needles giving way to your weight upon the earth.

We weren't asleep for more than a hour when we were suddenly awoken by an official screaming at as in chinese and using his arms and hands to tell us to go away.

We were all so tired, we moved about ten yards away and laid again on the hard ground.

My head resting on a lumpy backpack and my personal belongings squeezed tightly beside me... I closed my eyes a second time.

A little while later, I was awoken by my friend, it was my turn to stand watch. I put my bag in the middle of the ring that we had formed by 5 sleeping bodies and preceded to stay viligant until my hour of watch was up.

Walking around in circles, chasing dark shapes through a few nearby bushes, these shadows seemed to scatter when I would come near, gazing at the bright lights of the border on one side and a bay on the other.

Tasting the salt air and the slight breeze that would pick up now and then...

Times up! Next chapter: "End"

See you guys there!

-Eric Alan