As part of our contract here in Xinjiang my wife and I are allowed one trip back to our home per year, a vacation that is usually taken in the summer months.  This year we’ve decided to change things up a bit, partly because we want to be home for Christmas for the first time in 3 years but also because we want a chance to explore.  There’s no point in living in a province with such natural beauty if you’re not going to enjoy it, right?

While we’ve done our fair share of exploration already, we’ve been held back by two things: 1) lodging and 2) transportation.  This month we’re finally making big strides in a new direction of travel.  First, we just purchased all-new camping equipment including a tent, sleeping mats, and cooking equipment.  Most of it is stuff we already have in America (regrettably) but we might try to take back some of it when we leave.  In the next month we have about 2-3 camping trips planned including one where we will be guiding some of our co-workers.

But how will we get there?  That’s part two, and for me equally exciting if not more so.  If you’ve been following me on Twitter or Facebook you should already know that I have been working relentlessly to cut through all the red tape to get a Chinese Driver’s License and I’m glad to say that I’m finally finished.  I haven’t yet received it in the mail, but it should be coming.  Next up is the purchase of a motorcycle.

What this means for us is much more freedom and a lot more exploration.  What this means for our families at home is probably a lot more stress and worry about our safety.  What this means for the blog, however, is a slightly new direction that – at least for this summer – will be centered on topics such as how I got my motorcycle license, the places we travel within Xinjiang and the things we get to see.  It might take a few weeks before all this starts coming alive here on the site (I’m hoping this can be unblocked for all to see), but for us the fun will start this weekend during the Dragon Boat Festival.