You are an American teacher at a university in Zhengzhou (pronounced “Jung Joe”), Henan province in mainland China. You are on your summer break; you have free time. It’s August, and it’s hot and humid on your campus. So what do you do? How about a road trip!

Chinese Road Trip is a two-day adventure away from the crowds and noise of the big city, away from the busy campus life of a foreign teacher.

Day One is the expedition, complete with trip jinx, to climb Song Shan (Song Mountain), one of China’s “Big Five”, with three university students. Disasters, exhaustion, and fun abound – and a few reflections also.

Day Two is a spent climbing a second mountain, one towering over a remote countryside village. Rough, unpopulated, and un-tourist visited, you journey back in time to a pre-digital world as you scramble up the mountainside in search of Nine Dragons Lake and, in the process, encounter experiences that will remain part of your memories forever.

Read Chinese Road Trip, a story about a brief interlude in the campus life of a foreign teacher in mainland China. Within these pages, maybe you will find your own friendly trip jinx to accompany you on your next road trip.