So, I went to China. It was for work, but that didn't mean I didn't have adventures. The whole trip was one debacle of an adventure, starting with a typhoon:
Yeah, that's right. A typhoon! Luckily we missed the actual storm, but we flew into the aftermath unawares. The lakes are actually the airport tarmac and main roads in Ningbo. What a mess! Houses and businesses were hopelessly flooded, and the ground just couldn't swallow the water fast enough. There were abandoned vehicles in the middles of intersections and debris everywhere. The flooding was awful, but to make matters worse, it persistently drizzled pretty much the whole time we were there. Driving around was a little crazy, but with some creative driving (and raised sidewalks) we managed to get around enough to get business done.
I've seen a few incredible natural disasters along the lines of flash floods and blizzards, but nothing of this magnitude regarding destruction. It's a little humbling, a little thought-provoking and a big reminder about how small people can be in the big scheme of things. Yikes. It also made me appreciate my circumstances a lot more. Those poor people (who are probably still dealing with the aftermath)!
Have you experienced a disaster first-hand? What thoughts did it bring to your mind?
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