Long Gas Station Lines
We are headed to Dujiangyan. Lines at gas stations are long, and some stations are shut. On the radio, the news is that Premier Wen Jiabao has arrived here in Sichuan.
-- Andrea Hsu
10:51 AM ET | 05-12-2008 | permalink
Comments (Send a comment)
Take care.
Just called Nanchong, Sichuan, about 200 miles east of the quake center. People there are fine. 3 major quakes at 2:28 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm. people are outdoors. So if nobody answers the call, they should not be concerned too much.
College students (>10,000 in Nanchong) are staying on the sports ground.
Landline phone calls are not damaged.
They seemed well informed --- the exact time and center of the quake.
I'll be listening and hoping all goes well for all the crew.
Can you tell us how best we can help?
Our thoughts are with you. Wish we could help.
I was supposed to fly to Chengdu this Thursday, May 15. I was headed to Wolong for the dream of a lifetime, to volunteer with the pandas for a week. I was all packed and ready. Pandas are very important in my life. When I was 5, my father disappeared at the circus in the Chicago Stadium, never to return to our family. While my mother frantically searched for him, I recall seeing a high wire act with brown bears and girls in pink tu-tus. Back at home, I felt so threatened and alone, so I hid in my playroom, which was filled with what were (for a 5-year old) gigantic black and white stuffed pandas, gifts from my Uncle Dave, who manufactured them. Those pandas were my salvation, as I shared my frustration with them and hugged their furry bodies. Now as an adult I am an avid panda fan and have learned all sorts of obscure information about them. I've visited zoos throughout the world with pandas, including those in Beiging, Tokyo, et.al, and of course our beloved pandas in Washington, where I live. That's why I planned for this, my 68th year of life, my own trip to China to volunteer with the pandas. I have planned every inch of the trip for the past four months, picturing myself weighing and measuring their nutritional supplements, placing them in little metal pots, and lining them up for all 60 to devour. I saw myself schlepping bamboo (bought work gloves for that) and of course shoveling out and tidying up their dens (those sloppy guys). Yesterday, I spent the morning sending 10 e-mails of cancellation to everyone expecting me, and I am now so worried about everyone there, and especially the animals, dedicated staff, and tourists apparently trapped at the Wolong Panda Preserve. I plan to reschedule my trip as soon as feasible. However, I was in the most recent earthquakes in San Francisco and LA (about 14 years ago?), so I can somewhat appreciate how long it will take for them to resume hosting foreigners.
Hey Andrea it is Todd from San Diego. I am happy you guys are ok. when I heard about the quake I called Alice and Andrew. Didn't hear back from them for a while and then saw you posted an image to npr's site. That calmed my nerves. Be safe! Keep up the great work. We are all thinking about you and the people of China. My heart goes out to them.
Peace.
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About 'Chengdu Diary'
NPR staff went to Chengdu, Sichuan, China in early May 2008 to prepare for a week of special reports for broadcast on All Things Considered. They found themselves in the middle of an unexpected story when the May 12th earthquake struck. The NPR team was there throughout the quake and aftermath. This blog gives you a day-by-day chronicle of the team's experiences before and after the quake.
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