Helloooo! My name is Zooka! I am so FREAKING excited! Today, I start what is sure to be a very heroic and adventurous adventure! I am traveling along the Yangtze river in China. By the way, it is the year 1628. Right now, China is in the Ming Dynasty. Chongzhen is the emperor right now. But anyway, today I start my journey at the mouth of the Yangtze in the city of Shanghai, and I end my journey in Nanjing. I will be traveling on foot. Which by the way, I am definitely not excited about, because who wants to walk that long? But whatever. So the main reason I am traveling this far is because I am going to visit my family in Nanjing. Nanjing is a grand city, very well developed. In fact, it’s the capital of the Ming dynasty. But I am happy on the coast in Shanghai, I don’t need to be close to family. I work in an orchard picking peaches. It is a fine job, because everyday I get to climb high in the peach trees and look out on the vast orchards, and the sparkling ocean. But today is different. Today I start my journey. I heroically wave good bye to my fellow fruit pickers as I walk off into the morning sunrise, starting my long journey to Nanjing.

OMG!!!!. I have been walking for FOUR hours, and I just want to turn around and go back to Shanghai!!!!! But, I promised to visit my family. I have to keep going. After another whole hour of walking, the sun is high above my head; it must be midday. I decide I should rest. I mean, I’m not just this gorgeous for nothing! I need my beauty sleep! I sit down in the small shade of a gnarled tree and watch the river rush east, heading towards the vast ocean. As I rest, I pull out some dried peaches from the orchard. Mmm! They are soooo delicious! After I refill my water skin with the clear Yangtze water, I continue along the worn river path.

Tonight, I plan to stay in a small village with a fisherman and his extended family. As the sun goes down for the night, I walk into a modest fishing village. I find the fishermen’s house easily, for many people are outside awaiting my arrival.

“Welcome! Welcome!” the large family sings.

“Hello! Thank you so much for allowing me to stay with you tonight.”

A man and woman, about the age of 50, step forward. “I am Chen,” the man says, “and this is my wife Ji. Welcome to our home.” “Yes, welcome,” Ji says. “Dinner is just about to be served. Fish and rice is what’s on the menu.”

“Fantastic,” I graciously say. I was lucky this family was willing to take me in.

After a delicious dinner of fish and rice, I get into bed and sleep.