Irene

__**An Independent Journey**__ __**By**__ __**Yun**__ When I was 19 years old as a freshman in college, I decided to go out for a trip to Hangzhou, a most famous tourist attraction in China. It was in June, all my friends had plans so I could not find company. However, I was longing for Hangzhou City since I heard about its wonderful scenery and history at a young age. Therefore, I decided that there was no reason for me to change my own plan according to others; I was old enough to travel alone. Although the trip was not that easy for a girl who had never travelled alone before, it turned out to be a precious experience for me because for the first time I was able to do things independently.

As soon as I made my decision, I started my journey early in the morning. The moment I arrived in Hangzhou, I found myself lost. Even though I collected enough information and got a map before I took off, the city streets were not as clear as they appeared on the map. What was worse, without my own transportation I had to discover the route completely on foot. I hated taking taxis when travelling as I thought it was too direct and quick going to the destination to enjoy the journey; as a result, I had to find an appropriate bus route going to the motel I booked. It took me nearly half a day to find the way and it was dark when I finally arrived on the narrow and deep alley where the motel located; I was so afraid to go into in such a dark night. I even felt regret going on the trip all alone at that moment. However, it was lucky that one of the security personnel of the motel came out and showed me the way inside. Finally lying on the bed, I was still not sure whether it was a wise decision just coming without a fine plan.

The next morning, I felt confident again after a good sleep. The weather was nice, warm but not too much sunshine, which was just perfect for travelling. Having learned from the last day’s experience, I rented a bike form the motel. Xihu Lake is the most famous view spot in Hangzhou, which was also the main reason I desired to visit this city. As a result, I planned to use the whole day riding around the lake to enjoy the fascinating scene. It was much easier to get around with a bike than walking. I went to view the lotus in the lake, the famous Leifeng Tower with a long history as well as the bridges across the lake. I found myself totally lost into the breathtaking scene. In the evening, I even ran into a music fountain performance on the way back in a square near the lake. I hardly remembered the difficulties I went through the day before. It was really enjoyable and I thought the journey was really worthy.

The third day was short because I had to take a train in the afternoon. I only walked to the lake to see it for the last time and say goodbye. It was really a rushed trip; however, I was so thankful I made that decision. The landscape I viewed paid off for the effort I made. What was more important was that, I am the only one who determined everything for the whole three days. It was the first time for me to get out of home and be the decision maker as an adult. From that moment, I could prove that I was really an independent individual and that also became the reason that my parents trusted my capacity to go abroad to finish my education. Despite the fact that, going all alone can be difficult at the first time, it was also a priceless experience that I will appreciate for the rest of my life.
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