I have been part of cyber communities since I first had a computer. I was into Social Networking before Facebook became a household name. I have traveled to other countries to meet people I met online. So it is not very shocking to me that I find blogs about sobriety to be a great support group. Thanks to everyone out there blogging about their journey and recovery and a huge thanks to everyone that reads, like, and comments on my blogs.

Since Eric is headed to China, I thought I would share one of my drunk stories from my visit to China six year ago.

Mistake #29- I was traveling China for pleasure for a few weeks. I started out with a few days in Shanghai. I met up with a group of international travelers and locals. We all went out to a bar that a local recommended. I think it was someone’s birthday? From my journal:

I left my green bag in the bar. I tried to go back the next day but they didn’t have it. It had my cell phone, iPod, travel journal (with all my enteries from trips to Europe), my guide book, a week supply of birth control pills, my purple cat ears hat (knitted by a friend) and a few other things.

But to look on the bright side, I didn’t lose THIS journal. I have next week’s supply of B/C pills. I didn’t lose my camera. And most importantly, I didn’t lose my passport, credit cards nor money.

It just sucks. I lost a whole day in Shanghai recovering. I tried to sleep with one of the guys that I am not even attracted to. I had to buy a new cell phone but it only works in China.

I spent the next day depressed. Then I met two Chinese girls that invited me to a tea festival. That cheered me up. I was hungover but thought “oh what nice locals!” Later, I found out the tea festival was a scam. They do it to get tourists to buy overpriced tea. The girls did try to get me to pay for their tea but I refused. I think I spent close to USD$100 on tea! But they did help me find a new cell phone and get it set up for me. I was scammed but did benefit from meeting them.

I spent the rest of my trip not trusting any Chinese person I met. I also told people my bag was stolen. I did not admit it was my drunken fault. To this day, I use my bag being “stolen” story as a reason why I did not like China.

I got drunk a few more times in China. I did not lose anything else except wasted more days with hangovers.