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.
365reasons2sober 
Hey
Thanks for your honesty. I also traveled the globe. Unfortunately my drinking self came along for the ride. I always started out with the best intentions,…..but you know how that goes.
So I’ve read your other postings and I can identify. Not all AA is the same. Took me a while to find a group that I connected with. Need to have that connection. Thank the ‘hp’ for blogs too: because of some medical issues, I’ve had to relocate south and stay around the house more. I miss going to the diner/restaurants/hanging out, with sober folks from my home group up north. With the blogs, I can stay connected to kin folk like you.
I was thinking to check out some of those other sober programs you linked to. When I got AA sober in ’84 there wasn’t anything else around. Turns out there is a SMART meeting an hour after the AA meeting at the community house where I go to AA. Heck, why not. Keeping an open mind and being willing to try new things is at the heart of sobriety. I;m looking forward to it.
Lastly, my sponsor up north is a 45 year practicing Buddhist. He is about the most sober level headed guy I know. He tried to turn me on to the Siddhartha thing but it wasn’t for me. He is still a great sponsor. I think if I traveled anywhere in the world without a sober road map and a guide or two, I’d end up drunk.
Take care and keep at it. You are worth it.
Thanks so much for your comment. I am trying to use all options available to me such as AA, blogs and whatever is out there. Not sure if I will do the “step work” and maybe if I find other AA groups, I will like it better.
I wish I was down south cause I think the heating in my house went out. I am sitting in a sleeping bag with a quilt and gloves on at 3am and freezing. But I am sober.
Your stories are like rubbernecking on the highway when there is an accident. I want to read them, but I don’t.
Did you get the chip?
No and last night a guy next to me announced he was 30 days sober and he didn’t get offered one either. I need to go to another area. Was planning on visiting my mom this weekend so maybe I will get a 30 day chip for 40 days sober.
I am starting to have more dreams about drinking. I would like to think of that chip as a weapon against the thoughts.
Good plan. Tomorrow is 90 days for me. I am going to try a women’s only meeting. If I get a chip, I will ask for one for you! š
Aww thanks. Way to go on 90! It seems so far for me. But since I was focusing on that chip so much, I got to 37 pretty quick.
But I got my chip! Will post my blog about it soon. It was a frustrating night. I needed it. I am now in a diner with beers looking down at me but I feel this coin is my kryptonite.
Thanks for the post about Shanghai! You’ve clearly traveled a lot, and, as I am reading, that seems to come along with a unique set of contextually specific wreckage. For you it sure does involve losing a lot of stuff! I’ve a few such experiences in my past – a particularly nightmare in Moscow circa 1996, for example, comes to mind. But in recent years the physical space I afforded my consumption diminished until it was mostly just me and my bottles sitting on my couch in my garage, where I could, hopefully, quietly drink myself to death with as little interference as possible.
Regarding the dreams and the chip… If you want to a chip to be an effective weapon in a dream, it has to be a dream chip. I hear someone gave you a supercool black and white one ;-). Picture that as you go to sleep, and it will pop up when you need it most in your dream! Or so says I, anyway, a self-described expert on dream weapon acquisition and usage..