Lost in Hanzhou(A Repost)

The moment I discovered that I was lost, I knew that it was not going to be easy to get back to my hotel through the claustrophobic maze of buildings . It was my second day in Hangzhou, a scenic city famous for its large lake - Xi Hu, which literally means western lake. Steeped in history, the city is the dwelling place of many a renowned scholar in China.  It is also home to the famous snake maiden legend.
               Nine days prior, I had flown to Shanghai from the international airport in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.   My tour group had visited Suzhou, Wuxi and Yangzhou before setting foot on Hanzhou . The name of our group was Halim, a well-reputed travel agency in Miri, Sarawak.  It was my first trip to China, and I was excited beyond measure.   I decided to venture around the city on my own after dinner.   Fringed with dripping willow trees, the city was beautifully  iluminated by colourful lights.  Everywhere I went, old shops arranged themselves in serried ranks.  After a few minutes, I came to a cluster of stalls, where many bric-a-bracs and ceramic vases were sold. But I was not interested in them.  While retracing my steps as I attempted to make my way back to the hotel, I realized that I could not remember which alley I had exited. I entered one but discovered that it forked out into many streets.  I backtracked and walked into another street that seemed to have no end.  I could not recognize any of the buildings because every single shop along the street looked identical to the other.
                In the grip of panic, I wandered around aimlessly.  Fear had gotten a hold of me.  I tightened the collar of my jacket around my neck as protection against the biting chill.   It was now early winter and the air was particularly cold at nights.   White vapors rose from my mouth as I breathed.   Despite sundown, the crowds along the street never seemed to recede.  What should I do to get help?  At that very moment, a tiny voice in my head spoke to me," Why don't you take a taxi back to your hotel?"  From the chaos of my mind, the question jerked me into sanity.   I looked around and saw a taxi being driven along the street.  Just as I was about to flag it down, I realized that I had forgotten the name of my hotel. Worse still, my cell phone was not in my trouser pocket. So, I could not phone any of my tour-mates.  I must have carelessly left it on my bed at the hotel.

                In dismay, I plodded along the street with a heavy heart.  Shrill, mournful opera music from a nearby sundry shop rended the cool, night air. I felt like crying.  Why was I so stupid and careless?   Why had I left the comfort of my hotel room and subjected myself to such a torment outside?  Was my room-mate looking for me?  I desperately missed the security offered by his companionship.   

My aimless walk eventually took me to the warmth of a restaurant.  I sat down at a small table and ordered a pot of tea.  I sipped the liquid quietly, having no idea how it tasted. My brows were closely knitted and my hands clenched tightly around my cup. The restaurant was full of rapid fire chatters. Most customers were smoking.  Their loudness confounded me.  

My solitude captured the interest of a waiter, who came over to my table and asked me in a polite voice, "Sir, you don't look like a local. Where are you from?"
                  I looked at him timidly, my mind too blank to answer.
                  “Are you from Gwangzhou?” persisted the waiter, determined not to give up on engaging me in a conversation.

   Remembering Mama’s advice, I resisted my impulse to say no. She had told me that it would be safer to let strangers in China assume that I was a local, than to admit that I was a Malaysian tourist.

   “Are you from Gwangzhou, or from Taiwan?” asked the waiter again, in a probing manner.
                “Gwangzhou,” I answered, trying to sound calm and collected. However, the tremor in my voice betrayed me.
                “I see. Welcome to Hanzhou,” was the waiter’s reply. I could see a sly glint in his eyes. My accent must have given me away.

     “Sir, we can recommend some girls to you in case you are lonely,” interjected a tall customer, who had appeared silently behind me.
                    Shocked, I shook my head and said that I was not interested. The two men smiled and left me alone.   I went on sipping tea from my cup but my heart beat faster than usual.  The brief conversation with the two men made me feel all the more unsafe.   I had already lost my way, and had now become the target of pimps.   Although the tall man and the waiter were no longer around me, I could still feel their eyes on me.   My skin prickled with fear.   The atmosphere of the coffee shop became increasingly suffocating as cigarette fumes permeated the air.
                    In a fretful haste, I paid my bill and left the coffee shop, escaping the fug of its smoke-filled interior and the danger that lurked within. Once again, I was exposed to the coldness and darkness of the street, which had become much quieter now.  The number of pedestrians had dwindled to only a few.  Quite a number of shops had closed.   I felt oppressed by the ominous silence.   In my state of anxiety, everything around me looked portentous of evil.
                   During my mindless walk, I chanced upon a broad road.  A few men were drinking beer under a poplar tree at the mouth of the road.  I sidled past the group, hoping that none of them would accost me. Then, I quickened my pace and crossed the road.  I found myself in a brightly lit area. Another hour had passed and it was now 10 p.m. I still hadn’t the slightest idea where I was.  I sighed and ridiculed myself for my misfortune. I may have to sleep on the street tonight, I thought.
                  Suddenly, I caught sight of two familiar figures in a shop that sold tea leaves. They looked like my tour-mates. I walked nearer to the shop to confirm that my eyes were not playing tricks on me.   Indeed, they were my tour-mates.   With great relief, I walked into the shop and said hi to them. My eyes felt moist and warm.

   “Mr. Lo, what a surprise to see you here!” exclaimed one of the ladies.
                 “Indeed, I was around sight-seeing.” I lied, not wanting them to know that I was lost.
                 “We are planning to go back to the hotel now. Care to join us?” asked the other lady.
                 “Ya, I am getting sleepy,” I said, keeping my excitement in check.
                 The two ladies had saved my day.  I let them walk ahead of me, pretending to be their ‘body guard’.   After ten minutes, the familiar facade of our hotel came into view. They thanked me for accompanying them,  but little did they know that I had depended on them to find my way back to the hotel.   Revealing the truth about my experience would have been too emasculating.

The frightening experience has taught me to be more alert.   Before exploring new surroundings, I should make sure that I have a map, my hotel card, and my cell phone.   In order not to get lost, I also try my best to recognize and remember prominant landmarks along the route.  This way, my safety is more likely to be guaranteed.