52 Hours in Huizhou: Beautiful Sunsets, Diving in Murky Water and Palm Tree Print Clothes
Stop three of the 9-city sprint through post-COVID South China.
Tuesday night. Huizhou. Double Moon Bay.
Arrived like a mysterious beach NPC. ππ§ββοΈ
No plans. No friends.
Just salt in the air and main character delusion. π¬οΈππ
I came to scuba dive. π€Ώπ«§π¦
No tourists. No dive squad. Just me + 3 uncles + 1 boat held together by hope. π§π§π§π₯οΈπͺ
The Dive:
Visibility = underwater soup. π²ππ«οΈ
No coral. No clownfish. Just the sound of my breathing and brown water. π βπ§ π
I kicked a rock. Made eye contact with a sea cucumber.
Felt spiritual. Or maybe just lost. πͺΈπ§π₯΄
We surface.
The dive boss shrugs. Hands me a cigarette. π¬π§ββοΈ
I take it.
Not because I smoke β
Because it was a brotherhood beacon. π«‘ππ€
That puff meant: βYou suffered. Youβre one of us now.β π«§π₯π
β
Plot Twist:
I didnβt bring ANY clothes to change into. π₯²π¦π©³
So I walk to the corner shop:
Wet. Shirtless. Slightly sunburnt. πβοΈπ§
Point at a palm tree shirt + shorts combo π΄ππ©³
Auntie stares.
Says the price.
I can see the neurons firing as the auntie software programs boots up
Where are you from?
How long you come to China?
Whatβs your job?
You have Chinese gf?
Transaction complete. πΈβ¨π΄π₯
π΅πΆοΈπ΄π₯
β
Later:
Rode around town like a post-apocalyptic beach detective. π΅οΈββοΈποΈπ¦
Everythingβs closed. Lights off. Signs faded.
Post-COVID ghost town energy. ποΈπ΄π«
But the sunset?
Biblical. π πΏπ§ββοΈ
I stood on the sand:
π£ Wet feet.
πΈ Salt hair.
πΆοΈ Dramatic silhouette.
β Thinking: βI am either thriving or deeply unwell.β
β
Final Verdict:
Huizhou gave me:
β’ Mud water diving π€Ώ
β’ Brotherhood cigarette π¬π«±π«²
β’ Shirtless panic π§ββοΈπ
β’ Ghost town scooter tour π΅π¨
β’ Palm tree redemption arc π΄β¨
β’ Sunset forgiveness π π«Ά
β
This is Part 3 of my 9-part series
γ52 Hours in Xγ
A fast-travel experiment through post-COVID China.
One city ποΈ. One story π. 52 hours β±οΈ at a time.
Next stop: Shantou.
Spoiler: dialect chaos, beef balls, and the rise of Victor from ζ±ε€΄. π§ π₯©ππ