Secret Royalty On Tour

While I’m on tour, everyone assumes I’m chasing the grand cultural moments – the temples, the ceremonies, the festivals, the spiritual fanfare.

And yes, when you find something 400 Chinese tourists haven’t found just before you, those things are beautiful.

But the truth is, it’s the everyday experiences that fascinate me just as much.
Sometimes more.

Today’s example – a simple wash and blow dry.

Except, of course, it wasn’t simple.

They laid me completely flat and took me through four cycles of cleansing and massage so heavenly I briefly wondered if I was being gently welcomed into the next realm via voodoo hands.

Then came the styling chair, and the lineup of clippers staring at me like polished weapons of hair destruction.

I pointed to them, and to the beard growth elixir, and gave a firm no.
Laughter all around.

And this is exactly why I love the everyday.
The rituals I take for granted at home become tiny cultural exchanges.
They observe me. I observe them.
We meet in the middle with curiosity and kindness.

And I walk out with soft hair, a new insight into their culture and, reassuringly, still no beard on my baby soft chin.