Have tinnie will travel

I forgot to tell you about my day out in the 'tinnie'! I think my core muscles are still recovering from the experience. It was all good fun though. My cousin Andrea, her husband Andrew, and eldest son Jayden took me out for the day from Bribie to Moreton Island in their little boat that is like travelling in a large tin can. It can go some but not in the most comfortable style. The sea was a bit rougher than Andrew anticipated so it was touch and go at first whether we'd make it to the island. But after spotting a big sea turtle (which disappeared fast as anything once it saw us coming) we ploughed on across the water hoping for the best. About 15 minutes in and I wasn't sure how long I could carry on with all the bumping and lurching but soon settled into it after that.

We saw a large fish, Jayden thought it was a tuna but it was black and white, leaping out of the sea at one point and tried to doubleback to find it but to no avail. Once on the island the beautiful blue and green sea was truly breathtaking and the view of it was even better after climbing up another hugely steep sand dune. More sand surfing down and we tucked into our lunch in need of some sustenance after all that exertion.

A short boat ride further along the coast took us to the tiny resort of Tangalooma for a browse in the gift shop and an ice cream. On the journey back to the mainland, we came across hundreds of birds (we didn't manage to identify what kind) fishing in the sea for something, circling round and diving again and again for their prey. Andrew tried fishing for whatever they were searching for but didn't come up trumps. It was quite bizarre to sail through the flock again and again, a very unique experience.

But back to the here and now, I'm holed up in my hostel in the centre of Melbourne after a busy day sightseeing. The day started with a free walking tour put on by the hostel but was enough to give me a flavour of some of the sights and where they are situated. After a delicious lunch - Melbourne really is the foodie heaven it's painted to be - I headed into a Lego art exhibition. An opportunity to take photos for my nephew, a Lego fiend, that I just couldn't pass up. It is amazing what you can create from a few, or rather thousands, of little bricks!

I then spent the afternoon eyeing up the street art in the lanes around the city and checking out the ACMI, a gallery of the moving image. Some fascinating exhibits by an Aussie artist, Shaun Gladwell. I was transfixed by a particular installation of a number of screens overhead showing various people just spinning round and round in slow motion, either on a skateboard, BMX bike, or just dancing. The pole dancer in the middle was particularly mesmerising!

Off to stay with my old friend Amelia tomorrow and looking forward to a weekend of hanging out with her mates and helping her out with her business that she's just set up. Yes folks, I'm actually going to be doing some (unpaid) work in the next week! That's going to be a bit of a shock to the brain. She's got me lined up for some proofreading and formatting of reports. I'll let you know how it goes.

A surreal experience

Last Friday I headed into Brisbane city centre to visit some of the places I hadn't got round to the previous week. I wanted to go to the Surrealism exhibition at GoMA, the city's modern art gallery. But first it was off to the information centre to book my ticket heading up the coast to Cairns in a few weeks' time. Found a good deal with Greyhound buses that includes a two-day trip to Fraser Island, three days in the Whitsundays and a Great Barrier Reef day tour, plus all my bus journeys from Brisbane to Cairns.

The exhibition was really interesting, maybe it's because I haven't really had to use my brain too much or maybe it was too much like going back to University and studying Philosophy again but I struggled with some of the concepts of surrealism. I must have read and reread a few times what Dada and surrealism mean but they still didn't really sink in! Oh well, it was fascinating nonetheless and I particularly liked the depiction of the game of 'exquisite corpse' as I remember playing something similar at school. It's where you collectively assemble a drawing or poem/story but you don't know what the other person has drawn or written. So you write or draw on a piece of paper, fold it over, hand it to the next person and they carry on. Produces some hilarious results. The ones in the gallery looked far too well done to be real to me though!

Saturday was spent with my aunt and uncle, plus Rodney's daughter Joanne as she didn't want to attend the BMX race the rest of the family was in town for, so we headed to the Boondall wetlands to spot birds, trees and Aboriginal totem poles.

Since then I've mostly spent time with my other cousin Andrea and her three kids, having barbecues up on Mount Glorious, walking through the rainforest, eating chips and ice cream or picking out nice shells on the beach.

I managed to fit in some Skype calls to mum and dad, and my brother over the weekend. My niece has got lots more curly blonde hair since I last saw her and is getting up to more mischief. Really great to talk to them all back home and they also got to say hello to their Aussie 'relys' as well (am I sounding like a native yet?!).

Sunday night was spent out on the town with a friend of Nick's who I'd never met before but was really lovely. Marnie picked me up (and had to meet all the relatives at once, poor thing) and we went to the Brekky Creek Hotel, a real staple in Brisbane apparently, for beer and a steak - delicious. A glass of red later and we headed off to the Dessert Cafe for two very tasty but sickly desserts. Here's a little fact about Queensland at the moment, bananas are ridiculously expensive here and everyone keeps commenting on it. Most of the crop was wiped out by the cyclone (and I don't think the flooding helped) so my caramel tart came without the bananas advertised.

Heading off to Melbourne today for a couple of weeks to catch up with old friends and see the sights of somewhere I've not visited over here before. Looking forward to it. I've got plans to hang out with penguins, sample some lush wine and pick up the old social life.

Photo bonanza

Don't look at them all at once otherwise it'll make your eyes pop but here are some pics from my travels:

Hanoi, Vietnam
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=carriegoldilocks&target=ALBUM&id=5619054465588603905&authkey=Gv1sRgCJzC-b3_i-e8Og&feat=email

Ladies night, Hong Kong
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=carriegoldilocks&target=ALBUM&id=5619046712368785937&authkey=Gv1sRgCK6hwJ378PyvSg&feat=email

Hong Kong and China Part I
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=carriegoldilocks&target=ALBUM&id=5619085074344197281&authkey=Gv1sRgCNSnlNTlgY31qwE&feat=email

Hong Kong and China Part II
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=carriegoldilocks&target=ALBUM&id=5621260446560954113&authkey=Gv1sRgCNben5ybl_PmFQ&feat=email

Shanghai, China
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=carriegoldilocks&target=ALBUM&id=5621267626179716769&authkey=Gv1sRgCOCP_ZnH3JDIDQ&feat=email

I think that'll do for now. Australia to follow soon!

Dolphin friendly

So much for thinking I was going to stay in one place for a while! But it's all good as I've had the usual fantastic time (god, it's going to be so hard to come home to a normal life again). And there I was thinking I was going to be living the quiet life for a while. I had a few chilled out days, just popping to the hypermarket to get some warm pjs and slippers, nice and cheap mind, and driving up the coast for fish and chips and a gaze at the sea. I spent the day in the city as well, checking out the Southbank, soaking up the glorious sunshine (I can't get enough of it) and observing how the Aussies really know how to build a swimming pool!

On Friday my cousin, Rodney, and his three kids swung by to pick me up for a few days further up on the Sunshine Coast. He had the brilliant idea on Saturday morning to head up to Tin Can Bay, stay the night and go and feed the wild dolphins in the morning. So after a visit to the local markets, a ginger factory and packing up our things, we headed on up to the sleepy town and found the perfect cabin in the marina to stop for the night. As the sun was setting, the kids checked out the pool and Rodney and I cracked open a bottle of vino - bliss! Later we had a very tasty meal at the restaurant in the marina, where slightly embarassingly I got mistaken for 'mum', and then it was off to bed for an early start in the morning.

The chilly mornings do not make it easy to drag yourself out of bed but the dolphins were worth it. Fulfilling a lifelong ambition to see, feed or swim with the fascinating creatures, I was thrilled that we got to admire them and ply them with fish once they appeared at the marina. I'm sure it gets packed out in the height of summer but on this winter's morning there were about thirty or so people, so plenty of opportunity for photos and to take our time. The male dolphin was looking a bit battered and bruised after a couple of nasty shark attacks, one of the volunteers having saved his life by nursing him back to health over two weeks, constantly monitoring him 24 hours a day in the water.

The rest of the day was jam packed on our way back down south to Bli Bli, following the coastal roads, a visit to a local creek, a bit of a walk to Poona Lake, lunch overlooking the beach, and a clamber up the rocks to check out the stunning view. Continuing the marine life theme, Rodney just managed to spot a whale while we were descending from the rocks. Another dream fulfilled, though I think a proper trip whale watching is definitely called for while I'm out here. Next it was four-wheel drive mode along the beach for miles until we reached a huge sand dune/hill where we sand surfed our way down as darkness set in.

On Monday I headed into work with Rodney and as he didn't have much on we went for a walk in the Noose National Park, round the coastline for more dolphin watching and beautiful beaches. We spotted a school of at least six or seven dolphins and marvelled at a guy kayaking right by them as he headed back into the bay. How fantastic it would have been to get up that close!

Spent that afternoon on the beach, soaking up the sun and plucking up the courage to go for a dip in the sea (I bottled it that day but did brave the chilly waters the next day). After the kids got back from school we headed on down to Mooloolaba for a BBQ on the beach, Aussie style! The following day it was time for more beach action and then we climbed up Mount Coolum for an awesome view in the afternoon.

On my way back to Brisbane yesterday I stopped at Australia Zoo, a shrine to one Mr Steve Urwin and family. A little cheesy and over the top in places but a great zoo to check out all the indigenous animals and more. Crocs take pride of place of course but they put on an amazing live show with birds swooping overhead, snakes being paraded round and the elephants make an appearance after their feeding time. I fed one of them as I missed out on that in Asia. Better late than never!

It was a very knackered Carrie that returned to Brisbane last night after what seemed like a long journey home - it wasn't really but I got stuck at the zoo for longer due to a big gap in the bus timetable. Now I just need the damn Chilean ash cloud to move on so I can start making plans for Melbourne and beyond...

Brizzy bound

And it rained and rained some more for my final couple of days in Sydney. As Monday was my last full day in the city I got up early and decided to pack as much in despite the miserable weather. My wandering started off with a mosey around the harbour (again) to take some more pics of the opera house in daylight and walk through the botanical gardens. Was a lot slower through there than I thought but I kept getting distracted with another photo opportunity. I then headed up to the New South Wales Art Gallery to check out some of the country's artistic talent.

I then walked along Oxford Street to get the bus to where I was ultimately heading - Bondi! I remember flying over Bondi many years ago and thinking it was a shame we didn't have time to visit so it was definitely on the list this time. First I had to overcome the challenge of finding a working ATM machine after the long weekend and then somewhere to buy a bus ticket. Took me ages and half the street to complete but I got there in the end.

A short ride later and I was on the beach drawing in the sand for another photo opportunity and watching the die-hard surfers in the cold spray. The walk along the coastline to Coogee was beautiful and took way longer than expected, sidetracked by the rocks, beaches and birdlife along the way. The rain managed to hold off until I was just rounding the headland before Coogee. Another bus ride and I was in the middle of Bondi Junction to explore a few more shops to buy some last-minute bits before leaving the city the next day.

My final night was spent with two Aussie girls from my dorm who had got stranded by the ash cloud from Chile, unable to get back to Melbourne. They'd been crazy party girls all weekend, out until the early hours, but were keen to have a quiet final night before returning to work, which suited me. The hotel down the road was doing $10 steak and a beer, so we indulged on the rooftop bar with views of the light show still going on in the harbour.

Next morning, I had to track down Australia Post to send some things home so I had enough room in my bags for all my new winter things. Then it was off to the airport to catch my flight to Brisbane.

Relief as the weather is much warmer and sunnier this bit further up the coast. Couldn't take much more rain without wanting to book a flight to Fiji or further afield I don't think! It was an emotional reunion with my aunt and uncle who I haven't seen for many years. I feel closer to home somehow staying with family, particularly as my mum's sister looks so much like her. Like a home from home. Miss you Mum... (and Dad)... (and everyone else).

Very excited about the prospect of being in one place for a little while. I can unpack, have my own room and feel settled for a bit. About time too. Nice to catch up with my cousins while I'm here as well. Looks like I'm heading further up the coast for the weekend to hang out with my cousin Rodney for a few days. Might even get some diving or cycling in if I'm lucky.

Also need to sort out my trip to Melbourne while I'm here. Haven't booked any flights though hopefully I've got a couple of places to stay. I'll have to prepare myself for colder climes again!

Wet weekend

Who said Oz would be nice even in winter?!? The weather has been pants pretty much since I arrived, raining and raining and raining and non-stop raining a bit more. But that's given me plenty of time to do a bit of shopping for some more wintery clothes and realise how rubbish the shops are in Sydney. Actually they're not that bad but way too expensive for what they are. Everything seems massively pricey compared to what it used to be though. I've turned into the world's biggest tight ar*e and keep saying to myself 'how much?". Apparently parking costs here are now the highest in the world. Bizarre!

But enough of my wingeing, it hasn't all been about frittering my money away and bad weather. I loved my harbour bridge climb, thanks bro' and co for that one. I wasn't nervous at all, must be used to doing crazy things by now and it didn't seem that high once you get up there because you are climbing up such a massive structure. It feels very sturdy. The rain held off long enough for us to get all the way to the top and back again for it started, a relief as we hadn't been given waterproofs. Getting kitted up is quite hilarious as apart from the less-than-attractive suit you have to wear, everything is strapped on so you don't lose it halfway up - hat, sunglasses, gloves, whatever extras you need.

Our climb leader was a really nice guy too (and pretty cute). He made me join him up at the front as I was on my own - what a hardship. A nice couple from Melbourne were behind me in the long line of us making our way up all that metal so we kept each other entertained.

Afterwards I headed off to Darling Harbour to check out the jazz festival that started. James Morrison was on the line up but not the one I had in mind (he's actually a famous Aussie jazz musician). Despite the cold, everyone was sitting outside enjoying the tunes and indulging in their chosen tipple. I managed to get some stunning photos of the harbour as the sun set, quite proud of myself. The light made the blues and pinks so vivid.

Later I met Dave for a quick drink, an old friend from Sevenoaks. He's very kindly lent me a local mobile while I'm here so I've been struggling to get the hang of a Nokia again. Blimey, texting is hard work! It was great to see him though and catch up on old times. He left to meet some friends for dinner and I headed off to get some chips and sit on the monorail for a bit. Then decided to go and see Hangover 2 at the cinema before collapsing into bed after a long day. My diet has left a lot to be desired since I've been here, undoing all the virtue of Shanghai.

Finally it was time to indulge in a bit of a lie-in. Bliss! Then it was time for more shopping in town, battling the queues to get into Zara which has just opened out here at vastly inflated prices. After a lot of wandering around I headed on over to Manly on the ferry to meet up for dinner with Dave and check out his local bars and restaurants. Really liked the area and found a nice bar called Hemingways to hang out in until Dave got there. Shame it was pis*ing down with rain again.

In an attempt to improve my eating habits we went to a delicious fish restaurant and had some trout and a BYOB (I'd forgotten that Oz loves this). Far too much wine later and I was heading home on the rather turbulent ferry due to the weather but it was a good night. Didn't feel quite so special the next day when I packed up and traipsed across town to a different, more central hostel right by the harbour. Really glad I moved though as it's much nicer with a better vibe.

Met Sophie yesterday for lunch, an Aussie from my diving course, nursing my hangover. She showed me some of the shops I'd been missing out on and we hung out for a while. It was great to catch up, just a shame Dee had headed up to Cairns for a diving weekend, so didn't get to see her.

Spent the evening walking round the harbour with Carolyn, who's staying in the hostel, and eating pizza and the largest slice of chocolate meringue I've ever seen. Seems strange just writing about shopping and eating after all the excitement and craziness of China!

Speaking of China, there's so much I feel I haven't said, so here's the final word. If I've inspired you at all to think of visiting, make sure you go sooner rather than later. The country is changing at such an alarming rate, construction is going on everywhere you look, and the old is being torn down to make way for the new. I don't blame the Chinese for wanting to improve where people live but it does smack a little of trying to wipe out the past and unfortunately, probably erode a lot of their culture at the same time.

Enough said. Maybe.

Wonder of the wall

I was sad to say goodbye to some of the group after a week's travelling round in such a crazy fashion. Celia, my roommate and I hung out with Nicole and Charlotte, a couple from Kent, most of the time. Poor old Celia got the nickname 'Simples 250' as she often didn't pay attention to all the information and would then ask questions about what time we were meeting or where we were going! If you call someone 250 in Chinese it means you are calling them stupid. She took it on the chin.

The last night altogether was spent downing beers and singing karaoke. Charlotte had already demonstrated her talent on the first night but I missed it after being virtuous and going to bed early at the time. We sang a few songs and were entertained and embarassed in equal measure by Tom, a very pissed Irishman who no on could understand - drunk or sober - as he had such a strong accent. His rendition of Roxanne was really never to be repeated (or heard in the first place for that matter).

Once the remaining ten from the group were assembled and joined by three new couples we set off for the Chinese seaside where the wall starts from the coast. It was very random as there were a fair few tourists and even a very old pier that was actually a temple. They didn't sell sticks of rock but they had lots of shops selling things for two yuen (about 20p). A bargain hunters delight.

Being further away from the big cities did mean that we had to contend with plenty of staring, and the Chinese really make no bones about being rude. We had to walk to the supermarket at the end of the day and get some supplies for the rest of the week and I have to admit that I asked Zelda if she wanted to go together as I didn't feel comfortable walking by myself. It was only ten mins from the hotel!

The rest of the week was spent visiting various sections of the wall in various locations, some stunning mountain scenes with the wall snaking along as far as the eye could see. Some parts of the wall really were pretty hairy, scrambling up loose rubble with nothing to hold on to and a sheer drop either side. I didn't expect the wall to be quite so steep everywhere, there really were no flat bits whatsoever. We all got a bit sick of steps.

Again it was lots of travelling around, not staying anywhere for long and we did experience some very basic accommodation. But we knew to expect that. Still, a hot shower and a soft bed was all we longed for at times. The two final locations before returning to Beijing were fantastically close to the wall though and we stayed in garrison-style buildings with the wall as our backdrop.

The second to last night we went to one of our guides house and shop for dinner cooked by his lovely wife. With the wall high up on the mountain behind us, we drank beer and firewater and sampled his wife's cooking, which was superb. Phil, other half of Carole, both of which I spent most of my time with in the second week and got on really well with, enjoyed the fire water a little too much and lost the power of speech and the use of his legs by the end of the evening!

By the end of the whole trip I was in dire need of a bit of a rest so Shanghai was a good respite. I really could live in Shanghai and loved the vibe of the city. It helped that Lone took me round and showed me all the lush places. I always much prefer a city when you experience it how a local does. We didn't do too many touristy things but did get one of the sightseeing buses in the drizzly weather. Most of the time was spent walking around, admiring the architecture and sampling the delicious food. There were times when I craved a bit of independence and doing my own thing but it was lovely to spend time with Lone, she's so knowledgeable about the local life and challenges you face as an expat.

So now I'm in Sydney, staying in my first hostel. Which doesn't seem too shabby so far. Two girls in my dorm have been making me laugh with phone calls to a local salon to get their eyelash extensions redone and a spray tan. But they're very sweet.

Have spent the day wandering around shopping for a few more winter bits and bobs - it seems freezing cold out here, something about an arctic wind - and trying to recover from lack of sleep after my night flight. I headed out to the harbour for a light festival that's been going on. The opera house looked fantastic with all sorts of creations being shone on its exterior. There was also a pyrotechnics display to music on the other side that kept the tourists entertained for a while. I keep thinking I'm not going to be swept away by somewhere that I've already been or seems so like home but everywhere I go I never cease to be amazed in one way or another.

This doesn't feel like the most exciting blog post but I must be too tired or just trying to catch up on being a bit behind over the last few weeks.

I'm sure I'll be back to my sparkly self tomorrow! Until then...

Let me take you back, way back

I think the last post before heading around China was the day we were leaving Hong Kong to get the sleeper train to Guilin. That was an experience! Not quite the sleek bullet train that I was hoping for, more of a throwback to the 70s with lots of blue crushed velvet everywhere and a nice hole in the carriage for the squat toilet with the track rushing past below - a girl could have lost a flipflop down there... But it was kind of fun just sitting chatting in our little carriages, drinking beers and getting to know each other better.

 

We had a bit of a fright at the station beforehand though when we lost Betty, a mature lady in our group. She'd gone to the toilet and got confused about which floor to head back to and got lost. After about 30-40 mins of searching everywhere for her we were really beginning to panic. Eventually some policemen brought her back. I was imagining her being kidnapped by the Chinese mafia or something!

 

After not a bad night's sleep considering all the jolting and juddering we arrived for breakfast at a hotel in Guilin. Then heading off to the Lui river for a four-hour boat ride we sat with some French ladies who didn't speak much English so we tried to have a conversation half in our language and half in theirs. We passed hundreds of limestone rock formations along the river, similar to those that I saw in Halong Bay, Vietnam, but the setting was stunning enough not to seem like a repeat. It was beautiful, serene, and well worth seeing. Thanks for the tip there Mr Rigg!

 

We then spent a couple of days in the picturesque small town of Yangshuo, touristy but very pretty and quaint in old Chinese style. We went to a light show in the evening directed by the same guy who did the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics with the phenomenal backdrop of the limestone, lit up at various points as part of the show. I had a really emotional moment in the middle of it just wondering was I really there, experiencing something so fantastic. Next day we went cycling around the countryside and for a soothingly sedate journey down the river again on a bamboo raft. Not quite the rapids of white water rafting but it was fun going down the weirs and keeping your feet in the air so they didn't get wet at the right moment.

 

I had an amusing experience on a tuk tuk ride into the countryside to see how the local people were living and farming the land. In the area all the local people wanted money to have their photo taken but we were in a large group and I thought if I took a shot of two old ladies working the land they wouldn't notice me. No sooner had the shutter gone than the lady at the front threw down her tools and sought me out in the crowd to demand her cold, hard cash. I relented as I thought she might never let me go and gave her a couple of yuen (about 20p, what a stingy cow eh) but then her friend set on me but at that point I refused.

 

Another comedy moment of a very surreal nature was visiting a pearl museum. South China is famous for pearls apparently and we were shown how to tell real from fake and told how they 'grow' by the most enthusiastic Americanesque Chinese lady I've ever met. She would go down a treat at Disney! We then sat through a fashion show of bored-looking ladies in fancy dresses showing off the designs. I couldn't look at Charlotte throughout as I knew she would make me p*ss myself laughing.

 

It was on to Xi'an next to check out the terracotta warriors and the wild goose pagoda. I was a little disappointed with the warriors it has to be said. Took some great photos of them all lined up and looking so intriguing but the aircraft hangar style building they are housed in spoilt it a little bit for me. If you've seen the ones they have in London you would have experienced a very different warrior too as they are in full technicolour, having been preserved since being unearthed. But in situ they are just grey and terracotta coloured, their colour degrading rapidly after exposure to the elements. I did enjoy going to the factory where they still make them though and we all bought varying sizes of warriors as souvenirs, mine being a little kneeling archer, which was my favourite.

 

Packing it in we also cycled round the city wall in the blazing heat, went to a dumpling feast (they all tasted the same to me), a traditional Chinese dance and music show a muslim mosque and the local souvenir market during our time in the city.

 

Another sleeper train, a little more modern than the first, and we were in Beijing for visits to the Forbidden City, Tiannenmen Square and a rickshaw ride round the Hutong area, a well preserved, old part of the city where people still lead a very primitive life. We had lunch cooked for us by a lovely local lady and all 20 of us crammed into her living/bedroom. I ended up sitting on the bed and it was tempting to have a little lay down during such a hectic day! Another surreal experience when Leo the cricket man turned up and showed us all the books and newspapers that he had appeared in, famous for his performing crickets. I thought he was going to launch into his show but he just got out a few crickets and Celia looked on with distaste.

 

China to be continued as I'd better get myself off to the airport for my flight to Oz. Can't believe I'm already heading off to hang out with the Aussies, after over two months in Asia. I'll miss it and all it's quirks. But more about that tomorrow from down under.

Where do I begin?

I've been putting off updating the blog for a couple of days as I honestly didn't know how to tackle telling you everything that I've done, seen, learnt, and experienced over the last three weeks or so. The first week in China already seems like a world away. It has been a trip of three parts really: the first week travelling around with one group, sightseeing and far and wide across the country; the second with mostly the same group but slightly smaller walking the wall and getting off the beaten track; and now I'm independently in Shanghai staying with a Danish couple who are friends of my parents in the lap of luxury (well compared to where I have been anyway).

 

It has been a fascinating time though. China is a puzzling place. The North is very different to the South and the two biggest cities I've been to (Beijing and Shanghai) couldn't be more different, positively poles apart. The juxtaposition of old and new, communist and capitalist, wealth and poverty, city and country life, and the difference in attitiudes of the people have made it a crazy country to get your head around. I've learnt so much about the history: dynasties from Tang to Qing, fighting with the French, American, British, Japanese, the influence of the Manchurians, Mongols, Tibetans etc. More about Buddhism, Taoism. But have also seen with my own eyes the quaint remnants of communism, particularly in the smaller towns and villages that we visited: what I would call the 'uniform' of some of the older generation (blue caps, old military-style clothing all battered and dirt-ridden), the standard issue vehicles (burgundy three-wheel mini trucks with motorcycle handlebars, bigger blue three-wheel trucks, half-motorbike half-van taxis on a teeny scale). Unfortunately I didn't get any of them on camera as we mostly saw them from the bus travelling through. We had to get used to all the stares in the countryside while we were walking the Wall and staying in out of the way locations, though still within fairly close proximity to Beijing. And the uniformity of the buildings, people's humble abodes at first glance look like mini industrial estates where you think you might find people doing pottery or other industrious things. But then you realise that's where people live. The shops resemble toilet blocks if it weren't for the windows displaying their goods, clad in white oblong tiles.

 

We have travelled by pratically every mode of transport you can think of too. Plane, bus, sleeper train, normal train, boat, ferry, bamboo raft, rickshaw, tuk tuk, oversized golf cart, 'lady' bike, knackered old bike not even worthy of payment to hire, and a lot on foot. Oh how my knees suffered from all that climbing up and down steep, barely-there steps! And while I can't honestly say I've loved every minute of it (certainly not when tired, shoved around by too many Chinese tourists, encountered yet another foul and unhygienic squat toilet, suffered yet another cold shower or laid awake on a jolting sleeper train) but there have definitely been way more plus points than downsides.

 

But can I just say how I'm loving Shanghai?! The people are much friendlier and westernised than in Beijing. They speak more English and the city is kind of a cross between Hong Kong and New York. All the art deco architecture on the Bund is stunning and we ventured into a couple of plush hotel lobbies to be greeted with just the most decadent marble, painted ceilings, and all the little touches that transport you right back to the 1920s (I think I lived a past life in that decade!). Lone, who has kindly put me up and been showing me the city's sights, took me to an old part of town today that is mostly taken over with trendy, arty little boutiques but you come across the odd building where people are still living in traditional style. Refusing to move from their homes, which are dark and dirty with only outside washing facilities and no toilet - only in China would you have the two running alongside each other in a tiny street.

 

I have also been relishing eating healthier, familiar food such as salads, fruit, pasta and potatoes. Although I like Chinese food we were all craving something a bit different and meals without rice or noodles. And then there's the wine! Lovely French wine. We had some 'Great Wall wine' a couple of nights but it was nothing to write home about (even though I am) and most of the time was spent drinking Tsingtao, Yanjing and Snow beer.

 

I'll write more tomorrow when I can get my head round the details. I have to email my content as there are so many things that only sporadically work out here or not at all (Google, Facebook, Youtube, photo-sharing sites).

Whet your appetite