Beijing 21st - 26th May
The train journey was another smooth operation, we had the oneside of the six bed compartment (I say compartment as there are no doors in this class) top, middle and bottom. People who were interested by us came over for brief chats, only leaving when communcation broke down. Again, lullaby music played before lights off, I now reconise only one reason for this, it is a polite GET TO BED!! During the day on long journeys trolly dollies declare their goods (Usually noodles, beer and chicjkens feet) by yelling down the corridor, but we had come prepared with food. Besides as with the UK train food is expensive. We did nothing but read, catch up on our diaries and eat - nice.
The train arrived with the usual Chinese punctuality, we returned to the Far East Hostel as we where please with the location and rooms. David and I where really shocked at the progress of the demolition of the Houtons over the weeks we had been away. I don't think the shops get much say or notice, first a metal sheet barrier goes up before the shop so they can just about trade and then next they get bulldozed, me and David thought it smelt abit when we notice a street on our route to Tianammen Square had been knocked down - all apart from a bank.
Beijing was a change from the lush south, busy streets and smogg creating a sweaty atmosphere. Kate got a tattoo of a coin she had been inspired by and she showed us an area of Beijing we had not discovered before up by another Houton area. This was our last night as three and we look forward to seeing Kate (and Steph!) again as they have both been great company.
On the Monday we went straight to the Indian Embassy to apply for our visa's. Our Chinese visa runs out on the Sunday with this in mind and the Indian visa ready for collection on Friday we shopped for a flight to Delhi. We found cheap flight but, they wanted cash! Poor David really hasn't had much fun at the Bank of China, it's such a palarva to get cash out, he spent half a day trying to get money for the flight.
The rest of our time was filled with the usual eating and wandering, we tried what we think were ducks tongues and they where sooo tastey - don't screw your face up we really did enjoy them! We visited the Frangrant Hills a beautiful spot where you can really get a feel for how big Beijing is from the view points (well thats for as far as the smogg lets you see - not far today). Playing poker until the wee hours we won 80Y and who walked in the hostel but bus from the gorge! Wow ... small world.
As we are leaving China I got into 'shopping mode' is what David affectionatly names it and we packed them up for posting home. More prep for leaving washing, postcards, emails, transfering photos to disk - this was an absolute horror that I am not going to upset myself over again, 4H of bloody pain in a pokey shop with two spotty teenagers messing up our card ... hhmmm - see I'm still bitter!
Oooohhh, and how could I forget our last meal Peking Duck. Wow we certainly hit gold with this place. We chose the place because it was packed to the gunnels with local families, it smelt wonderful in there and the food was out of this world. After our last meal in Beijing/China we collected our bags and headed of to pick up our visa - it was Friday. We had to be at the airport at 17.30, it was 15.00.
At the Embassy it was claimed the five days that they had to produce our visa had not been enough and we should return on Monday, for about 15mins our world crashed down and David then kicked into 'Manager mode' (he does this so well). He managed to get to see the overall guy and explained our situation (flight tonight and Chinese visa running out on Sunday). Our visas where then ready in 30mins (amazing) and we where on our happy little ways to the airport at 16.30, a little drained from the crisis. In the waiting lounge we bumped into a guy who had been staying in our Hostel, he is from Bengal and was invited to China to exhibit his sculptures for hopeful picking to be displayed at the Olympic Games. He has invited us to come and visit him in the studio (darrrling) that he works at in some big uni that I really should of remembered the name off.
Would you know it after our rush the plane was delayed for 1H, after that the journey was straight forward we arrived at Delhi at 04.30.
The train arrived with the usual Chinese punctuality, we returned to the Far East Hostel as we where please with the location and rooms. David and I where really shocked at the progress of the demolition of the Houtons over the weeks we had been away. I don't think the shops get much say or notice, first a metal sheet barrier goes up before the shop so they can just about trade and then next they get bulldozed, me and David thought it smelt abit when we notice a street on our route to Tianammen Square had been knocked down - all apart from a bank.
Beijing was a change from the lush south, busy streets and smogg creating a sweaty atmosphere. Kate got a tattoo of a coin she had been inspired by and she showed us an area of Beijing we had not discovered before up by another Houton area. This was our last night as three and we look forward to seeing Kate (and Steph!) again as they have both been great company.
On the Monday we went straight to the Indian Embassy to apply for our visa's. Our Chinese visa runs out on the Sunday with this in mind and the Indian visa ready for collection on Friday we shopped for a flight to Delhi. We found cheap flight but, they wanted cash! Poor David really hasn't had much fun at the Bank of China, it's such a palarva to get cash out, he spent half a day trying to get money for the flight.
The rest of our time was filled with the usual eating and wandering, we tried what we think were ducks tongues and they where sooo tastey - don't screw your face up we really did enjoy them! We visited the Frangrant Hills a beautiful spot where you can really get a feel for how big Beijing is from the view points (well thats for as far as the smogg lets you see - not far today). Playing poker until the wee hours we won 80Y and who walked in the hostel but bus from the gorge! Wow ... small world.
As we are leaving China I got into 'shopping mode' is what David affectionatly names it and we packed them up for posting home. More prep for leaving washing, postcards, emails, transfering photos to disk - this was an absolute horror that I am not going to upset myself over again, 4H of bloody pain in a pokey shop with two spotty teenagers messing up our card ... hhmmm - see I'm still bitter!
Oooohhh, and how could I forget our last meal Peking Duck. Wow we certainly hit gold with this place. We chose the place because it was packed to the gunnels with local families, it smelt wonderful in there and the food was out of this world. After our last meal in Beijing/China we collected our bags and headed of to pick up our visa - it was Friday. We had to be at the airport at 17.30, it was 15.00.
At the Embassy it was claimed the five days that they had to produce our visa had not been enough and we should return on Monday, for about 15mins our world crashed down and David then kicked into 'Manager mode' (he does this so well). He managed to get to see the overall guy and explained our situation (flight tonight and Chinese visa running out on Sunday). Our visas where then ready in 30mins (amazing) and we where on our happy little ways to the airport at 16.30, a little drained from the crisis. In the waiting lounge we bumped into a guy who had been staying in our Hostel, he is from Bengal and was invited to China to exhibit his sculptures for hopeful picking to be displayed at the Olympic Games. He has invited us to come and visit him in the studio (darrrling) that he works at in some big uni that I really should of remembered the name off.
Would you know it after our rush the plane was delayed for 1H, after that the journey was straight forward we arrived at Delhi at 04.30.
posted by David at 12:53 pm
1 Comments:
Hi from Mum and Angela sitting in an internet cafe in Newport, IOW. I'm showing mum the delights of modern technology!
We've decided that your travels consist of moving from one eating/drinking place to another, with the odd trek up a mountain thown in.
missing you both, lots of love, take care
mum and ang xxxxxxxx
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