Life in the Far East

Interesting pages or Key Pages...aka my Index Page

2009-01-11T00:44:00.000Z

Final Thoughts of a Year Away In China

2007-12-28T23:56:00.004Z

Well where to start...

First of all, I'm happy I started this blog, without this.. I feel I would had forgotten some of the moments I had this year (2007) ... There just has been so much that has happened, so much I have seen, so much... and to summaries seems almost to cut this all short!

The Humble Beginning...
The Beginning is always hard to look back on, yet as I reflect back... I would have to say I had no clue or other experience that would had prepared me for the shock I would receive in terms of...
- Culture
- Living in China
- Leaning to Speak Chinese
- Getting Around
- Shopping
- How People would treat me
- Humbleness... I was knocked clear off my feet... I thought I knew how the world worked... I really didn't....
- and a million other things....

The Shock for me literally was boarding the plane in London, from the bang go, stepping into the cabin of the plane, Chinese was spoken to me all the way to Beijing, China.

Finding work, was a difficult start... because your overwhelmed with the amount of jobs for English teachers... It is not hard to be a English Teacher in their eyes (in China) as you speak the language is good enough for a lot of people.
However one needs to be careful, So you need to ask yourself these questions....
- What is available?
- Who do you want to teach?
- How many Hours would you like to teach?
- Will you get a chance to learn Chinese?
- How much time do you get to do your Chinese Homework?
- Can you budget on what they pay you? do you need more pay?
- How long do you want your contract to be?
- How far do you want to be from Foreigners...
- Will be nearing Foreigners (english expats) help make friends make you less homesick..?
- Will you end up only speaking english as a result?
- Do you feel making friends with expats easier then making Chinese Friends?

What I decided to do, was to dedicate more time to my Chinese studies, I would teach on weekends via private jobs and pick up a weekly job for an English school as well.
My Speciality ended with my Charge in Language Exchange, with a Big focus on Everyday English.

Shock Shock Shock.... for me was living with a Chinese Family for a while, Stuck to using Chinese everyday as my means to ask, talk and communicate to the family.
- Another part of this was having to share a room with the son of the family,
- Having to be home everyday by 5pm...
- Travel for an hour each day to and fro to...Chinese School... in the Rush Hour!
- Strictly Shanghai Chinese food... No Meat... No rice.

Getting around I was forced many times to use Chinese, countless times I would be asked in the streets or the shops for directions or the time. It scared me a lot @ the start with the amount of questions that would fly at me....
- Where are you from? 你是哪国人?
- Why do you say your english? ... your Chinese 为什么你是英国人?.. 你看中国人
- Why is your 中文 (Chinese) so bad ? 为什么你的中文水平不好?
- Cantonese is not good enough... 汉语 (普通话 mandarin) is!!!!
- Are you sure your an english teacher?
- Where are your parents from? 在那里你的父母? 你的父母是哪国人?
- Where are your ancestors from?

The internet has come a long way... hunting for Chinese schools was very easy.
Really if one hopes to push their chinese a lot more I would advise going to a Chinese University. The one in Shanghai to go to even for foreigners is Jiao Tong University.
My post on the below link will guide you to places to go to....
http://lifeinthefareast.blogspot.com/2007/08/studying-chinese-in-shanghai-china.html

In the end I settled on Mandarin House, after studying for 3-4 months I decided to also pick up
Hanzi 汉字 as well... to read Chinese Characters. It is vital for one's Chinese education as you will be able to read maps, buses and find your way in a Shopping Mall or Department Stores.

If your stuck like me, who learned Cantonese first... you must drop everything you know... people in North China aren't too happy with people speak Cantonese... to them... it just doesn't count or cut it!
My 1st 2 months I was stuck in Cantonese tones, and my chinese Teacher would reap me for stuck in my ways!

The Rest Of It...
After my Chinese barrier was broken down, I wasn't so scared going out with a textbook, or phrase book!
So that left me loads of places to go, by myself granted... and it did take me a while to finally get the balls to drop my fear of making friends in a strange place.

Generally all expats are very friendly, wish to network, hang out with new friends and are very upfront about everything.
As a Oversea's chinese guy I can blend between both worlds, now I can speak a bit, I can talk to both worlds... Obviously to both parties I'm a surprise when I start talking...
Cost of living is so reasonable, I can now understand why so many expats work in China and end up staying sometimes a bit longer then they expect to do so.

What Have I Learned?
- Confidence from somewhere very hidden in me, to face a challenge of a year away and not buckle the pressure and run crying back to London.
- Chinese Culture, History and Way of Life.
- Body language is not the same all over the World.

What Will I Take Away From This?
- China isn't just some strange far away place next to HK to visit... It's a vibrant places with so many changes happening, One can feel embarrassed being left behind!

- I do want to work in China in the future, even for a couple of years!
- Chinese isn't so hard, if you make the time to practice all the time!

Reading Harry Potter is sexy...

2007-07-25T13:33:00.000+01:00

Last couple of days have told people that I rushed to the shop to buy Harry Potter to read the last of the Potter Adventures in The Deadly Hallows.

So some people have been surprised, some people called me a geek, and some asked who is Harry Potter?

Some of the Americans, Chinese Girls I mentioned to that I was reading Harry Potter, immediately asked me to read it to them, as the book was so thick and hard to understand all the words and finally it just sounds so sexy hearing about Harry Potter in a British accent.
So do you think I can be bothered to do this?

p.s. Last couple of days have noticed pirated copies sold near expat locations or subway stations, selling the American copy for around 40 Kwai approx... under 3 quid... I feel a little guttered... I spent 215 kwai for mine British copy... UK RRP £17.99

Scary article...Shanghai swims in 1.68 million litres of loogie every day...

2007-09-03T15:04:00.000+01:00

Scary Article talking about the amount of Hock, Spit, Gob, loggies... and any other word you might have...

Stats....

Out of 17 million population...
Seven million... will hock it....
A teaspoon each load...
Some will go as far as a Table Spoon
Some will hawk 15 times a day....
On average figures... four times a day... at 60ml a go....
So thats like 1.68million litres... a day*
11.76 millon litres a week...
and finally 613.2 million litres a year...

Also talks about the period when SARs was around, and the affect it had on stopping people from spitting all together...

Original Article and links inside the article...
Shanghaiist: Breaking News: Shanghai swims in 1.68 million litres of loogie every day...
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2007/200709/20070903/article_329628_1.htm

*math doesn't all addup... I'm quoted from the original article

Differences between the Chinese and the Germans : An Infographic Exhibition

2007-09-24T04:59:00.000+01:00

Differences between the Chinese and the Germans : An Infographic Exhibition
http://www.oneinchpunch.net/2007/09/23/differences-between-the-chinese-and-the-germans-an-infographic-exhibition/

Found this on the Oneinchpunch website.... quite funny, its an Infographic exhibition hosted in Germany (May - June 2007), "Ost tifft West" (east versus the West) to highlight the differences between Germans and the Chinese.

So check it out... Germans are in Blue and Chinese in Red.
*And the pictures
....are how they queue, a weekend street scene, voices in a restaurant and as individuals.

More links
http://www.notcot.com/archives/2007/09/ost_trifft_west.php
* http://www.yangliudesign.com/

Tips of living in Shanghai / China

2007-10-11T08:40:00.002+01:00

- Cab drivers that have more then 4 stars in the cab, will be able to speak English… this is coming about in every Chinese city… slowly…
- Phone number in Shanghai for English police is 6357 6666
- Ambulance is 120
- Fire is 119
- Police is 110
- International SOS is 6295 0099
- UK embassy and web address in Shanghai, 6279 7650
- Jaywalking can be issued on the spot by street marshals… upto 50 元
- Within 24 hours of arriving you must register with the Police (or PSB Public Security Bureau) for a Temporary Residence Permit, if you are staying with a hotel they will sort it out for you.
What you will need to do is to find your local police station (Not any old one they are very particular about this! Must be the closest one to you ! ) fill out a form when you arrived, when you will go etc… and then hold onto your pink copy… should you ever need this.
If you don’t register and you get into trouble with police, or have VISA problems, then you will be fined… it’s unknown how much is the real amount.
And you will need to do this every time you leave and enter the country!
If you happen to be caught out with an out of date temp residence permit, then you can cheat by going to a cheap hostel or hotel, and they re-register you for that night… and then you can register again… for the address you stay at full time.
In Chinese this is called… lin shi zhusu dengji biao 临时住宿登记表 which is Registration form of Temporary Residence.

- It’s a good idea to Photocopy your passport and VISA several times over, keep a copy on your person should you have trouble for ID or you encounter a service, e.g. temp residence permit where they will require a photocopy of your passport and VISA.
- Should you wish to extend your VISA it’s best to find a VISA agency, normally most language schools will know one and can sort it out for you… but the rule is you must leave China once every year on any permit.
- Should you accidentally overstay your VISA, each day fine is 500 元。Max is 5000 元 (10 days) and if you don’t register with the police (PSB) for your Residence permit this will also result in another mystery fine too…

- In taxis
- Its illegal for taxi’s to smoker or speak on the phone
- In Guangzhou, guys cannot sit in the front seat… only children or women.
- Make sure the meter is always running
- Dark Red taxis are not always the safest to take.
- Police
- Everyday officers carry only handcuffs, batons and pepper spray
- Very few officers speak English
- Detectives carry guns
- A person can be detained up to 15 days without charge,
- Police can hold foreigners up to 4 days without contact to the consulate or make a phone call.
- During this time, you may be fined a lot of money just to drop charges.
- Foreigners are not allocated a state lawyer and in most cases rarely granted bail.
- Travel
- Using Metro is the most efficient way to travel Shanghai, and most other Chinese cities when they come online…
- Line 1 covers North to South, Line 2 covers West to East and there are some ring lines covering the inner city.
- It is worth while for longer then 5 day stay to get a Shanghai Transport Card (Jiaotong ka) 交通卡, this will enable you to charge (pay as you go / prepay) your card before you travel, and not queue in long lines in the ticket offices or Convenient stores. You will need to Deposit 40 元 for this…
And you can use this for Buses, Taxis and to pay for goods in Stores and McDs. A similar system operates in most Big China Cities.
- Taxi drivers do not like to ask for directions, so if they don’t understand you or recognize the place when you tell them where to go, they will not just take you…
- And if your lucky you may already have a phone number for an English cab driver or you happen to hail a cab that has more then 4 stars on their ID… on the windscreen in every taxi. They will speak English.
- Driving in China
- So should you wish to rent a car, you must first of all be a residence permit, over 18, a valid licence from your country and then will be required to take another driving test.
- Bare in mind you won’t find driving schools on the roads in China… they train off road… in a test town area…
- Tests are all conducted in Mandarin or the local dialect where you may be.
- This applies as well to motor cycle licences as well.
- Money
- China is mainly cash hungry, you probably only be able to pay things on card in big department stores, Shopping Malls with a large enough store, Supermarkets and Hotels. So be prepared to carry quite a lot of cash on your person… be careful for pickpockets and flashing it around.
- Money Exchanges, will require your passport every time, and they will photocopy your passport as well… Most Foreigners are happy to draw from ATM’s from China Construction Bank, Bank of China, Industrial bank of China and there won’t be extra charges to draw just a slightly lower exchange rate.
- Useful Websites
- www.exploreshanghai.com a useful street and Metro map for Shanghai
- www.enjoyclassfieds.com classifieds for Shanghai
- www.danwei.org media, advertising and news of urban life in China
- www.shanghaidaily.com news in Shanghai and China
- www.sherpa.com.cn Delivery Food Service in Shanghai
- MY LINKS>>>>>>>>>>>

- Teaching English full time or for extra pocket money
- Most schools or private students only require that you’re a natural speaker.
- You can either work for 1 school, work through several schools (via an agency), or private one to one tutoring.
- Most contracts are 3 months, 6 months and 1 year.
- You will get better paid jobs or better contract (e.g. accommodation and free Chinese lessons) if you have a degree and / or teaching qualification e.g. TEFL.
- You can make up to 300 元 an hour private tutoring one to one.

Renting in Shanghai
- Please note a recent change this year (2007) requires each occupant of an apartment to have 1 bedroom each, you can no longer have a 1 bedroom apartment as a couple.
- Unless you know Chinese very well, most apartment rents for a 1 bedroom apartment will start around 2800 RMB a month, and may not include bills for electric, water, gas and Broadband.
- Make sure you sign a decent contract that is in dual translation English and Chinese. But get a teacher or friend to check the Chinese as that is always the one that takes precedence. (check small print like notice to kick you out for Landlord reasons, or issues with money)
- You will have to pay first month’s rent, along side with a 2 month security deposit as well.
- It’s normally best to look in the local Expat adverts or websites for room mates and housing, as going through a agency will cost more money. And it’s not too hard to find a reasonable deal yourself.
- You cannot buy a place of your own in Shanghai unless you have been there for a whole year.

Calls
- Most people use IP cards (internet Phones) to call internationally home or otherwise.
- You find most of these cards are sold on street corners on carts or shops. Or online www.cnard.com .
- Often from shops however they may offer you a discount, mine was 100 元 card paid @ 35 元
- If you have internet most people also use VoIP, most reliable connection of course using Skype, to call oversea’s and VoIP out to landlines overseas. Free of course if the receiving party uses Skype too… quality is often reasonable at both ends.
- Mobiles phones… Well there are only 3 networks to choose from, most people will buy a simple Pay as you go Sim (prepaid) but you must also recognize when you use it, as many will charge you to receive phone calls nationally or internationally. So you may need to register your ID with the shop. It is prob better to do this in a China mobile shop, where some staff can speak English and offer to do this for you.
- Expat Call, www.expatcall.com
- Gizmo Project www.gizmoproject.com
- Virtual Calling Cards, www.china-mobile-phones.com

- BILLS
- Monthly utility bills can be paid in Post Offices, Kedi convenient stores, Family mart Shops. However if your bills are out of date, you will need to go to the branch office of the utility company or simply wait for next month’s bill, or give to your landlord to sort out.

- BARS / GOING OUT
- Generally going out can be quite cheap, however places like shanghai will also have Open Bars, so it’s often useful to check out Time out guides / magazines, before hand which will tell you which nights these will take place. So which means you may be able to drink all night for 100 元 around 8 quid.
- Also you will find some Korean and Japanese restaurants may offer a buffet option, which you order off the menu and unlimited drinks for a tidy 100-150 元 price, so sometimes it’s useful to ask before hand if they offer this.
- No dress code in most places so you can go in shorts if you felt the unexpected need to do so… last minute impulse and it will be ok.
- Also you can check in you bags in most places free of charge.
- Be careful of KTV places, sometimes this places are also classified as well as Hostess Bars, where girls will come to talk to you and ask to pay for their time and drinks. Barber / massage shops also come into this category you may ask for a special massage with happy ending or end up in a barber shop with fluorescent light and girls wearing all white, it’s basically a sex shop, where you go behind and do your things… for a set price or they might just scam you.

Shanghaiist: Spielberg boycotts Beijing (Gebrselassie, too?)

2008-02-17T23:01:00.001Z

Shanghaiist: Spielberg boycotts Beijing (Gebrselassie, too?)

Interesting debate that Spielberg started by pulling out of the Beijing 2008 Olympics...

China take on things
http://www.danwei.org/2008_beijing_olympic_games/spielberg_pc_conscience.php

Edison Chen makes Paris Hilton look like Einstein - CNET Asia Blogs: Little Red Blog by Rick Martin, China

2008-02-20T00:04:00.000Z

Edison Chen makes Paris Hilton look like Einstein - CNET Asia Blogs: Little Red Blog by Rick Martin, China

Old Story I know... but hero to zero? or Average Pop Star to Porn Star?

Chinese New Year madness on Shanghai's Tongren Lu

2008-02-07T10:08:00.000Z

Setting off Firecrackers in the middle of Tongren Lu.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k5BvzCuqrg

Chinese New Year - the Beast is upon us | Lost Laowai China Blog

2008-02-07T10:04:00.000Z

Chinese New Year - the Beast is upon us | Lost Laowai China Blog

Pretty good link about Chinese New Year

Considerate Chinese People....

2008-02-07T09:51:00.000Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6-QTHzUbn0

Learn English... to not get mugged... youtube clip

2008-02-04T18:10:00.000Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W1VY4b9IQQ

Shanghai maglev rail route may detour to avoid residences - People's Daily Online

2007-12-13T18:27:00.000Z

Shanghai maglev rail route may detour to avoid residences - People's Daily Online

Check out the route (possible) for Shanghai to Hangzhou... will include, Hongqiao airport and Expo 2010 for the Maglev Service...

我不配 - I'm not worthy...

2007-12-03T17:20:00.000Z

Currently watching this Jay Chou 周杰伦 Song... 我不配 - I'm not worthy...
This is pretty interesting lyrics...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQyrKQ-xpSI

Translation below...
*Copied from user http://www.youtube.com/user/protogurl
They translated and interpret the below...

This crowded street is filled with many people with untold stories

There is fog on the glass and whose past has been hidden

The look on your face

during the last rain

This alley is too confusing and we can't go back to the original story

Days are no longer as green

We have had our arguments again

What's left behind is an empty big space

The seats in the cinema

Have such a distance in between

If there isn't a on-screen partner, if feels like playing chess by yourself

I don't have time

in detail

to pen down everything about you

describing how much I love you

But your already gone leaving a smile

This feeling is no longer right

I have tried to salvage

Just a little bit more, I should have taken more consideration

This feeling I didn't give

As you were unhappy, the tired wishes you made and the compromise

I've neglected them all you actually just wanted someone by your side

This feeling is no longer right

I finally understood

Page by page, I can't bear to flip the scenes

You are tired

You are silently repeating to yourself, and have shed many tears for me

You look so tired

Yet my heart aches and you suffer

Your something I am not worthy of

Learn Chinese Through Chinese Pop Music

2007-12-12T00:46:00.000Z

Another way of learning Chinese songs... Please check out the below link...
Contains all popular Chinese songs with Chinese Hanzi, Pin Yin and English Translation too...

Learn Chinese Through Chinese Pop Music
http://www.learn-chinese-through-music.com/

Listening to too much Jay Chou lately...

2007-09-10T12:34:00.000+01:00

Lately hearing a lot of Jay Chou in the air, walking around from the Barber's shop / Salons and the shops as well...
So I sometimes scour youtube for clips to listen to, and get lucky sometimes and find MV with english and chinese subtitles.
Useful, to learn chinese as well as understand what Chinese music videos are trying to say...

An Jing (silence)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7UIYqmVuMs
Translation...

The only thing left conversing with me now is the piano
The sleeping cello is old and silent
I have a feeling that you have made yourself very clear
I understand and I know that you have not a hint of reluctance.

I do not believe that you experienced the pain you said you felt
Holding your hands and spending time with you is all but a past.
My only wish is for him to love you better than I ever did.
This is the only way I could ever bring myself to let you go.

It is such a shame that you want me to bid you goodbye
I simply do not want our relationship to end.
Why should I still use a smile to pull me through?
I guess I just do not have the ability to embrace you and to accept him at the same time.
Do not worry about me.
I will carry on and live my life to its full.

Though you have moved on so far away
And I have pulled myself to walk slowly away
Why is it that I still held onto you as we depart?
And though I do not have this gift to acknowledge the silence in such a short time
I will learn to let you go just because of my exceeding love for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoQP7Z0groQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iIknQG_TTk
[NOT Jay Chou but still interesting]

Qing Tian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izBfWgizNSk

**Some music videos are of course not Originals

Comparing the differences....

2007-12-04T12:46:00.000Z

I know this blog is titled Life in the Far East, but I thought I would keep this open for a bit still as I settle back into Life in the UK (London).
*this blog is also syndicated on my facebook notes as well, so I know that my readers there cannot tell this is related to my Life in the Far East blog (www.lifeinthefareast.blogspot.com)

Travelling back from playing Badminton last night (9.30pm), took me nearly over 1 hour and 40 mins to get home (some time after 11pm), I was not pleased... as the journey time should normally only take 35 mins.
I waited on the platform, with an out of service tube @holloway Road. That didn't leave until 10 minutes later... NO announcement made at all... Yet I don't get this... during the daytime, the tube itself makes announcements every 3-4 mins and @ each stop apologising for something or something. (during the daytime the airways on the tube are filled with announcements yet in the evening they are dead!)
Then, took another 10 minutes for the tube I got on to move....

After that, trouble free till reaching Arnos Grove (on the Picadilly Line) stuck outside for 15 minutes to get to the station and told to move it, as the train is out of service....
Heard an explanation from a fellow passenger as she was crying on the phone to her boyfriend that the Picadilly line was going to be closed early due to problems @ Arnos Grove, and had taken her nearly 2 hours to get home from Central London.

So yeah... took me another 20 minutes as well to wait for my bus to come @ Oakwood, till I was able to get home... I was pretty pissed it took so long... and no Annoucements saying WTF was going on!

Then on the bus, 2 boys got on... on the way down to my stop... flashed on the bus, hoping that the driver wouldn't notice they weren't using their travel passes, or would be bothered to stop them...
He stopped them, they spent 5 minutes to reason with him, no money.... blah blah... Oyster card expired... blah blah... and then they ended up pulling money to pay for it... after pleading they were only going 2 stops... (which they didn't... they were going more like 6-8 stops).

You see man, the difference I'm seeing is that... on the subway in China... there wouldn't be a huge delay... but there would not be an announcement either....
On the Bus... the driver if faced with a facety punk would have just kicked them off and slammed the door and ran them over....

*side note... is it my imagination, or am I seeing even more mice and rats on the track in London... I was in Leicester Square on Sat night.... waiting for the tube... and watching a family of 20 mice run all over the tracks... So much so people were leaning over the edge @ the entertainment... which prompted a safety announcement by the platform assistant... to pull back and go London Zoo to look @ snakes and elephants instead... for watching animals.

I'm hating the delays of Transport for London on the buses... and the tubes...
As well as the steep cost of paying for it!

Last note: Please note that I'm just comparing things, I may bitch about things costing a lot, and the delays... but I was doing that long time before I left for China... I still love things here in London in spite of these things...!

Chengdu 诚都 for 2 Days

2007-11-14T14:00:00.000Z

Stayed @ the Dragon Town Guest House (hostel) as recommended by Lonely Planet (china) [www.dragontown.com.cn]. Staff are really friendly and down to earth, and communicate very well in both English and Chinese.
Here we also booked…
- Our Panda Tour
- Train tickets to Xi’an
- Sichuan Opera Show

My set for Pics is .... http://www.flickr.com/photos/livestrongjon/sets/72157603212294623/

We got a group room to share with 8 others, but as no one else showed up, we had the room to ourselves (also had a bathroom with but had a really funked up smell!)
The facilities are really good, have free internet access, and some areas you can pickup a open Wi-fi as well…
Hating these toilets.... all over the place in shops and everywhere....
For our First evening we also walked around, near the Dragon Town Hostel , many of the buildings are still very traditional. With the Fog in the evening, it brought a real atmosphere to the streets, with people playing Ma jong indoors, people drinking beer outside and playing cards, and Street Food sold outside too…
[PIC]

Also tried a Sichuan Hot Pot for dinner that evening… I managed to get by on my Chinese and ordered a mixture of veg and meat, no choice for the Base really… just spicy and spicy… only 2 things I ordered and just guessed to order…
Was a lot hotter then I expected, Gaj also wasn’t use to the spices either… but felt really felt good stepping out into the cold… my head felt really warm and alert…

After this we went to watch a Sichuan Opera Show. Was really cool to watch the famous face changing Show, Hand shadow show and some others….

Munch Time...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQuv9t6ktGM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYgAWS0Xkmw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwGgjWKo7AQ
Red Pandas

The Next day (Wed) we woke early @7.30am to take the minibus to the Panda Camp.
Met a few other travellers, a newly wed couple (Liverpool, UK), UK guy, Oz Guy and an American Girl.
Why so early? Well the pandas are most active this time of day, they play and eat at this time…
Was really cool to watch them rise, munch…

…and then later we also saw a pack 8 of them, playing non stop… pushing each other off the play park.

Was quite funny, there was a chinese group of tourist... all shouting comments such as kissy kissy... and well listening to the comments that went to chinese was equally funny... usual sex jokes and humping....

After this there is an opportunity to cuddle a Panda and take a pic of it… however the price is steep it’s around 1000 yuan (approx 66 quid). It is a once in a lifetime opportunity, but it’s expensive!
Later we also visited a Nursery to see baby pandas. However there is no opportunity to take photos, this they ban… but they are also very cute and cuddly at that age! (3 months)

Also check out the museum, has loads of information about the animals in both Chinese and English.
Museum gift shop has tons of things to buy, can even buy Dried Panda dung, also moulded into sculptures as well!

After this we went back to the Hostel, Chilled out for a bit walked around, checked out the main square area of Chengdu.
[PIC]
Weather was bad still… and decided to head to Xi’an on an overnight train. (earlier then expected). Also our Taxi driver to the Train Station, was a dead ringer for Hiro (from Heroes) he spoke like him in Chinese…

Would had like to spend more time in Chengdu, but the weather at the time was not very good, was quite foggy, and perhaps a little smoggy too… (see photos), I’m not too sure about smoggy as I starting not tell the difference!
Would had loved to see the 3 Gorges (nearish by, as well as the Buddha (@ Le Shan) made from Rock)

Train Journey was cool, met 2 other travellers, one from Chengdu and another from Xi’an. Both were friendly, and after a while really wanted to practice their English…
This was also Gaj’s 1st time on a overnight sleeper train!
Also I realised that there are other sections to the train asides from the Hard and Soft sleeper section, there is a café on board, to sit and eat meals cooked from the Kitchen, as well as Seated section for short stops.

My set for Pics is .... http://www.flickr.com/photos/livestrongjon/sets/72157603212294623/

More Panda vids... (not mine orginally found on the Shanghaiist page... and credit to the youtube poster)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2oI9Y-3wAo&eurl=http://shanghaiist.com/2007/11/29/panda-monium.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDvzOLRLjPc&eurl=http://shanghaiist.com/2007/11/29/panda-monium.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YANcNK4eQTc&eurl=http://shanghaiist.com/2007/11/29/panda-monium.php

Starting to see more of my mates...

2007-12-02T22:40:00.001Z

Day 2 back @work... seeing more of my work colleagues... lots of warm greetings and hugs with all the girls and guys!
So funny... as even the new managers are asking... who's this guy... receiving all the hugs and pats on the back from everyone!

Feel really good to be back, realise how long I've been, and how much I indeed missed people and they in turn missed me...

@ Badminton today was mobbed... by all the guys! But was really all good!
Good mates that I remember and respect a lot! Try not to get more mushy... but I really love being back,

Thoughts of the Day...

2007-11-30T20:17:00.000Z

- Tube runs on so many delays...
- I really like the adverts on the Tube
- Missed the free newspapers Metro, London Paper and London Lite

- You can fit more people on a train in China... Open carriages... no doors between carriages... But you can't sit down anywhere... Seats on the London Tube are comfortable!
- Tube is bare expensive... What's with the increase between 7am-6pm 2 quid extra just to get into zone 1 ?

1st day back at work....

2007-12-02T00:05:00.000Z

Man oh man...

One hell of a long arse day... even though I started late... 12pm-8pm...
Lost myself for 10 mins trying to locate to locker room... Whole brand new corridor made...and lost myself inside the John Lewis Food Hall section as well!
Met everyone... shocks from everyone that I was back... lots of big hand shakes, hugs and smirks from everybody!
Wow... even I'm shocked how much I miss everyone... and they missed me too!

Got back into the swing of things... some things I remember, others I forgot...
So much to remember.. and relearn... I'm getting there...
Also Struggling with my english a bit still... I stutter, I can take up to a minute to try to remember something simple as muffin cases...when trying to ask colleagues where things have moved to... or been removed permanently from stock!

Tis good to be back.. however So hard to always keep telling everyone what I've been doing for the last 10 months, saying same things and being sincere too...
After all it's not there fault, that they asking... or that I'm telling same stories for the 12 time that day!

Day 2 continues tomorrow... Let see how I do...

Leaving on a Jet plane.... 我回家英国

2007-11-28T10:00:00.000Z

Beijing Commute to the airport... started first me @the railway station.
Amongst the people trying to con you, to buy shit, get in there taxi, send you in the wrong direction, I manage to locate the airport shuttle / coach, but it was jammed packed with chinks heading to the airport either a shamble of luggage.... fuckers... don't know how to queue and pack their luggage in the main hold, so I had to roll up my sleeves and do it... to top that I had be stopped on the bus to go buy ticket down the road.. (cost is only 16 RMB (1 quid) ...taxi is 100 RMB (8quid +) +!)

Legged it down the Road bought ticket nearly got reassign another bus, explained I left my bag on another Bus, got on Sigh.. got a seat... then decided not to be too greedy and left the seat next to me empty and free.
Big mistake, bus filled up and the hold was full up, so people started to bring their main bags on board!
So when it was ready to get off I was behind a Great Wall of Bags.... people looked at me as I sighed then, grabbing a seat I jumped over the bags and seats... and off the Bus.. (Jackie Chan style).

Beijing airport is shit... its nothing like Shanghai Hong Qiao or Pudong... It's a joke nothing is labelled clearly, departure hall sits behind a customs inspection hall... fortunately I wasn't inspected, cuz I was a honest chink?

Wi-Fi should be free and available like all the other Chinese airport I've been in, Xi'an, Chengdu and Shanghai...
Here you got to have China mobile account to use the net...
Even the Starbucks doesn't have Wi-Fi, bollocks as I was told and been in most Starbucks in China offer it free of charge.

Asides from that my departure was trouble free, I did however get question again by Immigration in the stair passage / gate on the way to the plane, I reckon cuz I was a chink this time, I answered in Chinese, didn't get too much attitude luckily... if i did prob would have answered in English.

Back in UK now... 现在我来英国！

2007-11-30T13:03:00.000Z

Been back now for 2 days, still Jet lagged!

Things now I'm back seem so different, with really stupid high petrol prices... I'm surprised anyone is still driving on the road!

Initial Thoughts...
- Shocked I'm actually back Home!
- Forgot how things looked, but some what familiar...
- My stupid R's in my sentences when I speak...I seem to roll them unconsciously...
- Still put stupid pauses in my English when I'm struggling to say something simple...
- Have a faint American / International accent crops up unexpectantly sometimes...
- Still know how to get around... Don't get lost another words...
- Loving fast Broadband Internet.. no filtering and full access to all..!
- God I missed real Milk!!! (not the imported stuff from Mongolia in China)
- Cheap Fried Chicken is the shit!!!!!

Further thoughts..
- I'm screwed this weekend if I'm working... Its the big open weekend for John Lewis (my work place) after we finished 60 million pounds worth of refurbishments... and I don't know where anything is!!!
- Stuck now on foot... no car... but I'm not bothered... cost too much to drive anyway!
- I'm still Jet lagged... (waking up as early as 4am for no reason..)
- I feel weird being back! perhaps that feeling I'm lost still?
- Starting to Appreciate and notice the little things how they work in UK

Leaving China... 再见中国

2007-11-28T12:15:00.000Z

On a plane bound for London, stuck watching Mr Bean on holiday, thinking to myself how different is China to UK.

- Line control
- Brits on holiday
- UK + Europe train stations
- Christmas
- Food

Haven't told many people when I will arrive back in UK, as I want some time to myself to re-adjust, sort out bills, sort myself out, get ready to go back to work.
some things i wonder...
- God cant imagine wearing a suit again!
- Going on the tube again
- Playing badminton once again
- Getting back to dragon boat racing
- Time for xmas
- Meetups with mates n telling stories

This year has flashed pass, if it wasn't for this Blog I wouldn't remember so much, My Online Flickr account shows many memories...
So it hasn't all been a dream!

Many of my friends are waiting for meetups from my old skool friends to a mini old skool boy reunion...
I'm looking forward in some ways to see my Friends other halves and also realise at the same time I have an absence of a girl @ my side also.
It only bugs me slightly as I prepare myself for much bigger things!

So what will I miss...?
- Fresh Chinese food on every corner
- Variety of Chinese food
- Tsingtao beer(cheap)
- The busy life and buzz
- Meeting new and exciting people
- My China Friends
- Green Tea lattes

What have I learned?
- Lots about China
- How Chinese people work
- Living in another country and city is all right...
- I can enjoy living by myself
-Mando and Canto
- People are different in other areas of China and the World nothing is stereotyped,
- Harder to read body language of different Chinese people
- Greater understanding of things
- Survival by Myself to Stand Tall Alone
- Able to Go out by myself
- Less defensive
- Understanding of myself

What to look forward to?
- Bigger Better Things
- A Good Job
- Not being so scared anymore

Visit to the Underground City

2007-11-27T10:55:00.000Z

Today I also visited Beijing Underground City 北京地下城.
[To get there go to Chongwenmen Station]

In 1969, USA had landed men on the moon, and this was the time of Nuclear War could be a very real thing. So Chairman Mao decided to prolong China's future and create and Underground City below the streets of Beijing.
This was a feat that took over 10 years to do, and was done all by hand.

This city is capable of holding over 10, 000 people and stretches all the way to Chaoyang???(not sure... forgot), you can access everything in the city, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden Palace and Wangfudajie Steet 王夫大街. The Underground City has apartments, Cinemas, Shops and everything you would need underground, The door at sections are flood proof and gas proof, However from looking at it, it has taken quite a lot of flood damage over the years, and would need a lot of work to bring it back up to liveable levels...
The tour crosses near the entrances to other important places, but obviously for security reasons is not open to the public.

Getting there is a little hard, the lonely planet guide gives an approx indicator, and most of the tourist maps neglect to mark it on their maps as well...
My Direction would be to pop up exit B on the subway, head up to the Taijichuan dajie 太极穿大街. head direction West... 1st road on the right (has police sign for the police station) head straight down... and eventually you will notice it after the shops on the left... says Underground city in English... in chinese... 北京地下城.
I only found it after, a over helpful guy with a bikechair wanted to give me a lift... tosser didn't listen too clearly when I said 10 RMB for the ride... tried to get 50 RMB out of me after he dropped me off... flashed his sign, for his prices... and I cut him off, saying I told him in Chinese that it was 10 RMB I agreed to jump in for his ride... Go figure... I gave him 10 RMB more, as a compromise... and he took it.
[I think I look too much of a tourist if I hold onto my Lonely planet guide and map...]

When you get inside, you aren't allowed to take any pics, also it's a bit intimidating, as the room you enter from the front door, is covered with people in Military combats.
However it turns out after you engage them in Chinese, they are actually guides that will take you down into the tunnels (no extra to pay them... included in 20 RMB entry) to make sure you don't stray off path, give you a tour, and not take any pics either...
My guide was given in both chinese and english... but their english basic, is suffiecient...
Tour does finish in the gift shop before the exit... so be careful, they don't lock you in....
As I was friendly with my guide in Chinese, he didn't leave me in the shop, just walked straight through...

After this I decided to hang out down Wangfudajie Steet 王夫大街, took a walk, bought some souvenirs and took some pics...

The Drop in Clinic... our NHS equivalent walk in centres in China [above pic]
This street you can buy the street food (even the bugs and snakes), and bargain for tiny tourist souvenirs, be aware and bargain hard!