Shanghai, the first place we would live

As you can tell from the title, Shanghai is the first place in China which we have visited which we both said that we could live here, not that we are planning to at all.

We arrived by plane from Xi'an, got fed noodles or rice and got on the free Wi-Fi in the airport which looked nice and new. We had a good feeling straight away as we were presented European toilets and no squats and English signs and directions at the airport which was a first. First day we got the subway to our hostel which is really good and the people are friendly and rooms clean. We went to a local restaurant for tea the first night and got a tasty spicy beef dish, fried potatoes, rice and beer. Shanghai seems a bit more expensive then anywhere else we have been so far. A trip to the local supermarket was required to load up on water, fruit and nibbles.

Day two explored the city, waking down The Bund (the really famous city view promenade), went to the cities old town and sight seeing to the "Yu Garden's". When walking down the bund it was the busiest its been yet, helped by the fact its the cities most famous area and the final day if the Chinese May day holidays. Chinese tourists asked for our photo a few times. The place provides spectacular views across the iconic city scape, it was a clean gorgeous day which added to it. The gardens where okay, we went as its in the top sights of our book but we have seen a lot of art and temples already. Better was the walk to it through the cities old town and bazaar, a bustling, tacky and interesting experience but fascinating all the same. After this we had dinner at another local restaurant down a local street, the food was really good again, beef noddles and a curry dish. The highlight however was after dinner we went to the highest viewing platform in the world, 100 floors up. It provided breath taking views on the city, both us of were terrified to be honest but still great fun. Izzi encountered a new one when going to the toilet, an electric toilet, you could spray water on your bits and dry them, with controls on the side. We finished the day with a beer on the opposite side of the river looking towards the bund. On the way home we witnessed a women and her child going to the toilet on the platform whilst waiting for the subway, minging and not appropriate!

After we spent two relaxing days around Shanghai, we went around the People's Square and to the free Shanghai museum, its okay. We start in the park outside for a few hours but ended up getting harassed by tramps which I eventually told to f off and then we moved to a better spot. The next day we went around the French Concession, its really quaint, has low rise buildings themed in a French/Mediterranean style. We sat and had a beer while watching the world go by (2-4-1 on Carlsburg as well). We spent the afternoon in a park relaxing and watching a local roller skate lesson. For tea we went to a low budget lonely planet guide recommend restaurant called Sichuan Citizen. I liked it but izzi not so much, and it could of been hotter even though the guide book says it will blow your head off. We visited The Bund to see Shanghai famous sky line at night, it was packed but what can you expect for a Friday night.

Next to Hong kong...

Xian and the Terracotta Army

We arrived in Xi'an by 16 hr train and both felt tired, things didn't get off to a good start as it took is ages to find our hotel and in 26 degree heat with a 20kg backpack it got sweaty. Things soon got better after we checked in and got ready to go out. We visited the city walls and the Muslim Quarter then got some food in a local food court. We went to the great mosque but asked a couple of western tourists if its worth it and they said it was just like any other temple in China and probably not so ditched that idea. The hotel has WiFi which is great, nice to be able to plan a bit more and see what's to be done.

Xi'an is much nicer than Datong and the people don't stare as much, however the hotel is down a street with the horrible looking flats (see photo). We have had a few problems with Google navigation and an out of date bus route map but nothing we haven't got used to. Its Chinese holidays at present so most places are packed out but not so bad.

We went to see the Terracotta Army which was really good. We had no trouble getting from our hotel to the army and back again all via public bus, not bad as its nearly 2 hours away in total. The place is laid out in 3 massive air craft hanger style pits, a cinema and a museum. In total we spent 4 hours walking round and followed our guide book tip to do the pits in reverse for a more outstanding finish in pit 1 with nearly 6000 life size terracotta figures.

We are both a bit bored of Chinese food and splashed out on a Pizza Hut for tea, ¥100 which is more than 3x tea the day before but not bad as its only £12.

Tomorrow we fly to Shanghai and try to catch the airport express from the center of Xi'an. Our first internal China flight. I wonder if we will get fed :) ......

Datong and the epic train journey

So we've had two nights in Datong and only managed to see one of the main attractions, the Yungang Grottoes, the second we never got to see was the hanging monasteries which unfortunately was the one thing I really wanted to see.

We had some bad luck navigating around town, firstly we took the long way from the station to the hotel through streets I swear where no one had seen a white person before. Secondly we decided to see the grottoes first as we thought they were furthest away and actually it may have been other way round. We also tried in vain for most of the first days morning to get to the grottoes by bus following the guide in the hotel which turns out to be complete rubbish, ending up getting a taxi to the caves and it only being 10 mins drive.

Datong itself is a shit hole, lots of poverty and no tourists, we saw only 1 other couple the entire time. People spitting, going to the toilet in the street and generally not being helpfully, only interested in staring and taking photos of us. It felt like the place was only half built, I've never seen so many half finished buildings and blocks of flats, backed by slums and sesspits. Interesting but it was unnerving and sometimes a little scary. Its incredibly barren, all we've seen en route to and from Datong are bare fields full of dust, little or no vegetation and green to be found.

The grottoes were impressive, 40 caves dating back nearly 2000 years with magnificent Buddha carvings, the biggest was 17m high! It was also belting hot, both of us getting a bit burnt walking around them.

The hotel we had was really nice, we ate at the restaurant both nights, it was cheapish, convenient and meant we didn't have to leave the nice hotel too late. The downside is no one in the hotel spoke English so we resorted to pointing, hand signals etc. Also no wireless but wired internet, completely useless to us.

I'm writing this @ 10:30pm on my bunk bed on our 16+ hour train journey to X'ian. Comparing this to the normal seats we had on the way to Datong makes it look like a 5 star hotel. Our beds our okay albeit a bit thin and my feet stick off the end. We've had lunch and its not packed to the brim, albeit a tad smokey. Izzi is asleep and the fat man above has been cracking and eating nuts/seeds for as long as I can remember. We arrive at 9am the next day then need to take a bus to the hotel, yet another bus! Hopefully the hotel has other travellers and WiFi, praise the lord. Ill update when I know more...

En route to Datong....

Sat here in a sardine can they claim is a train carriage. No space for our bags above us so I put them further up the tin can, I now have neck cramp from tuning round every 5 minutes to check they haven't been pillaged. I feel flying or bus may have been a better mode of transport. We are half way though our 7 hour journey to Datong, my ass is numb, it smells and is over crowded in my opinion. Izzi reading, I tried but struggled. Again today we had people taking photos of us in the train station, I guess they don't see many people like us, especially Izzi with her blonde hair.

My time has been spent listening to music, so far I've had on:

# two door cinema club
# a tribe called quest
# high contrast
# jimmy Hendrix

Next I'm thinking chilli peppers?

Not sure what to expect from Datong, I want to go to see the Grottoes and Hanging Monasteries. An American we spoke to in McDonald's said it's very industrial, I've read its the coal centre of China. Not sure what that entails though.

Tick tock tick tock tick tock......

James

Beijing in all its glory

So its been 5 days and we've had ups and downs, it is definitely not the easiest of countries to navigate, maybe its as we are new to all the this travelling lark. You don't see as many tourists as I thought you would, star bucks is a must for the free WiFi and I take most any opportunity to ask a western a question if needed, most are very helpful and provide useful tips.

We've explored the great wall at Mutianyu, our group consisted of Americans, Argentinas, Australians, Russia and Singaporians. Its spectacular, we walked afew km up to the oldest part and back again, felt like a good workout. We both said in England you would need, hard hat, safty rope and safely rail. We had a big lunch together and went in a little van thing, very cosy indeed! A women from Singapore started to throw up on way just after our guide told us not to worry about bird flu! Also the roads are crazy, if there are four lanes you will get maybe 6 lanes of cars, our driver drove the wrong way down the road at one point, the traffic lights seem to only be an indication, they go on red and green regardless.

Been eating in bakers, small shops and shopping malls as its cheap and quite good, izzi got spag bol for a change, looked okay.

Spent about 3 hours booking out next few weeks, booked hotels and hostels in Datong, Xian and Shanghai, went to the train station to book tickets between them and booked flights online. No one spoke English at the train station so resorted to pointing, hand signals and pen & paper, we think the tickets are correct?

Still getting used to the fact that facebook, Twitter, blogger and other western websites don't work.

Explored the forbidden temple, its was okay. Not that much to see in my opinion, lots of pots and various other artifacts but no English or writing about them so struggled to get the jist abit. The temple of heaven was good, impressive buildings, opted out of a audio guide as is was more expensive than the actual ticket, good fun trecking around it, its massive. In hind sight audio guides for both places would of helped we think.

Next we leave Beijing for datong on our first train journey, only 6.5hours, could be interesting.

More to come....

Arrival in smoggy Beijing...

April 20th 2013

So we are here, arrived in Beijing after a long flight, sat next to a crying babe and a women covered in sick! A delayed flight from Leeds didn't impact one of our challenges for a McDonald's in every country, so even managed a cheese burger in Amsterdam :)

Been exploring the city and had lunch in a noodle bar, lots more of that to come I imagine, photos to come in time!

Hostel is okay, basic but adequate.

Culture is different, people seem to spend most of there time staring mouth open at me, maybe its because I tower over them in everyway!

Walked through a night food market, choice of snake, testicles, pigs trotters and duck, not quite ready for the balls yet! Ill get photos over the next day or so.

Tired and ready for a good sleep. Tomorrow is the Forbidden City and CCTV building.

April 21st 2013

Slept for 14hours last night, longest sleep I've had in a very long time, jet lag all gone and body clock on track.

Been to see Tiananmen square which was good also the CCTV building, it looks like a massive pair if trousers, tea round the Beihai lake and the Buddhist temple.

Street food dinner was good, duck wraps and dumplings, we both ate for about £4.40 altogether!

First problem today as our bike taxi said ¥3 but took us down a ally, stopped and demanded ¥300, an argument broke out, eventually we pushed him and ran away, shit us both up a lot, no more bike taxis ever! Good news is he was old and very out of breath from biking my fat ass around, scary though, lesson learnt!

James  Isobel

Final Farewells

So we've left Manchester, back in Leeds and Grimsby for a few days rest after a manic and busy last few days!

We think we have everything sorted bar a few small bits and are ready and set to go. We had a great night out with friends Friday, getting in to a bit of state by the end but it was great to say bye to everyone, one thing I'll miss most is definitely the great bunch of people we know and spend lots of time with.

We both had a great send off from our work colleagues, I got a wonderful present from the company and team members, it’s been a good nearly 5 years working for LeadX and have learnt so much and worked with some great people, onwards and upwards I say!

Moving out of our flat which we have lived in for nearly 3 years was hectic and stressful as you can imagine, packing up our lives into boxes is just damn weird; trying to condense your life into a 65ltr backpack is tough. I imagine after a while on the road half the stuff I'm taking will get ditched as I come to realise you don't need it and you can probably just buy it when you do. These things will come with time and experience and better to be fully prepared from day one if you ask me! It’s in the nature of me and Izzi to be quite planned and organised anyway so it is inevitable that we will probably take too much then strip it right down.

Packing my bag is a challenge in its self, getting everything in and in an orderly and organised fashion posed questions in its own right, where to put stuff, what to pack, what will I need in priority order, where do you put passports, money etc.? That's tomorrows challenge, I’ll try post a few pictures before and after to show you my progress.

With all the changes we have made and the things which are about to happen I can’t help but reflect of things over the last several years. I will have lived in Manchester for 8 years this September, living as a student loving everything about the place, maturing into a professional afterwards. My views of the city have moved from being purely based on having a great party, Manchester's clubbing and party scene has always had a draw to me more so when I was a student than now but still never a better place to have a good night out. Later morphing into a place called home over the last 4-5 years, I appreciate the place for its up and coming vibe, relaxed and liberal feel (maybe this is just my attitude?) and complete mix of people you seen and meet. Not entirely sure I have learnt to appreciate a very broad Mancunian accent yet, not sure I ever will! The fact I have some mint friends and a good job has been the main reason for me staying in the city, friends from work, friends from university and friends from nights out are all people I will miss but will definitely see again regardless of what we decided to do on our return. 

One thing about Manchester which excites me at the moment is the growing technology and start up scene, being a Geek I love the meet-ups an user groups which I have attended over the last few years, the BBC moving up has only increased this movement and long may it carry on!

Time to go, reflection over, more to come over the following months...!



James