Down to Zhongdian - Close, but no 'Shangri-la'

Going Nowhere fast - Yadding, Daocheng and Xiangcheng.

On top of the World in Litang

Living the high life in Tagong

Ou-ey, Kanding, you're Going up in the World.

Balmy Chengdu

Nanjing Pics

Just random photos.

Shanghai Freshers Weeks

We arrived in Shanghai and needless to say the British Council had given us the wrong address, fortunately a few other people had also been sent to the wrong place and we collectively found our way to the digs. The digs were really new and clean with air-con, a relief after dirty Thailand. The back street next to the accomodation was down at heel and higgledy-piggledy but interesting.

The next 2 weeks were jam-packed with orientation classes, Chinese lessons & teaching practice followed by cheap back-alley noodles and off into Shanghai centre for booze and disco boogie. The parallels with the first weeks of university were undeniable, but most of the 80 or so Language Assistants entered into the spirit of things and by the end of two weeks it felt a little sad that we we're all going to be scattered across China.

Oh yeah, and we had a football tournament in 40 C heat, jeepers creepers, i've never sweated so much. It was funny to see how the initial games were played in fun but how, by the final, it had got really competitive. Enough from me, have a wee lookie at the photographs.

N.B Shanghai was not the amazing city I was expecting, the nighlife was dull, like out of season, and it felt culturally and socially nascent. Huge sweeping judgements there, my apologies for that, It just seems too new and impersonal for me, Pudong, next door to Shanghai was really lively and interesting mind.

I don't know, but I am glad to be leaving for Nanjing, a city known for it's history, culture and greenery.

Race to Bangkok

After our treck we had very little time in Laos we travelled pretty uncomfortably by bus down to Louang Prabang, which looked a bit seedy and package touristy at night. It is supposed to be beatuful though. We left by bus the next morning for Vientienne, the capital, which was uninspiring, about the same size as Oldham or Luton or Wolverhampton and seemingly less interesting.

We left pretty quickly and got on the train to Bangkok. The train was a nightmare, it broke down and we were stuck for 3 hours without any news before being shunted off very slowly. Me and Vicky took turns getting some kip on the floor on some newspaper, along with the local Thais and a few Brits. It was a crappy day and night but everyone was in the same boat, eventually, 8 hours late, we arrived in Bangkok, Thank f**k. We were so glad to be in Bangkok the day before a flight, we spent the day getting stuff together and getting some deserved sleep in a comfty bed.

Oh, the pictures are of the amazing countryside between Louang Prabang and Vientienne. Laos is like a scrunched up piece of paper that has been iron out with the palm of ones hand, it is covered with small mountains, the landscape is impossible, impassible, unsurpassable blah blah blah.

Off to Shanghai next for 2 weeks teaching practice next with 80 Brits, which should be a good laugh, and then on to Nanjing where the train terminates for 9 months and where i'll be teaching Zhonggou ren (chinese people). A different kind of journey...a cultural and linguistic journey...eey I talk some crap sometimes!