Here I am, back in 'my China'. I spent two weeks in Simao when I got back from travelling. I landed at Kunming airport, and I just couldn't stop smiling. It was so nice to know I was going home, going to see friends.

I spent a pretty stressful hour in Kunming trying to get to a bus station in order to get to Mark's brother's wedding. Helped out immensly, as usual, by kindly chinese people, I got on a bus. It dropped me at the roadside and refused to leave me until Mark came to pick me up. The three days in Mark's town were a real reminder of how tens of milllions of Chinese people live. His brother lives in a small town, with his parents living in a tiny village an hour away. There, there weren't bikes pulling waggons, but horses. There weren't as many beggars, but there wasn't as much money to give. There were many middle aged women with bound feet. Mark's family were wonderful to us, so welcoming. His mum spoke no standard Chinese, could barely read, looked about sixty-five (though she was only forty-nine), but had managed to get her three sons to university. The wedding was, as usual, a ridiculously short ceremony over dinner which nobody paid attention to. Jayne and I were more of a spectacle than the bride. It was a lovely few days, and so good to see Mark, who is now back in the mountains.

Then, for me, it was a few days collecting phone numbers for flats in Kunming and back to Simao. That bus journey was pretty bad too- the 2 girls across the aisle from me did not stop throwing up the whole way there. But arriving in Simao was wonderful. I got in a taxi from the bus station, and the driver knew who I was, and talked to me all the way to Jayne's house where I was going to stay. I went to my favourite restaurant, talked to my friends there, spoke to Jimmy, went to my favourite bar where I bumped into friends, ended up in my favourite disco.... It was like nothing had changed, like I'd never left. I could be very happy to just live there. My friends are like family. I wish there were more opportunities for me to live and work there. But I know that I have to move on, despite feeling miserable all day yesterday that I've left.

So then it was spring festival. This is what the Chinese call their New Year. Tell you what, I've never seen so many fireworks handled so incredibly dangerously. There were little children setting off fireworks next to cars, with the rest of the box in their hands. There were car alarms permantly wailing, which added to the feeling of being in a warzone- the constant banging and crackling has to be experienced. I spent spring festival eve (the more important day) with a good friend's, Bush, family playing Mah Jongg and eating almost constantly. Then in the evening I went to Faith's house to be with her family. It was much more traditional at Faith's. All of the apartments in her block had huge incense sticks burning outside them, which lasts for two days. I went into their house to find them in the kitchen around a small bin fire. They were burning fake money for their ancestors to keep them happy. I had to laugh at the fact that the notes were marked "Bank of Hell". Then there were Buddhist prostrations for the family that had died, which all the family did while Faith's dad recited sutras. There were bowls of food for each dead grandparent, which were offered up and then thrown away. Then it was on to the all important meal. There was so much food on such a small table! I had a chat with Faith's dad about Buddhism (it often comes up as a result of me being vegetarian) and it was really interesting. I really want to look more into the Buddhist faith while I am here.

My spring festival ended, rather strangely, with KTV. I went with Bush and a group of new friends. I think I've found my Chinese twin- I've become really close to her, she's ever so slightly crazy, loud, outgoing, fun.. I miss her! She called yesterday to say they'd gone out but that it was no fun without me. I spent most of last week with them, though my vegetarianism caused an unbelievable amount of hassle- none of them could believe that I could just eat vegetables.

Then at the end of this week I met the new gappers at my school. Its very very strange to see them. They look just as lost as we must have. They're just getting to grips with all the aspects of south east China. It's funny to think that at some point I must have felt like that too. I couldnt really feel more at home in that town now. Hopefully it won't take me too long to feel like that about Kunming. I need to get over my Simao homesickness first though. The thought of leaving China for a long period of time is awful, but inevitable. I'm really excited about seeing everyone at home again, excited about lasagne, safer driving... But this has really become my home.

I'll be back in England on the 4th of May. I'll see you all soon! xxxxxxxxxx