I think it is time to do something on my own. Since I have got to China I have not actually been on my own at all really. I think this has been causing an issue. So today I am heading out on my own, and I am excited. I have selected the Summer Palace, that is the area of choice. It is quite far away, though still in Beijing, it involves a couple of subways and about an hour of transport. I kind of have a cough now, my sniffles have subsided and I am ready for the day out. My cough plays up a little on the subway, but I think it is just because of the hot air, because it clears when I get out.

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Have I mentioned how unhelpful the staff are in the hostel? I have asked them in the past how to get to somewhere, and they take the subway map and circle the station, no information on where to go after you get off the subway, or how long it will take you, or any important information like that. So I have not asked them anything for today, I have had a wee look online and apart from that I am just going to walk around. When I get out of the subway I just pick to go left, and as it transpires it was the right call. 200m and I am at the Summer Palace, I head in and get my ticket. The whole area is 2.9 square kilometres and it has a massive lake in the middle. Again as is common in all the big cities that I have been to, there is just a natural haven in the middle of it, a welcome escape. The palace used to be a retreat for Emperors to go with some select guests, it was turned in to a UNESCO site in 1998 and so other people can come and see the beauty of this palace.

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I first start over a small bridge over a lake, you can look over the side and see the lake meandering off in to the distance, with shops lining the river down both sides. I can pay to go down but I decide not to pay to go down, settling for the photo. As I walk on I head up some steps and walk through various buildings that are built in to the rock face, very ornate and similar in architecture to the Forbidden City. Very shiny roofs, with little sculptors lining the roof tops, all the while I am navigating rocky passageways and using trees to wander off the main path. When I get to the top of the hill I enter in to a lightly forested area with a more defined path. As I am heading back downhill I catch a glimpse of the lake in the distance, i'm excited to get down there. I head down through some more covered walkways and caved tunnels before it open up in to a pagoda style structure with an unobscured view over the lake. Dazzling. The sun glistening on the lake, boats moving people across to the various islands. Lovely. As I make my way down to lake side the amount of people around starts to pick up significantly, I wander through the trees and walkways and although it is busy, there is enough space to walk around with relative personal space.

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When I get to the Tower of Buddhist Incense I stop in the shade to get a drink and have a rest. The biggest difference in the conditions here is that there is constantly a breeze, so when you stop you actually cool down and the sweat dries, so it is a much more pleasant environment to be walking in. While i'm sitting there a small girl walks up to me. She is smiling and so I say 'Ni hao' which is hello in Chinese, she says ni hao back and sits beside me. Then I see the parents getting the camera ready, mum pushes the girl up closer to me. I put my arm around her and and show the peace sign, because they all love that. Afterwards the little girl says thank you in English and they are on their way. What a nice experience, I have not met such nice Chinese people since I have been here. After my rest I hike up to the tower and I am treated to more spectacular views of the lake and a buddha statue. The funny thing about the room with that Buddha was that it clearly said no photos, yet everyone was snapping away, complete disregard for the signs, even with people who looked official being in close proximity. I decide to follow suit, you know, to fit in. Back from the tower and further walking round the lake, it's a great day for a walk and really nice to be outside on my own soaking up the atmosphere.

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I stop later on for another rest, and pose again for more photos, this time with fully grown men, arms round each other like we were friends for life. I'll be on many a fridge by the end of this day. I can imagine the conversations. 'We had a great day, the palace was wonderful, but the highlight was that we saw a white person and got a photo' Ha ha ha. Further round there is an island that is connected by a beautiful marble bridge, looks fantastic as it soaks up the sun and reflects off the lake. I walk over to get some more views and some more photos. One thing I notice about Chinese people when they are taking a photo is that they take so long to actually take it. I mean absurdly long periods of time, I would stop if I see someone is trying to take a photo, but I could be standing there for up to 4mins waiting. They must take at least 20 photos in the time that they have. Bizarre! I wish I had more time to walk round the whole lake, but I only came in the afternoon and so I head back the way that I came. The sun is setting and a warm golden glow is descending over that lake and buildings, streaming through the trees, glistening off the shiny cobblestones. I had seen a vantage point from the top of where I had originally came in, i've decided that now is the time to climb up there and get a few shot down over the lake. Unfortunately there are a couple of people here who have had the same idea, and as i've described this means a long wait me. In fact the wait is so long that I am concerned that I won't even get the shot. So as is the Chinese way, I just muscle my way past the people to get a couple of shots. It was completely worth it. Back down through the buildings and over the bridge and out. I encounter much nicer Chinese today in the Palace, this gets me to thinking that perhaps I have been a little harsh in my assessement of the place. Perhaps if I had not been sick while I was here maybe I would have been more receptive to the cultural differences. I'm glad that I have made time to look at a little bit more of China before I move on. I'm excited about the potential excitement. Met a couple of Scottish girls on the way out, while talking about alcohol gel, I offered up mine and we headed back to the subway. I give them my subway map as they did not have one in English, I am such a nice guy.

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Last night in the hostel, dinner time. I have not had the best of luck with the Chinese cuisine and taking in to account that I will be on a train for 12 hours tomorrow I decide to take it safe and just have a pizza. I have a few beers with Purple and another Israeli, Amit and a German, Andy. They tell us of their experiences in Mongolia and some crazy shamen who tried to cure some girls sick stomach using his hand on her stomach and throwing up in to a bucket! After this enlightenment we head across the road to play some pool and have a few more beers before bed time.