Hi Everyone,

So this is the first blog for Beijing and its been an eventful couple of days so far!!

After our nine hour flight and managing to watch about 4 films we finally arrived in Beijing, we got into a taxi to take us to the hostel and when we showed the taxi driver the chinese address it didnt look like he recognised it at all but we he got us there (the drivers in China are all off their rockers!)

We arrived at the hostel and had about an hour until we could check in so we left our rucksacks and had a walk around for a bit, we went into a supermarket called 'Wu Mart' and had a nosey (they sell Redbull for 50p!!) We went up to the meat section and we saw a black chicken with its head still on, well it looked like a chicken anyway were still not sure.

We got back to the hostel and checked in and went straight to bed as we were both shattered, neither of us had managed to get any sleep on the plane.

That night we made dumplings in the hostel and then they were cooked for us to eat, the pork ones were really nice but the other egg and onion dumplings not good at all. The Chinese beer was a flowing and then we got offered a free shot! It was a Chinese spirit that was 50% proof it smelt like Tequila but didnt taste like it.

It's safe to say that shot got me and matt pretty drunk on out first night, well me anyway!.

We meet two guys called Mike and Jamie, Mike is from Switzerland and works in China but is in Beijing on a week holiday.

Saturday

On Saturday we went to Tiananem Square but because i managed to lose the battery charger before we left we went on a hunt for a new one...oops!

We decided to walk to Tiananem Square to take in the scenary after about an hour we found a place to buy a battery charger and then headed on to the Square. We could only take a few pictures cause of the battery was dead but were gonna go back another day.

When we left i said we should turn right to get back to the hostel, Matt reckoned it was left why Matt listened to my sense of direction i'm still not sure as he doesnt back in England, but true to style i was wrong and we ended up walking for 3 hours to get back to the hostel!! I just let Matt do all the directions from now on its safer.

On the walk back to the hostel we saw a guy just taking a piss by a bin, then another women letting her kid piss up another bin, who needs to piss in a hole when you can do it in the street!

I havent used a public toilet yet but the ones in the hostel have doors which is great news.

That night me, Matt and Mike went for Beijing Peking Duck in a place called Hong Kong City, the duck was amazing they brought the whole duck out and carved it at your table it even still had the head and beak on it!! (they dont eat that bit tho!)

We used chopsticks for the first time in ages and took a while to get used to them but Mike could fold a duck pancake with just his chopsticks so we have made it out mission to be able to do this by the end of the 9 weeks.

After we had eaten we saw a huge line of stalls across the street so we went to have a look, they sold all kinds of different and weird food like scorpions, starfish, sheeps penis, snake and dog! I couldnt believe it when i seen a huge mound of dog meat they called it 'Dog Hot Pot.' We didnt try anything but we are gonna go back and eat a scropion at some point this week, you gotta try at least something strange while were here.

Got back to the hostel and had a few beers in the bar, its a pound a bottle so why the heck not.

Sunday

Sunday in true traditional English style was our day of rest, jet lag is a killer. We spent the day planning on what we are going to do for the next two weeks and booked our train tickets to Xi'an and looked at hostels.

At night we went to see 'Chan Yi: The Legend Of Kungfu' at the red theatre, the exterior was amazing it was all made of wood and looked like old school wood scaffolding (we have taken pictures just not put them up yet.) I managed to take a few pictures inside while the show was going but we weren't really allowed to take pictures. The show was really good but more dance than Kung Fu to Matts dissapointment but they did balance on spears, broke wooden poles over their heads, backs and legs there were also kids that were breaking slate over their heads a lot.

We decided to that we were gonna brave it and eat scorpion but by the time we walked from the theatre to the market it had closed, so we just went for something to eat near the hostel. It cost me, Matt and Mike 10 pound (i cant find the pound sign on the keyboard) between the three of us for four mains with rice and three large beers. Bargain!

It was quite late when we were eating and i think the restuarant wanted to close as a guy got some wallpaper out and starting measuring up to redecorate while we were there, the wallpaper was minging as well. Tonight me and matt managed to pick up sweetcorn with chopsticks (i think were half way there to become masters.)

Then we went back to hotel and had a few beers with Mike and Will ( a guy that is staying in our room.)

Monday

Today it really started raining it has been really sunny since we got here, the plan was to go to the Forbidden City but we changed are minds and went to the Lama Temple instead. It was lush there was incense burning everywhere and lots of Chinese people were praying to the Buddha statues.

The highlight was an 18m high Buddha that was carved out of one piece of Sandlewood it was really impressive, we couldnt take picture,s as apparently it takes away a piece of the soul away from the Buddha (the german women next to us didnt seem to really care about that tho as she stood there happily snapping away, soul theif.)

Tonight we are gonna go out and try and get to the market again to eat a scorpion, im gearing myself up for it apparently it tastes like pork scratchings... i will let you know about that!

So far its safe to say that China is very strange but we love it so far, we are mastering the art of chopsticks and have managed not to eat Toad or chicken feet which we are both proud of. This week were are heading off to the Great Wall of China, Forbidden City and Summer Palace so we will keep you updated and i will try and get photos on here as soon as possible.

Love you all and will be back on soon xx

P.S This blog doesnt have spell check, it's the only way i can spell properly so im sorry if there are lots of mistakes.