Ni hao!

So I have finally arrived at the Shaolin Martial Arts Academy, nr Yantai, China.

It was a journey and a half, I can tell you!

It all began well, with a nice send off from ma and pa and a "bump-up" to World Traveller Class, courtesy of a friend in the know. This meant more leg room, a fancy foot rest and just generally less people. Nice. Sat next to a very interesting man that is responsible for planning and delivering the China ->UK handover at the end of the Olympics. So things were boding well!

Until we took off late, landed late and I missed that darned connecting flight! Dogarnit!

So 9 hours was spent inside the walls of terminal 2 at Beijing airport. I was beginning to feel a bit like that Tom Hanks character. I wasnt a happy bunny. And people stare at you constantly. But it was all part of the adventure...Or at least that's what I had to keep telling myself.

Finally got to the academy over 24 hours after my first plane took off. And it has been great ever since!

It is very basic in terms of accomodation...just as I expected. And it is f.r.e.e.z.i.n.g at night. Thank you, mum and dad for being parents and getting me to bring that fleece!!!! Brrrr! But we are fed and get watered and the people are nice and the training has been great. I am in pain! And tomorrow, I shall be in AGONY. Hehe.

There are over 30 students at the academy from all walks of life, and of many different nationalities. Many are on their gap years, some have jacked in their jobs (woohoo!) and some have been on the move for years. Some are really really into their martial arts too. One guy has to be here for 2 years as part of his alternative medicine degree / doctorate.

I say I'm in pain cos the day starts at 6am and ends at 8pm...if you choose to do all the activities. Today was POWER TRAINING day. Which meant exactly what it says...Dave...I have some strengthening exercises to inflict upon you when I get back. Teehee. I was doing squats with someone on my shoulders, wheelbarrows up a hill, lifting a bar with weights (straight armed and straight legged, from floor to ceiling) and doing "the plank" with my feet on a 4ft high windowsill for 3 minutes...yes Davey G, 3 whole minutes, and then pressups at the end from the same position. Yummy! And that is just a snippet. This went on for 90 minutes! The spring rolls at dinner were well-deserved I think. ;)

Have had a chinese lesson and a massage class already too. As well as Chigung, Taichi and Bagua. These are all voluntary...which is excellent, cos you can get so much learning in. Bagua is very interesting..I got taught to walk in a circle today....sounds daft, but it's much harder than it seems!!!

In the formal training, I have started to learn some of the basic sholin moves. It's a world away from what I have learned so far. It's very pretty and dance-like, but when the Masters show you what the move can be used for, you see that it is lethal! The things they can do are amazing! Bo Chifoo, one of the Masters showed us how to do some jumps in one of the breaks today. They are amazing! And they mae everything look so effortless. I wanna be like them!

I had to go to town yesterday to cash my travellers CQs (the tuition is more than I thought...approx 150 pounds more per month than I anticipated). I misread the webpage, as did many other students....Hmm).

Getting around is a real experience. Cabbie picks up to 7 of you up in their funny trucky type VW campervann-typey things and takes you in. He drives like a lunatic on the way there and back (and in town) and plays lound cheesey Chinese techno music from his recently purchased CD player (they are doing v well by the Academy). He also sports a pair of large sunglasses and toots at everyone and everything in sight. He over takes on blind corners (not that their are many...the roads are HUGE), drives on whichever side of he road the fancies, and narrowly avoids: hitting pedestrians walking in the middle of these huge roads; cyclists weebling and wobbling; motorbikes with small children sat side-saddle; and potholes randomly planted in the roads.

In town, he pulls out infront on oncoming traffic and parks up wherever he pleases. It's brilliant! A rollercoaster ride with fear of death every 10 seconds! :)

But it's excellent, cos he picks you up, takes you in (we went to Muping, nearest town at 30 mins drive), drops you to wherever you want to go, waits for you at every occasion, then drops you home..all for 70 CNY...which worked out at about 1.50GBP each between 4 of us. We were out for 3 and a half hours.

Hehe...In a supermarket, in the FRUIT section, I saw live silk worms for sale. The ones you want to purchase are the moving ones. Apparently you cook em and eat em. Apparently they are good. I will take their word for it! :)

I say I'll be in agony tomorrow cos its POWER STRETCHING day...which means making my body do things it has never done before. People have cried and screamed. I am s.c.a.r.e.d. Hehe.

Will let you know how it goes...if I can type.

Also, at the weekend I may be going to some spa place, where you can get bathed and scrubbed, and where you can get massages, and pyjamas and where you can stay overnight in the w.a.r.m (oooh!!) and for 20 CNY basic entry...which is less than 2 pounds!

The only catch is you have to go to the actual bath/spa nekked. And we are already stared at everywhere (people actually come over to you just to look and be near you, and they point at you). Not sure how fun that will be when you're nekked. Hmm..All part of the experience I guess.

Will tell you alllll about it.

Right...I've dribbled on a bit, I know. My hands are about to drop off from cold..so need to go get a hat on and sleep. It's just gone 8.30 and I'm feeling ready for my bed. How sad is that! (official bedtime is 9.30 though...just like old times).

Hope all is well with you all.

Will take some interesting pics soon.

Cloon and Pia, I have documented Ninja smurf and Tigger in their first snapshots. They too are enjoying the training!

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

PS. Though it's cold, the sun is shining daily. It's jubbly.

xxxx