Hello people!

So...

My first day in beijing was spent at the Forbidden City - pretty awesome architecture, absolutely stunning... so i wandered around there for a few hours then went toTiananmen square which is like just across the way really... In the afternoon i went out with Kerry (a girl who leaves for Xi'an tonight) to the silk market (just damn aimed at tourists really) - meaning my first experience on the metro -MUCH EASIER THAN MOSCOW! and far less daunting!! So i managed to get some jeans - they're are diesel (well supposedly) and got them for the equivalent of just under 6 quid!! the orginal price was like Y350 (kuai) and i was like dream on and in came those bartaring skills! ...

Did the Geat Wall Wednesday (early start at 5!!) and went by minibus to one of the less-touristy parts of the wall for a 4.5 hour trek with a couple of guys who are staying at the same hostel as me: Jinshanling to Simatai - absolutely amazing and so far beats anything i have seen!! - There were like a million and one [very steep, up and down] steps and some places no steps at all - absolutely knackering, but such an achievement to get to the end! Some of the towers you have to walk around - as they have worn away so you cant just go thru, i jumped out of one - well this guy like lowered the 3 of us down - was funny one side dangling over Mongolia and having to jump onto the China side!!

Over Thursday and Friday i did the Temple Heaven and Summer Palace... and lots of food shopping! I got chased down the road by a chiwowa (dunno how to spell it) and it was like jumping up at me!! - Biting my ankles - was ok as i was wearing my walking boots but the thing had the devils eyes! I just bought some oranges (they're so damn good here i cant eat enough - i think i may resemble an oompa lumpa) so was trying to keep a hold of those jiggling around too.. I dont know why the chinese dont eat those damn things and not the nice 'big' dogs...

So i arrived in Xi'an on Saturday morning by overnight sleeper train - Beijing West train station is like an airport! And pretty straight forward - anyway, when in doubt follow the crowds!!...

Had a walk around the city yesterday - Xi'an is much bigger than i imagined - but smellier than Beijing and the buses are wayyyyy more confusing - borderline on moscow metro confusing!! So my attempts of getting a train to my next destination; Guilin have been quashed... - seats + sleepers sell out real quick here and because of short time to get to/through more places before arriving in Hainan - i have a flight to Guilin tomorrow- 2hr flight against a 27hr train? Time wise its much more efficient!! Loving travelling and met a lass Jess (midwife taking time out from the uk) so we did the terracotta warriors together today - it was freezing all day and has snowed a fair bit!! - Pretty mad comparison to yesterday - i was out in a hoody and t shirt!! But we did the night market last night and again tonight (in the Muslim Quarter) and had dinner together so thats been real nice.

So i am off to Guilin tomorrow - all being well the flight arrives early afternoonish... Don't know how long im gonna spend there - no more than 3 days is my time limit - and a guy i was speaking to earlier just came from there and said at least 4 days as is beautiful and if i wana do a trip on the river -who knows! - But needing to be at my teaching placement the 2nd latest!! Its good having a schedule, but not good when its soo tight!! - No choice if i want to spend a bit longer somewhere... Am excited about teaching - and 'im going to get a few chinese lessons methinks if i can fit around schooling - thats the only way im gonna learn more than hello, thank you etc. i really wanna learn though -and its a beautiful language really!!

Anyways, best go and pack for tomorrow - aiming to leave pretty earlyish - may even have time for breaky - mind you i have easily enough food over the last 2 days to fuel me for a week!!


Take care! love and stars, zoe. xxxx