Today I submitted my visa application for my trip to China! Now just praying that it will be returned in time!
I am calling this … See more...
Visa
It arrived!! Praise the Lord!
After all the worry about single/double entry, I’ve been given multiple entry for 2 years!
However on reflection I don’t … See more...
Arrived in Beijing
On May 24th 2017, I left the UK to China for a month’s holiday. This is my first trip to China, the first time I … See more...
First Night
On the Thursday evening after arriving, XR (with XJ) picked me up and we went for a meal at an American style restaurant. (She knows … See more...
Good Morning Beijing
My first breakfast in China:
I know I am not doing the Chinese thing. I will struggle with food on this holiday, and I will … See more...
Forbidden City
Because YX and LM wanted to come to the Great Wall I had switched around the days for the activities on my plan, but stupidly … See more...
Temple of Heaven
After lunch, XTH accompanied me to the Temple of Heaven (天坛). I have been fascinated by this since I heard about it, and very excited … See more...
Lowering of the Flag
This evening XTH and I went back to Tiananmen Square (天安门广场 ) to watch the flag lowering ceremony.
返回天安门广场观看降旗仪式。
A was able to join us, … See more...
Graduation Ceremonies
Today was the big day of two graduation ceremonies for students who have graduated from the University of Surrey in the last ten years or … See more...
South Sea Shopping Centre
After the second graduation ceremony, A met us at the hotel with LM (all the way from Shanghai), and BX with her friend XFW dropped … See more...
Bank-robber
I set off on Sunday morning looking like I was going to rob a bank!
I had already been developing a cough by the end … See more...
Emotional Fellowship
Today was another big day. I had arranged to go to RP’s fellowship – a friend I made at Word Alive back in 2014 – … See more...
宋庆龄
After lunch with the fellowship, ZYJ drove us to the former home of Soong Ching Ling (Sòng Qìng líng, 宋庆龄) who was one of the … See more...
Alumni
This evening, A, LM and I met up with AFE and AFL and we went back to the Hilton Hotel for the University of Surrey … See more...
Post Alumni
After the Alumni reception, a few of us went to a pub for some drinks and snacks and just to chill out.
It was especially … See more...
响水湖
Sadly YX was unwell and couldn’t join us for the trip to the Great Wall (长城).
So this morning, A, LM and I boarded a … See more...
Peking Duck
Returning from the Great Wall, A and LM took me for my first experience of Peking (Beijing) Duck, which was tasty!
Although I liked … See more...
Orangeate
This morning it was raining and all I could hear around me at the breakfast table was English. I wondered if I had woken up … See more...
恭王府
So after my shopping trip, I headed to Gōng Wáng Fǔ (恭王府) to meet A and LM. It’s a relatively small place but there’s still … See more...
Surprise Duck
I had met Y at Word Alive in 2014. She had heard I was coming to China and, somewhat out of the blue, arranged to … See more...
去北京南火车站
On my way to Beijing South railway station. First time taking my large case on the metro – deodorant confiscated; no flammable items allowed on … See more...
拜拜北京
拜拜北京 – for now.
Heading to Zibo. First time on a bullet train.
Snacks included:
我买了。。。 :)
… See more...
淄博到了
淄博到了。 34 degrees here! Lovely :)
Fantastic first class train journey 536 Km (333 miles) in 3 hours 10 minutes.
Arrived in Zibo at … See more...
Silk and Ceramics
AF and JJ took me for a visit of one of the museums in Zibo, where we met up with JZT and CZT, two of … See more...
ABIE
AF studied in Guildford in 2015 and his wife JJ came to England with him. On returning to China, they set about starting an English … See more...
Cold Meat and Starbucks
In the evening, AF, JJ and CZT took me for a meal.
It was great to spend time with them and get to know them … See more...
去上海
This morning, AF and JJ came to see me off from Zibo train station to head to Shanghai at around 300kph.… See more...
EJ
EJ was waiting for me at Shanghai Hongqiao railway station. It was so good to see her again. She accompanied me to my hotel, where … See more...
CZ
Today CZ took me to Sheshan hill in the West of Shanghai.
We saw several pagoda type buildings (I am sorry to say I have … See more...
Oriental Pearls
Today was possibly my most exciting day in China so far. This morning I met up with RH, a good friend I hadn’t seen for … See more...
Big meal
This evening G and LX had kindly booked a meal, again at a restaurant that served Western food, for a number of friends in Shanghai: … See more...
KTV
After the meal, LX, LM, ZXJ, JH, EJ and I wandered around the Fuxing (I think) area, and saw some street art. Then someone had … See more...
Happy Lemons
This morning I met DD for a late breakfast. She is so kind: When I arrived at Jin’an Temple station she already had a “Happy … See more...
Happy Garden
After “breakfast” I went over to Yuyuan (豫园) and spent the early afternoon looking around this beautiful place with LC.
The area around Yu garden … See more...
AGIF
CZ’s family picked me up to go to church. This was an experience in itself. All the things we hear about China and yet here … See more...
Tea room
This evening E had booked a table at a place called “誉八仙茶室酒楼”in 新天地店 and LC joined us for a great Chinese meal.… See more...
YS
I will leave Shanghai today. I spent the morning catching up on a few things, packed up and left the hotel a bit later than … See more...
3rd best customer
I got to Shanghai Hongqiao train station (上海虹桥站) nice and early so I had time to have my third Chinese 星巴克 (星冰乐)。
我第三在中国星巴克。 (还是，“在中国我的星巴克第三” ？）… See more...
Pizza
Before I got to Hangzhou, CL contacted me asking when I would arrive. She seemed very excited to see me when she met me with … See more...
杭州，早上好！
Fabulous five star hotel in Hangzhou! But, unlike the hotel in Beijing where I met few staff who spoke much English, several of the staff … See more...
Pandas
Today I went with CL and LJ to Hangzhou Zoo. Incredible that it only costs 20元 to go here, and yet they have all sorts … See more...
Broken bridge
After the zoo CL took me to the West Lake (西湖) where we had a meal and a short walk over the “Broken Bridge”, with … See more...
Lights Surprise!
This evening JD came to meet me at my hotel and took me to “Citizen Center”.
It seems like it’s always Christmas here…
There was … See more...
Chocolate
I am loving the breakfasts at this hotel :)
Hangzhou is indeed a beautiful green city. At least the parts I have seen.
Driving is … See more...
去玩呀
Had a lovely day in the countryside of Hangzhou near West Lake with my beautiful friends CL and XYJ. Tea plantation, quaint old village, bamboo … See more...
Timing
In the evening, after CL had taken LJ home, XYJ treated me to a sumptuous steak :)
One thing that really struck home to me … See more...
LP
This evening LP came to my hotel to pick up her transcripts that I had collected from the university. She is in Hangzhou for just … See more...
西湖
Yesterday CL said she thought she (and LJ) would be too tired to spend today with me walking around town again. Thankfully LM had already … See more...
Costa II
This evening LM’s friend XY joined us for dinner. I think they knew each other from something called “English Corner”, of which there seem to … See more...
拜拜杭州
The hotel in Hangzhou gave me a “broken bridge” model every day when they cleaned the room, so I left with three.
All in all, … See more...
厦门到了
After a nearly six hour train journey, mostly between 200 and 300 Km/h (125 to 190 mph) and through many tunnels, I arrived at Xiamen … See more...
Hot Pot
CJ and PX were waiting for me at the train station in Xiamen! I am not sure I would have recognised them if they hadn’t … See more...
Bathroom Window
My hotel room is pretty amazing. The bathroom has a window into the room – I’ve never seen this before! It seems it’s so you can … See more...
鼓浪屿
Today CW and PX took me to Gulangyu (鼓浪屿), an islet to the South-West of Xiamen island, between the island and the mainland. CW reminisced … See more...
Catan
CJ realised that I struggled a bit with the food yesterday, so for tonight’s dinner he arranged for a friend of his who runs a … See more...
厦门早上好
Some morning photos of my hotel in Xiamen.… See more...
太阳镜
So this morning after breakfast I met up with PX and CJ again. Driving around, PX spotted a glasses shop, so we stopped to take … See more...
Mountain
CJ took us to a hilly park area (I forgot the name). There were beautiful flowers and views, and lots of couples having wedding photos … See more...
Pool and Church
After lunch, CJ, CW and I went to play pool for a couple of hours.
(Chinese rules! Haha!)
Then we went for a short walk … See more...
Leaving Xiamen
I’m off to Shenzhen today – my last train journey. It will be just under four hours. Packed again. I was hoping my luggage would be … See more...
Merdok
On the train half way to Shenzhen, QY told me that I was heading into a typhoon!
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/nySvGt29HCIkPbwsBe-EFg
This was quite unnerving for someone who … See more...
Slightly Damp
British understatement. Shenzhen has heavy rain at the moment and getting worse.
It’s “warm” too.
View of the area near my hotel:
I had some … See more...
Boat to work
Everyone got home safely last night.
The wind does not seem to have been as strong as it could have been – unless I slept … See more...
Keeping dry
Because of the heavy rain this morning, LLL took me to the museum and we spent a pleasant time just looking at the artefacts. There … See more...
CC
CC had asked to meet up, so in the evening I joined her and AW for dinner. It was lovely to catch up with them … See more...
Splendid China
This morning, another rainy morning, LLL came to my hotel to wait for the delivery guy to come to package the things I wanted to … See more...
NJ
Despite being soaking (with sweat, not rain, ewww!), I gained another fan in the Metro on the way back…
“NJ” just wants to practise speaking … See more...
Bear with
Returning from Splendid China, having quickly freshened up in the hotel, I met up with LLL and HLQ. I really enjoyed it. I hope she … See more...
甘坑客家小镇
This evening I will leave Shenzhen, so for the day, LLL took me to a very old part of the city, but which had some … See more...
Flight Plan
The books say that Shenzhen is a modern but “soulless” or “characterless” city, having grown up very quickly from almost nothing some 30-odd years ago … See more...
Hi 海口
I arrived at the airport around 10pm.
OFL, OP’s friend, met me and took me to my hotel. Didn’t see much of it tonight, but … See more...
China’s Hawaii
Friday morning in China’s Hawaii. Spent the morning by the pool :)… See more...
Encouragement
Plans have changed and changed again. OFL took me to look around the “Qilou” (骑楼 ?) – an old part of the city – where … See more...
万绿园
Torrential downpour this morning, and not being sure what else to do while waiting for OP to return I decided to go to a park … See more...
Dinners
OP and one of her friends took me to lunch.
Then another of OP’s friends, WW, joined us. RMC had invited me back for a … See more...
Last Sunday
This morning I went to OP’s church. It seems a lovely church family, and quite large; there must have been at least 200 people meeting … See more...
鼓起勇气了竹篮打水
Quite down this morning. Needed to pack ready to leave 海口 to return to 北京。Didn’t want to. At the same time I knew I must. … See more...
魔术
I was greeted in Beijing by lovely smiling EZ. Her husband couldn’t join us, as he had to work, but EZ had arranged for a … See more...
Best Room
I am back at the Vision Hotel in Beijing. This funny little robot has appeared in the lobby. I think it’s supposed to be an … See more...
Summer Palace
KY had contacted me just before my holiday to arrange to meet up in Beijing. While I was there the first time she was in … See more...
What next?
Views from my hotel this afternoon.
Some conclusions to date, bearing in mind I have barely scratched the surface of each place I have been … See more...
Goodbyes
In the evening, HY’s family took me for a meal. This was mainly to meet so that they could give me presents for my Mum … See more...
中国再见
So the day has come to return to the UK.
After breakfast I went to XR’s company. She reminded me that I had help her … See more...