Rong Cheng Hotel Chengdu

... After a few days in the city, we were ready to move on again. We packed our bags early in the morning and headed down to the bus station. After we arrived, we found that the last bus to Jojaigo had already filled up and there would be no more departures for the day! Like many things service people will tell you in China, this could’ve been a lie, but arguing points at a crowded bus station is next to impossible, so we had ...

... heblich v**bess**t und am Ende, nach div**sen Mahlzeiten aus Nudeln ohne Alles und tell**weise Kohl, bekamen wir schon richtige chinesische G**ichte. Uns**e naechte Aktion sollte dann die V**laeng**ung uns**es Visums sein. Laut d** Agentur in Kathmandu sollte es kein Problem sein, das Gruppenvisum fu** mindestens 14 Tage in Chengdu zu v**laeng**n. Wir sind dann also zur PBS (dem Bu**o fu** oeffentliche Sich**heit) gegangen um das mal eben zu **ledigen. Es ging dann eigentlich auch ...

... my Kairos 54 retreat junior year of high school). Then you go back home and life goes on, but your changed. Then you go back on the same retreat for a second time, but this time you have a whole new perspective, having been there before (my Kairos 58 leader experience senior year of high school). It's different at first, but in the end you have a whole new set of experiences that change your life. Despite the difference in people, there is China itself. I am shocked how much ...

... we hung them up, just as we finished hanging them up a lady said that it would be a good idea if we moved them because it was going to rain. ( slight understatment). We could hear the rumble of thunder a long way away and it eventually got closer then we had lightening followed by rain. Ok so this is the bit where it will not at all sound possible, it started to thunder and lightning at about 10pm then it went on all night long ...

... booking our flight from Chengdu to Guillin in a few days. We forgot the mossie repellant so there was more scratching that night! This morning was probably the highlight of China so far for Chrissy (other than The Great Wall). We visited the Panda Breeding Research Base in Chengdu. We had originally planned to visit the Panda Research Centre in Woolong (170km from Chengdu) but sadly the recent earthquake wrote this one off. 8 of the Woolong pandas were sent to ...

... China accepts rescue teams from abroad * One-child policy causes extra pain in wake of quake The Globe and Mail The tragedy that left more than 70,000 dead or missing has also, paradoxically, showcased China's achievements of the past 30 years. Within hours of the quake, China was able to mobilize its vast human resources and target them at a massive disaster in a remote and forbidding region. More than 100,000 troops, police, medical workers and ...

... do they even make any other color? He tells us that they once had 20 bikes of this particular model, and they were all sold out in 3 days. So I've learned my lesson about China's booming motorcycle market. In the end, I left him a $50 deposit and he told me he thought he would be able to find one within the week. But before we left, I rode a real motorcycle for the first time. I stalled out about 10 times, and somehow spilled gas on my leg ...

... our cups with 开水 as we saw fit and engaging in some one-sided cribbage games. Laurie has developed quite a liking for the flower teas, both rose and chrysanthemum ( ju hua cha: 菊花茶 ) while Kevin went for the regional specialty, a green tea variety, zhu ye qing. Before long it was time to head for the flight to Lijiang and of to finally and truly hike... (hiking interlude: see next blog) ...Before heading back ...

... person with dreadlocks, for that matter; I saw three in that one day! As the New Year approached, I was beginning to burn out a little, and lose my enthusiasm for drinking. Not a good state to be in for the busiest night of the season, especially given the usual disappointment of New Years' Eve. I was quite lucky then, that another option presented itself that promised a very different experience and a break from city life