I left Shanghai by train with an English mate from my hostel called Chris. The train wasnt half as bad as last time. It was only 11 hours compared to the previous 26, and chris was there on the train, although 15 carriages away. Also, there was food delivered, the train was newer, and there was a dining cart where people kind of spoke english.
We arrived in Beijing around 7 in the morning, after being woken up by the theme of "A whole new world" from Disneys Aladin. We went searching around for taxis, no one would take us to the hostel. They just waved us away, didnt want to deal with us. Occasionaly we would find some that would speak to us, but would pretend not to know where the place was. Even though on the map, it was a street right next to Tianemen square. Eventually a chinese girl helped us out and spoke to a taxi driver for us. We got dropped of a few blocks away and walked for a good 20 minutes. We got there, I checked myself into the hotel section for like 20 bucks a night because my cough had turned into SARS.
I spent the first day riding around on a push bike with Chris checking out the city, seeing some sights. Since then, its been the soccer final, sickness and laziness, which seems to have meant late nights of card games, watching a heap of dvd's and aimlessy riding bikes around with an Englishman and a Canadian, causing havoc, ringing my bell that sounds like a machine gun. Its so good to give it back to asia. After all the times of being honked to move out of the way it was time to return the favour.
Ive even learned to spit like the asians do. They spit everywhere, and with this cough, sometimes its necessary! Sometimes you feel like the Chinese guys are going to spit at you and you have to dive out the way.
Chris and I rode to the National Musem, it was pretty boring, had a lot of pots. Out the front we got chased by a guy trying to get us into his art gallery, he chased us on our bikes like the terminator, running after us. He cornered us at one point. We went around a big cement pole and tryed to double back, but he was sneaky!!
My cough has been so bad I decided to go and find a doctor. I asked around and found out there was a hospital not to far away. I decided to ride, riding in the complete wrong direction, then eventually finding a street a thought it was on. A shopping street where you have to leave your bike outside. I looked around... where to leave my bike... I saw a big straight line of about 100 bikes, so i locked it and parked it there. I walked up and down the street, only to find a pharmacy, after being abused by the chinese lady pharmist, i got some chinese herbal drink stuff which tastes awful. I headed back to my bike, only being gone about 20 minutes. I got to where my bike was and it was gone. In fact all of the 100 bikes were gone. Was I in the wrong street? I walked around asking people where all the bikes where, a pointless question. Eventually one lady walked up with me to see a sign which said the bikes had been moved to a street she didnt know where. I thought great. She saw a policeman across the road and asked him, she said it was up the road and left somewhere, she said he would help me and left me with him. I stood there for an hour while he did his own thing, eventually he just pointed in one direction and raised his hands in an i dont know stance. I put a 200 yuan deposit down on the bike, about 20 bucks. It cost me 10 yuan to hire. I thought stuff it, if i cant find it i will just disapear. I took a picture of the sign and started asking around. I got pointed up a street and kept asking, after 4 hours of walking and asking, eventually a lady pointed me to a massive bike stand. I walked up and said "Youve got me bike mate!" he raised his finger indicating for me to pay 1 yuan. I payed searched through 100's of bikes, found it!!!
I rode my bike to the hospital, only to find everything was in chinese. I gave up rode back and had a nanna nap. Woke up, played cards with Chris and Jay (Canadian), then watched the classic Wedding Crashers.
Also, i have been trying to buy clothes in asia. Since after 2 months of sweating all my clothes are trashed I decided i needed to replenish my stock. Its impossible. All the shirts in china are trash, or if they arent, they a bright and gay. With stupid designs and stupid sayings.
And If i ever hear the titanic song again im going to go insane. Its played everywhere in asia, from the proper version in cafes to even an oriental version. Another song that matches its play time is the new years eve theme. I hear it about once a week, kids sung it in vietnam in the mekong delta, and guys walked round with weighing machines that whistled its tune. WHY!!!
So in summary, just been riding bikes around Beijing, trying not to cough, and my tour starts tomorrow.
Take Care Everyone.
Talk soon
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