Homeward bound
Trip Start
Mar 17, 2008
1
18
Trip End
Apr 03, 2008
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Melbourne,
Australia
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
We caught two taxis to the bus terminus. The large taxi queue (where we caught the taxi from on our way here) is very slow moving when you are approaching the terminal. We ended up getting out and walking the last 200 metres - it was either that or we sit in the taxi and pay the driver for moving us no-where!!!! Luckily Nana and Mel had the same idea and jumped out just ahead of us. Great minds think alike! Pa had tried to get out a few minutes earlier but there was nowhere that was safe to walk. We were driving right next to a footpath, but there was a large fence between it and us - I couldn't quite see Pa straddling it to get to the other side.
Whilst two people sat with the luggage, the other two would go off walking. Mel and I went around the shopping centre next to the terminus. It was amazing. This centre was chokers full of lots and lots of small stalls. Before you even get to the centre, people are approaching you - "shopping centre this way" " What are you looking for - I can help you" "here is my stores business card" "whatever you want, we will have" Pa wanted a radio and showed a man the picture of it that Pa had on his digital camera.
Bike and raincoats
The man ASSURED Pa that his store had this. Pa stated that it HAD to be the exact one. "Yes, yes - we have that one". Surprise, surprise, when we finally found our way to his store, he did not have that radio - but do you want a handbag?The stalls were a mixture of many things, but the most amazing was the range of items that each stall had. The one store might sell 10 handbags, 15 pair of shoes, a dozen or so ladies tops and a few computer games. Very few of them specialised in only one item. We walked into a DVD store but could not find what we wanted. As soon as we walked out of the store, someone approached us "you want DVDs - I sell DVDs - come to my store" It was uncomfortable walking there with so many people trying to attract out attention and get us to look at their items.
We caught the fast train - this time the correct train and in our allocated seats back to Guangzhou. We then caught a taxi to the airport for the final leg of the journey. Very sad. We checked in then walked around the airport and, pooling all our money together, were able to afford some dinner!
Whilst waiting to check in a man came up to me and said hello. I looked at him very blankly, then passed him to his wife - still had no idea who they were - then back to him. Just before I said "Do I know you?" I recognised him. This man and his family were on the same flight from Australia as us. When we arrived in China, we all caught the same plane together from Guangzhou to Guilin. He was heading down to Yangshuo to stay at his friend's hotel - the Magnolia.
Last time on Chinese soil
We were also going there but not for a few more days. We arrived at the Magnolia in time to see them before they departed for other places in China. And here they were again, on our flight - heading back to Australia with us!We endured the long long flight back to Australia. The dinner Mel and Nana had was, in Nanas words, the worst airline food she has ever had - and since they travel a few times a year, I guess that is saying something. Pa found his light wasn't working and asked for it to be fixed. Luckily they carry a light-fixing man on board each flight - not. So Pa asked for another seat where he had a light. They found him a seat about 5 rows back in the middle and he happily moved there. Mind you, he took no reading material with him - it was just to make a point!!!! Don't you love parents!!!! Mel slept quite well on the flight, Me - average, Pa not to much at all and poor Nana had a massive headache which she couldn't shake despite taking tablets. We were woken to stale club sandwiches for breaky (Yummy!!!!). We happily got off the plane in Melbourne - unsure of the time. The plane said it was 8am, but we thought it was 9am. It seems that everyone thought that Australia changed to normal time from day light savings on the weekend - a week before we actually did!!!!!! Very confusing. We had to wait ages for our luggage - probably an hour, then make our way through the customs queue that was just a long. It really wasn't a good introduction to the country for tourists and was just really annoying for us Aussies who just wanted to get home. Finally out of there --- we had declared Mel's Jansey as it had bird feathers but the lady said that, although they might be real bird feathers, were that processed and coloured that it was Ok to take through. She didn't check any of our other bags, which made the process pretty painless. They were filming Border Security (or some such show), but we didn't have a starting role. We followed them out of customs, but they never turned at the camera around onto us!
Comments
Welcome Home
Hi Kate and Mel - glad you survived and enjoyed your trip to China. It has been fun reading your travelpods. See you before High School the IceShow on Tues - Aunty / Sharon