China...

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Ok its been just a little while since I have updated. Well there really hasnt been a whole lot going on here! Actually I dont like China too much. There is way too many people here and its rather hard to get around because the English rate is like 4 percent!

Well we got into Beijing International Airport at around 9pm. From there we went to the 365 Inn in downtown Beijing. We are about 15 minutes from the forbidden city and Tinamen Square. Went to the forbidden city the first day and walked around for about 5 hours! The place is freaking HUGE!!! From there we went back out the front gate to check out Tinamen Square. Well, lets say it was hmmmm... PACKED with like 200,000+ Tourists! LOL! It was like a traffic jam but with people! From there, since there wasnt alot to look at we went back to the hostel. Ate dinner right down the street and on the street. This place gets so many people they have to put tables into the street! I had the beef hot pot which included about 1.5 pounds of beef, lettuce, potatoes, onions and peppers! It wasnt as good as it sounded. The beef was too chewy...

The next day we went to try and figure out how to get to the Great wall of China... hahahaha! That was almost an Impossible Mission!!! Woke up at around 7am and took a hike out to Tinamen Square where you get all the busses... Well supposedly there was a place to buy just single tickets for the bus up and back... NOPE!!! After waking around for quite some time (about 3 hours) we just went on a stupid tour. The "Official" tour guide didnt speak english, at all and was really annoying. We met a few guys from Australia that really didnt know what was going on either! We were the only ones on the tour bus so the guide took us to another bus that was full! Then they had a huge discussion and we got in 2 cars and drove to a bigger tour bus! We thought we had it made, but we were wrong! Payed 150 yuan (Chinese money) for the entrance fee, lunch, bus, and about 6 stops we didnt know we were going to make! We get on the whole bus is full of Chinese people... Get going down the road and the guide wants 75 yuan per person and we had no idea what for! Trina gave the money to her and then wanted to get the money back. Well here it doesnt work that easy. So we get off the bus at the wall and head over to talk to her to get the money back. But she just walks away and starts yelling, in chinese! I follow and find myself standing about 2 inches from her back and she turns to run away because she sees my dad isnt too happy and runs right into me, a brickwall for her, I got a good laugh outta that one! So she continues being a witch and walks further. Finally I said give me the money or I go to the police... That changed everything as the police were right there anyway! Got our money back after about 30 minutes and headed up the wall. Its not that great but Im glad I did it. Then we got on the bus again and headed for 6 shopping stops and lunch. The lunch was rice... Thats it, rice! Arghhh! Got back on the bus and stopped at a dead amusement park. Totally strange but thats what the 75 yuan was for. I almost thought we were going to be the next story for a horror flick! Got back on the bus and went back to Beijing.

Well thats about it for now and sorry its not in full detail but thats about all there is to tell. Now Im going to get some dinner and get ready for the flight down to Xian tomorrow. Love you all and talk with ya soon.

~KRIS~

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