Forbidden friday to the Forbidden city

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Current mood: tired but GAME!


Guys........ Im here!!!!

And what a funny place this is! i kinda got chatting to this guy called will on the connecting terminal in Doha!!! turns out he studies a martial art called Wooshoo. so im thinking this guy is my guy to show me around for a few days but we quickly seperated as his school was at one side of the jing and mine on the other! no worries more fun to come. ill try catch you over the weekend dude.

so...... i jumped the 22 bus which i have to say was a good laugh and pretty much what youd expect it to be. Very busy, very daunting but extremely cheap. 1 yuan for a bloody good distance!!! i was on the bus for ages. so after seeing someone get knocked off there bike i jump off the bus and head down the alleyway infront of the Red Lantern. All checked in and sorting through some money when i hear the voice of an angel. an english voice!!! i though this is it im gonna go find out what the deal is with filling my tummy to the brim!!!

Dave.......... is the guy who saved my bacon. An Engineer from london. we quickly tooked into a few beers that i must say are very cheap and wickedly sized!! I believe the spelling is Tsingdao. great beer for 3 yuan. oooooh and its 15 yuan to the british pound. after a few beers we headed down to the local restaurant where i sat quite comfortably catching the flies with my chop sticks!!! hahahahahaha i wish i can barely eat noodles with the things but hey i have a month of practice. my first night ended with many more beers and a staggerd strut into a 24 hour restaurant where i would chow down on another delightful bowl of pork noodles!! AND ANOTHER TSINGDAO.

Soooooo the next mornoing i woke tired and hungover. pretty much like the day i left the uk but this time with plans to visit some sights. not as early as i had planned i headed down towards the Forbidden City to meet a guy called Henrick from germany. nice lad but with many tourists and differences in interest we split pretty rapidly. its a great thing travelling alone as you really only have yourself to think of and today with my hangover i was being a little bit selfish!!

My first impressions of Beijing were similar to that of Bangkok. Very busy, slightly dusty but in the main attraction sights immaculate. its all good. the Forbidden City was a little dissapointing however the day in its self was great!! i just wondered around the grounds taking in the sights and playing with the camera. gotta get the shooting right for the Great Wall. The city has very similar architecture throughout and various gallery spaces that in fairness are pretty cool. There is a nice Garden at the back off the grounds which was the real highlight of the place. it can be accessed from the rear and costs 3 yuan to enter the garden from this side. if you enter from the front gate it costs 60 yuan but you walk through the entire grounds. anything after the paying point is the same as what is in the 'free bee' zone so its up to you guys whether you wanna just see a few things or spend a full day roaming. Either way would have worked out well.

After a quick skip through the main square i headed back to the digs to find Dave and a beer waiting. i love this place. again im gonna be drunk and hungover but the night was fun. i introduced myself to an ozzie girl called Cara and an American girl called Ashley who are travelling together. the plans are to spend the following day with them and head out to the Summer Palace. this should be fun as these two are a hoot!!! anyway ill love you and leave you all for now im off to get some Zs.

Love from a brummy..

Bex get a ticket......... now!

Dad and Deb Book your holiday

and to all the kids.............. love you all tonnes......... your big brother niki.

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