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Hot and humid when we arrived in Beijing, we are staying in the Huguosi area. Nothing much really around that is interesting so you have to take a cab to get to places. Did the usual touristy things, visited the Summer Palace, Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, since I have a bit of time here will do the other sights later. Did some retail therapy, went to the electronics and silk market, lots of good things to buy but with my budget have to think twice whether I really needed things. Got a mahjong set for only 100 dibdobs from the selling price of 1800! That was the best bargain I ever did. I have been neglecting updating my blog mainly because from where I am staying here in Beijing, internet cafes does not allow you to upload photos, really strange since anywhere weve been so far in China it wasnt a problem, ill keep trying so to all my fans, patience!

Today the 7th July everyone has left, Penny being the last one to go, sad goodbyes but we need to move on and look forward to the next leg, my roomie Angus left his toiletry bag in the hotel, I dont know if intentionally but it is mine now since I left mine in Xian! Oh and you also left half of your sock, threw it in the bin.. lots of shopping, being harassed at the silk market but all in good fun.
Tonka, the other Drago truck that started from St. Pete arrived today bringing some well needed rain moments later, well they did not actually caused it but is a welcome relief on a sticky muggy day.

We also visited the Art Zone in Beijing called 708, really good, lots of eccentric artwork but very interesting to see different perspectives.

Today the 12th me and Bev went along with Claire, Tony and Ben, the other driver with Tonka the truck drove to where Gisele is parked at the Mercedez Benz workshop place in the outskirts of town to do some needed truck cleaning, washed the utensils did some inventory on stock foods and tried to clean all the tents, all mucky and dirty from the last camping in the riverbed, most have molds so needed some washing. We finished and headed off back to town. I moved to a nice hostel in the hutongs called Red Lantern House, it is a good place, and the people running are very friendly.

Met lots of fellow travellers and I got along very well with my roommates at the dorm, together we explored Beijing, shopping, sightseeing, walking a lot, getting sweaty and hungry and tired, we relax ourselves at the dorm with some good cheap beer such as Tsingtao. Lots of memories in my short stay at the hostel, Bev and I quite enjoyed the friendly atmosphere, met the only Filipina traveller so far in 4 months, enjoyed hanging out with Jonny and because of him I met two lovely locals who showed us around town and watched the Transformers with us! and to Charles, I will always remember you for the weird and eccentric movies we watched at the hostel, Hard Candy and that weird french movie,cheers for all the good fun, hopefully we meet in Mongolia if not South Africa!!Tomorrow the truck leaves without me, as I need to cross the Mongolian border a day ahead of the group, my visa will expire and Claire wants me to safely make it to the other side so I will go with a guide hiring a van to take me to the frontier and will meet Gisele and everyone in Mongolia, it will be weeks before i will be able to update the blog so just enjoy the photos of Beijing for the moment.

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