 Merry Christmas! |
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Merry Christmas everyone - hope you are all having a fantastic and festive yuletide back home!
I have to say I've had a great time here - there are about 25 of us left at the academy and we all went out and got truly soussed (is that how you spell it?) on the 23rd in Changchun. Amazing how a bit of alcohol can help people bond, although I had the worst hangover in about ten years on Christmas Eve morning...
For Christmas Day we played "grab bag", a game similar to Secret Santa but with the added twist of being able to steal someone else's present if you don't want to risk what's left under the tree (we'd all bought something for under 50 Yuan, expertly wrapped as you'll see from the photos). The funny thing is the Christmas tree and presents were so utterly rubbish that we were in stitches laughing, I mean we genuinely got a kick out of it: as the saying goes it was so bad it was good!
It's now boxing day and coming up to midday (about 4am UK time) so I better leave for lunch - have a look at
erm... merry christmas
maybe if we'd drunk the Bajio (the bottle of rice-vodka you see amongst the presents) this may have looked a bit more like the tree above!
Happy Holidays!
James
Videos from "Merry Christmas!":
Poker Face...
Ethan was overjoyed with his packet of biscuits - he just hoped he could escape before the envious crowd lynched him
The Little Princess
Another top present for Matt, he now wears the shoes for evening-wear on weekends...
Christmas Lunch
OK so no turkey, but we still managed to overeat and then flop in front of a DVD afterwards - brilliant!
Christmas Hangover
I had to add this picture of Luke and Steve hitting a trough the-morning-after-the-night-before - naturally I'm too modest to publish one of myself!!
11 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
December 26th 2006 - julia:
Hillariouse!!! keep up the good work ........
Missing you and wish you were here!!! Speak later...... we should all have video phones (BTW lost my phone again!!). XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
December 29th 2006 - damo: bravo
well done jimmie - your travels definitely sound like they fall firmly into the "experience" category, rather than "holiday" as such - but it all good and Im sure being stretched beyond belief at the kung fu centre(which I have to admit i was highly amused by!) has taught you something worthwhile -what im not sure, but nevertheless...!
belated happy xmas to you. ive drawn the short straw and am back in the office in b/w xmas and new year . v quiet, but useful to clear all the cr@p out of inboxs and drawers etc... off to cornwall with the surfboards for new year and hoping to be the first in the water on new yrs day, as not intending on doing th e party option new yrs eve. bizarre you may think, but not when you ve had a november and december like i did - almost became a temporary alcoholic! . anyhoo, happy new year when it comes. all the best, damo.
p.s. did you know that the lion costume in the wizard of oz is supposedly made out of real lions!
December 30th 2006 - dad: merry xmas
hi son
it was great to talk to you on Xmas day and now that i see the photos i can better understand the funny stories about the xmas tree and gift arrangements. The video had me in stitches but i guess its easy to laugh when u have not even tried it.
Hope we can get through to u on new years day for an update of life in shaolin 2007.
take care son
love
dad
December 30th 2006 - Ricky: Casting for new Jackie Chan film
Hey Jimbo, Merry Christmas to you too, you have been keeping yourself busy, v.impressive stuff. I'm thinking of printing out that handsome photo of you for my birthday, so we can raisea glass to your health. Speak soon I hope, cheers Rick
January 5th 2007 - Mathew W:
Hello Jimbob,
Just been to the blog for the first time in a while - its looking great and the Xmas post was hilarious - loved the tree. We are off in three weeks now. Eek. Not going to India after all - it's all changed. Now its going to be - Columbia, Chile, Australia finishing in Borneo late April and early May. Not going to be in any of these places are you?
Keep up the good work. Mat.
January 5th 2007 - Mat: Video footage
PS. Can we see some real video footage of you and your mates training please?
January 15th 2007 - Penny Newton: Happy New Year!
Your stories never fail to make me laugh....loving the piccies too. We all missed you over the festive season, especially New Year when we did a Murder Mystery....poor Richie drew the short straw and had to make up the girls team by dressing up as the character 'Dame Edna Average'....unfortunately his plastic boobs didn't last long as Marv hit them with a frying pan! Hope your new year has got off to a flying start. Look forward to reading your next installment. Pen xx
January 15th 2007 - bon : gringo
Limbs still on? good. bon x
Sorry I've been slow at replying - the internet is up the creek in China after an earthquake, haven't been able to get into travelblog for a couple of weeks, will update when I get to thailand at end of the month. In the meantime... thanks Pen, would love to have been with you and Dame Edna Average - maybe we can get him to do it again next year? (in fact it could become a new tradition!); Mat and Jo - Bon Voyage for your travels, maybe you should also start a travelblog for your photos! I have got some video footage of kungfu but not sure if I can upload it as it's in DVD format - you may have to look forward to the slideshow when I get back (snore!); Cousin McD - keep being the man; Rick love the buddhas; Damo hope the surfing in Cornwall was good - brave at New Year, hope the wallnut shell has recovered - heh heh. Catch up with you all from Thailand when internet works again - keep in touch, loadsa love and karma man, jim
January 21st 2007 - jenny wren: catchup queen
great movies, camels had us in stiches. hear your a slip of your former self, judging by the picture of christmas lunch, not surprised.... just caught up with your most recent doings, thanks to john showing me how... lots of love jenny ian et al.xxx
January 29th 2007 - Hubbs: What have you done with James?
Come on, what have you done with him. The James we all new and loved, wouldn't walk over a small hill, without the help of a frog weeing on him. All this getting up at 5:30am for a morning run is not natural, especially for you.
I'm sure you're really playing Street Fighter on some old console you've found and running out to get pizza at 5:30am. I'll book you a slot in the Ulitimate Fighting ring when you get back to test your skills.
Looking forward to your next blog. Been a bit useless, I'll try and check up on your progress more often.
PS Doug had a baby a couple of weeks ago, named Vincent.
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