Beijing In a Photo I was looking for a photo that really represented Beijing and China for me, and this is definitely it. I love the fact that on one hand you have a little girl's balloon which sums up the colour, vibrancy and positivity that floats around the place at the moment. But on the other hand you still have Mao, and his old ways, keeping a watch Reflections on my Time As I finished the drink and looked round for the nearest bin I fell straight into her stare. The stare was piercing, and came from deep inside her eyes. I knew immediately what the old woman wanted. She wanted my empty plastic bottle. While I sat outside that tube station waiting for my friend I watched this little old lady as she scanned ... read more

Mongol Vs Conductor We had taken our seats and were waiting for the bus to fill when the old Mongolian got on. Every craggy feature on his wizened old face had a story to tell - none more so than the large cleft in his left ear. Aimless, incoherent mutterings fell from his toothless mouth. Here was a character who had many a battle behind him. Bent double, he slowly lurched down the bus before listing heavily and landing with a bump in the corner of the back row. But soon there was some discontent. There was one more person than seat, and our Mongol didn’t have a ticket. He was stubborn and stoic though and wasn’t about to give in. And thus the problem had been defined. On one side of the negotiating table ... read more

During my time in China I had until this point only had weekends to travel. Though with sleeper trains your range can be large - Harbin, Nanjing, Hangzhou, it is nonetheless limited. But a two week holiday really allowed for some exploration further afield, namely the South. Beijing - Hong Kong I enjoy long distance train rides far more than is natural, or within fair reason. I’d been secretly looking forward to my 21hour journey from Beijing to the southern city of Guangzhou since I’d got my paws on the ticket. On a train your time is your own, and there is no pressure to do anything. You can on one hand sit for hours, staring out the window, watching the landscape develop as the world drifts by while on the other still feel remarkably productive ... read more

Beidaihe, Hebei Province For me there are three main activities which make a trip to the seaside so much fun. Firstly there is building sandcastles, secondly there is skimming stones and thirdly there is watching other people. In Beidaihe, northern China’s premier beach resort, the sand is entirely the wrong consistency for structural endeavours and there isn’t a pebble anywhere in sight. This means all your time is free to concentrate on watching your fellow beach dwellers as they flit undecidedly between the beach and the sea. It was a splendid way to spend a weekend. Political Escape Beidaihe is only 2 hours by fast train from Beijing. It is known for its sandy beaches and has been a favoured get away for communist politicians over the last few decades. Mao himself spent much time at ... read more

I’d like to describe to you the little area of Beijing where I live, a functional area of town that has gradually become my home. With a bit of luck it may even give you a little insight into my day to day life in the process. YiZhuang Business Development Area I live in an area of the city called YiZhuang. It is a Business Development Area in the far south east of the city, lying between the 5th and 6th ring roads and about 15km from Tiananmen square (a 3 hour walk if you’re wondering). The area has no natural soul whatsoever, it is heavy on multinationals, factories and tower blocks packed with apartments. No building here is more than a decade old yet it is bought to life by the collection of people who ... read more