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Published: February 10th 2006
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Forbidden City 2
It was cold. We neglected to get Roger Moore on audiotour. We had to make our own fun . . . Today is our last day in Asia! Tonight we fly to Auckland, New Zealand and begin our Australasian leg. Shanghai has been our last Asian destination. Not a tremendous amount we wanted to see or do here, more of a convenient flight path out (sorry Shanghai!).
Shanghai is a real contrast to Beijing. Seems to have modelled itself on Hong Kong zealously, albeit with far fewer international brands to flog. Buildings along one side of the Bund are 1930's art deco, whilst across the river there are skycrapers and uber modern constructions that wouldn't look out of place in Speilberg's AI. Haven't felt a real affinity with this place, though it is a few degrees warmer compared to Beijing which is welcome. Have finally shed the long johns and woolly hat, even painted my toenails this morning in preparation for some flipflop wearing in NZ (hope my inner toe is still up to it!). Katie who will be putting us up (and putting up with us) for a few days in NZ reliably informs me it is about 25 degrees celsius at the moment. What a wonderful thought. Am also really looking forward to being in someone's home for a
while, now that we have been travelling for so long and seen so many hotel rooms. The thought of being able to get up in the morning and pour myself a bowl of cereal is very exciting, having been longing for a decent breakfast for several countries now. What does Asia have against wholemeal bread!
Beijing seemed to be a perpetual building site. Lots of requisitions for the forthcoming Olympics in 2008, whole streets with boardings up. But seemed to have so much more character than Shanghai, especially in the hutongs where we were staying. Lots of life on the streets despite the plummeting temperatures. The 'key' tourist sites were a little underwhelming (Forbidden City, Summer Palace etc.,) aside from the wall, but it has still left a much cheerier imprint than the more cosmoplitan buzz of Shanghai.
Anyways, here are our last pics from these shores. Hopefully the next reel will feature sunshine, t-shirts and thongs (the foot variety). I will leave you with a few things I have learnt about Asia. Love to you all, M x
Asia Ramblings
A jerking Indian train is not the place to master the art of the
squat toilet.
If in India you see something in the distance that looks like a hideously mangled dog, a terribly disfigured child, or an abandoned corpse look away immediately. Undoubtedly it will be one of these things but getting closer to confirm you were indeed right doesn't do anyone any good unless you have a) a shovel b) a good plastic surgeon on hand or c) a shovel. Tell yourself it was a trick of the light and go and have a gin.
I have developed a new way of evaluating hotel rooms. It is no longer about sea views, trouser presses or the shag depth of the carpet. It boils down to 'could I be desperately and darkly ill here?'. If I was struck down with the worst stomach bug, could I bear it in this very toilet? Very effective believe me. Only then, do I look for mould on the pillow and rat droppings.
Public toilets in China are the worst I have ever seen. And that includes Bolivia. Ann Megan you did warn me but I had to see it for myself to truly understand. The toilets are 'open plan' which means they are
not in discrete cubicles. Instead there is a trench that runs along the floor. There are then little walls (about 3 feet high if you are lucky) that partition off the loos, but none of them have any doors! This means as you enter you are faced with lots of bare asian bottoms bobbing up and down. I have never seen so many bottoms in all my life! One poor traveller I met told me she actually slipped and fell over in one of these hell holes. They are filthy, and you are left in no doubt whatsoever about the health or aim of the previous occupants. The only possible good thing I can say about them is that you didn't have to pay! Cuba offered more privacy, but it was always infuriating to have to stumble through a dark, unlit hovel, trying desperately not to touch anything or wee on your shoe, without the aid of toilet paper, running water or soap, finally making it out only to be confronted by a entrepeneur expecting you to pay a dollar for your trauma.
The chinese are pushy. They appear to adhere to the basic concept of things like queuing,
but this is 'Queuing with Chinese Characteristics'. If you leave a tiny gap at either side you can be sure that the person behind you will squeeze through it, and then their entire family will follow. I chose to respond to this cultural difference with elbows and incensed vigilance. If this failed I would tut, and point them to the back of the queue. Steve felt it was better to rise above such pettiness, and if they want to push through, let them, does being a few people further back in the queue really matter?! Yes yes yes, it really really does. Arggghhhh. Am starting to realise how British I really am.
The spitting. Yucccckkkkkkk!!!!! Okay not everyone is an angel at home, but spitting is so commonplace. And it is not just dirty old men, or scowling teenagers, but ladies in the latest fashions and businessmen with laptops. And not just on the street - internet cafes, buses, restaurants: wherever there's floor space. I finally understand why Hong Kong has so many rules and regulations.
Baby elephants may not be able to do headstands. But no one has told them this and they have a lot of
fun trying.
Some advice to Nepalese mountian guides (especially those guiding delicately constituted tourists on demanding hikes). When a desperate young woman at a state of near exhaustion turns to you and whispers "do you think we will make it?", "Maybe" is never ever ever the right answer. Motivation life coach you ain't.
Nurture your inner child, but don't forget your inner toe. This too needs work.
You may travel far and see wonderous things. But nothing beats a wintry day, a log fire, 'Tuesdays with Morrie' and a hot chocolate.
The world is a book. Those who never travel only read one page.
(Okay okay that one's not mine!)
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helen lord
non-member comment
bummer
i like your bottom stories. Why aren't there any photos of the bottoms on your blog?! If the world is a book then i have seen 1 chapter. have a great time in NZ - only down the road from the south pole xx