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10 May 2006 I am in Shanghai and just arrived this morning by sleeper train.
I am in such a bad mood it's unbelievable!!!!
China is testing my character in everyway, and the not so good side of me is surfacing more and more.
There are some moments when I think to myself, "I hate China. I hate Chinese people...Get me outta here." I am in disbelief at myself, I'm Chinese for crying out loud!!!!!! Shame on me, but it's the truth.
Right now my head is spinning and it hurts. The reason? 13 hrs on a sleeper train filled with smokers, the bad smell of MSG and no windows. My personal hell. At least it was not on a hard seat carriage filled with 100 spitters. It is so comfortable on the sleepers its a shame about the smokers. I have never hated cigarettes this much in my life!!! Once on the train I was so pissed off I took my puffer out. Even if I put on an oxygen mask the smokers will not be phased I'm sure!
Why Why Why. I am in an internet cafe and the guy next to me has
This is moi with the extra 9kilos!!
More of me to love...flabby arms & tummy rolls a fag hanging off his mouth. And he is spitting into a cup. Help me God. He has the whole sound effects happening, like a dog with rabies. It is a test. I am in China, it is his country after all. I'm just a visitor he can do whatever he wants. Abuse gets you no where... stay calm, I can handle it!!
I have tried for the last 2hrs to book a flight to Shanghai to Guangzhou without success. The train ticket lady told me the only train available this Saturday was the s l o w one.... it will take me 28hrs to get to Guangzhou!!!!! Was she serious??? No way!!!! I would not survive it without physical and emotional trauma, so decided the plane is the best option.... even in China they're not allowed to smoke on planes!
However, it is a challenge for me to even book a plane ticket online. I am so frustrated, I hate that I can't read chinese! Where has all my patience gone? Southern China Airlines has the nerve to say on its english website "Simple Online Booking" and the 5 times I tried I get the message "Sorry,
System Error." HaiNan Airlies only has 2004 dates for me to choose from on their web page!!!! Get out they are 2 years behind?!
11 May 2006 Turned out my bad day yesterday turned ugly.
I finally booked my air ticket all ok at a travel agent and it worked out cheaper. But when the sales guy asked for my passport I couldnt believe it of all things, I had lost it!! Losing my iPod would be the end of me, I value my travel pictures more than my passport! But my passport...it is pretty close to a death wish.
Surprisingly I was quite calm considering the consequense. I didn't cry or get mad, my brain was in super high gear retracing my day. Could I have lost it at the Bund? In some dumpling stall?? Squat toilet?? The internet cafe?? I was praying hard and my brain even thought "Ida you will need to visit the Aussie Embassy, you will be stranded in Shanghai!!"
Why on earth would I be carrying my passport with me if it wasn't for some stupid Shanghai "Government" policy. I went to 2 internet cafes and they all requested for
my passport. I asked "WHAT FOR??? I just want to check my emails for crying out loud!!" The girl pointed to a notice that said Foreigner passports were required to "avoid illegal use of the Internet blah blah blah"..... WHATEVER. Pointless things like that get me mad on a bad day.
So I ran back to this internet place and thank you God my passport was there! The guys had kept it for me!! So I was very relieved and thankful. I will never ever let my passport out of my sight again.
Aside from all that drama, Shanghai is a pretty cool city. Compared to Beijing, it is more developed, more colorful and more vibrant. Shanghai has amazing skyscrapers and my favourite place, the leafy French quaters.
I did alot of walking today. I walked to the Bund at night--spectacular view. Then caught a physchadelic train ride through the bund tunnel. Amazing special effects and colors...felt like I was travelling through space.
I also went to the "China 's Sex Education and Sexcual Health Exhibition"!!! The train ticket lady said I can add it to my train ticket for an extra Y20, and was right
at the exit of the Bund tunnel. I couldnt believe children were allowed in!!!!!!! And i thought it was hilarious there would be such an exhibition in 'conservative' China and even kids were allowed in! Boy was I shocked, if you ask me the exhibition is a glorified 13th Century porn shop, featuring porn on scrolls!! No idea why kiddies would be allowed in!! Bad news!! It was very funny though. The weirdest thing was they had the most innocent looking things there, like ancient pots and vases. And there would be a little sign that said "This symbolises the sexual genitalia of man/woman". I was like really?? How??? What?? Where??
Anyway, just one more day in this mad city and I'll be on my way to Guangzhou. Very excited to see Uncle Anthony & Aunty Stephanie again... and to finally step foot on the province where my Dad is from.
Will be awesome! Tommorow's a new day.
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anonymous
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Porka
ida was looking at my calender and you are coming home soon, cant wait! i pooped into sta and gave shawno his box of chocolates only to discover he no longer works there. anyway, did you spend the $100 wisely on a chinese aerobics instructor? see you porka! now there are two i feel so happy now that i found someone to eat with me! love thanh.