Day 1 - Blush and Cold

---

April 2,2012 (Day 1) -

---I'm down with the cold so I do not have energy to think. Just sharing some pictures. Anyway, they say the pictures speak a thousand words so that would be 30,000 word count for me today. I'll edit this blog tomorrow if I feel better.

This is why I miss Facebook😊

This is tomorrow and I am feeling a bit better. Though I stayed in for the morning. My body is still adjusting with the cold. Need to type this in less than 30mins as I need to catch my train back to Beijing.

I stayed at the airport til the first train at 6.30. I'm staying in Badaling so if I take a taxi, it'll cost me 400 yuan and it is not really advisable for a solo female to take the taxi at 2am. I went around the airport and got lost a couple of times going to some totally empty places. I managed to change my money and I the exchange was not to my favor. There are a lot of things going. No wonder Airports are such great movie location. This is the first time, I get to see a man escorted out of the airport in handcuffs at past 3am. I wonder what he's done. Another idea for a plot. I checked out the other passengers also. A whole bunch of hunks I think they're either Russian or somewhere from eastern Europe. Ah, the downside of travelling alone. I would have loved to make a funny bet and figure out how to confirm our guesses. It would have been another funny epic thing.

When I first saw the outside from the train I think 'oh no it's not yet spring! I bet it's gona be cold outside'. I find e scenery sad, just barren land and dead looking trees. all brown no greens an other colors. 😞 Then from the airport train, I got my first taste of what Beijing Metro is like. I have to fight my way in and out of the train. I did 2 tansfers. I was gonna take the S2 train to Badling and have to wait more than 3 hours something to do with a cancelled trip. No one speaks English. I show the ticket seller my booking, then point to my watch. he wrote two time in my paper, I just tried to interpret that the first time is the time they issue tickets and the next is the time of the train. I was correct. It is a bit past 8 and the next train is at 11:57. I get to meet another Thai tourist who managed to find a nice English speaking chinese girl who helped him out so I stick with them. I forgot to exchange names. 😞

The train ride should be scenic they said, but I feel into some dreamless sleep. The exhaustion just got to me. I managed to wake up one station before Badaling. Thank God! When I got off from the train, I took the wrong turn and went the opposite side to my hostel. So I spent another 30 mins going nowhere and asking people who don't speakl English. I gave up and called the hostel and they picked me up at the train station. It was a short walk on the other side.

I just settled in the hotel, grabbed some brunch and take advantage of the fast wifi - no facebook though. I realized I had now a blush on my face. the cold is giving me rosy cheeks and I thought it was genetics, make-up or pinching that could give you that. Later in the day, I went near the Great Wall Museum to catch the sunset. On my way I get to see a camel and a white horse. These animals have 8-5 jobs. The horse look sad and dissatisfied with his job but the camel look so proud. Do we also feel similar bout our work,hmmm... Then I get lost on my thoughts trying to work out the best spot to see the sunset. It was really cold despite the sun. I got to one of the stores and bought myself some gloves. I was probably ripped off. I am terrible at bargaining. But that was alright as my hands are already frozen I can barely click the camera.

When I went back to my hostel I get to chat with my roomate Brooke and get to have dinner together and had a fun time talking. I did back-up for all her photos. She lost her photos from one of her visits and I can totally related to how she feels especially when she said it was one of the best places she'd been. I'm reminded of my first 2 days in Palawan where I accidentally deleted the pictures including those in the Underground River. Argghh!!! She's really kind and funny and we can communicate. We agreed to climb the Great Wall together tomorrow. I feel quite tired again and dreaded the fact that I need to take a bath tomorrow. It's freezing! Off to bed to get some energy for the great day tomorrow.

Thank you Lord, I made it here. Who would have thought?

---

Photos

The lonely road
view from the window train

Proud Camel
returning from his 8-5 job thinks I'm a star

Badaling sunset
Catching another sunset

Drink @ the Great Wall
Great Wall branded wine

Lamp Pillars for Buddha
The first thing that greets you at the door