SHenZhen Showers

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So we arrived in Shenzhen hot and stick by the time we made it to our hostel it wasn't to bad getting there would have been better if they had let us know its a ten min walk from the train station anyway this is how we got there...got off the night train found the boys as we walked down the stairs they were coming down the ones opposite haha walked out of the station and straight to the underground got on the rapid rail and soon made it too there stop where they got off and we soon followed suit at ours only a few mins later when we got off we asked where to go (yes someone spoke a little english) and soon we were on our way we walked down the road where we got to a T Junction we thought that was the end of the road and walked in circles looking for the place soon to realise about 2 mins later that the road actually continued one direction at the end of the initial road to the left we went around the corner walked a while and worried we were in the wrong place mike asked a lady at the coffee shop if she knew where the hostel was she was european and did she pointed us in the right direction which was the way we were currently walking...soon we arrived at the hostel and booked in and found our room in block 3 level 3 room 331 haha can you believe it we are really sick of three flights of stairs....but maybe 3 is our lucky number.

So we have a shower and go down and search for some info on Hong Kong Hostels and discover that I can't justify $50-70au on a hostel when a hotel $70-90 so we soon make the decision that we will get a hotel however by this time we have already head out to meet the kiwi boys for dinner and a cruise around...we end up at the place round the corner from there hostel for dinner...it was lovely a nice curry and enjoyable meal....we made our way to the shopping area and had a look around Dave brought a hat and a couple of t-shirt's (one of the tee's was only 10 Yuan $1.60 yeah crazy huh???) We had some dessert from donut King or something like that which was average and soon head back to there hostel and then on to ours via the underground...we have to book somewhere for tomorrow night in Hong Kong as most places are booked up so when we got back we both had a quick shower as water is off from 10pm-10am (not the hostels fault some work getting done by council) straight after that we head downstairs and book a lovely hotel (well so we thought) we went off to bed and in the morning arose and had some brekky and then head off to the train station and store our stuff there (expensive here must be Hong Kong creeping over the border) We go off to have a look around the crazy shopping center here at the international train station we can't believe the way that the people are just so in your face....however if you are in there shop looking and someone else comes in they will bail and leave you standing there haha its like you are old news if you haven't brought yet might as well se if the next person will!! We weren't keen to buy here much as its really expensive in my opinion one of the little gifts I brought for 10yuan in Yangzhou they want 130 for haha I literally laughed and walked away wasn't even worth trying to bargain its that over priced! We didn't buy anything but lunch here although we looked at every bead shop for my beloved black bracelet with no success this bracelet has symbols on each bead hard to explain but they are frosted beads and they leave the symbols unfrosted....I love it and have only seen two in the whole trip one in Xian and one in Penang we also looked for our little porcelain Monkey and Rooster we had seen in Chengdu and nowhere since again with no luck.

We soon made our way back to get our bags and to the border of Hong Kong...we got through the Chinese border with little hassle only thing is we went to the second level by accident which is for Chinese nationals so had to go back downstairs before going through but it was no major. The Border crossing was easy we were a little confused about where to get our train tickets but as it appears the two borders are processed in the same building so you get your tickets once you have crossed the Hong Kong border and then you come to some shops and money changers (which we used and changed some VIetnam Dong as well that we got from the hotel at the last min) then further along there is some machines to get tickets to whichever stop you want in Hong Kong then you walk to get onto the MTR (Yes Tonia its called a MTR in Hong Kong and I am not sure why) We got first class tickets as its short trip and not to expensive we thought why not....really what we got was a cushy chair for us and our bags however I much prefer a seat than to have to stand with a pack on a train where possible 😊

Goodbye to China was a little sad to leave as we weren't ready to go. Although I would learn Chinese next time for ease of the trip overall China was a lot easier than we first thought it would be, the food was better than I thought it would be and the accommodation was clean.

The trains expensive if you don't like a hard sleeper like me, entrance fees like India is the unexpected killer for people on a budget maybe not expensive for one off trip but for a backpacker yeah they add up! We will be back and even as a family we think China is a great place its very informative and historical also shopping is good hehe.

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