China - What a great place

Hi and welcome to China. I know its been too long but those clever Chinese folk have restricted access to blogger and now I'm in Laos will complete a couple of blogs to keep you folks back home happy. The above piccy is of Charlie and George (not Georgie, Georgia or Georgina - sadly) but our super Chinese guide. I roomed with George for a month and we became great friends. You will be pleased to know our English lessons each day covered just about every swear word I know, Cockney Rhyming slang and that pussy is not necassarily cat! I was a bit teary this morning to wave him goodbye at the border. But hey ho, life goes on and a cold beer makes the world seem a much better place. Thanks little bro.

So a few things about China - Loo Roll. It must be in very short supply because in every hotel we have been staying in you get a very nice new roll. Except its only about a dozen sheets in total, so a) you have to use both sides......erm liberally and b) if you can't find the start first time lose half the roll in trying. So.....any one coming to China, train your bottom opening for maximum evacuation once a day and bare in mind the shortage here. Or its speaking to your new best friend with shorts around your ankles to get a new supply from house keeping.

Chopsticks! These are the devil invention, they are long, smooth and pointed at one end and surprise, surprise I don't think they are meant to pick up food at all. It falls on the floor, your lap, clean tee shirt and table in liberal amounts. Its only dire hunger that keeps you going, in fact by the time you've eaten breakfast, blow me its time to start all over at lunch, then dinner. But rest assured dear readers Stevie made the most of every western food opportunity and the good old knify and fork were welcomed like old chums. Yes dear pals, roast chicken, roast potatoes, bacon, scrambled eggs and pizza have never tasted so good!

Extra curricular activities included cooking class with the girls, bloody YUM TOO! Four or five courses of very good Chinese grub and beer too. What an afternoon!

China is an amazing place, it has totally blown my mind, so much so I will come back one day and spend much longer here. The people are generous, kind and helpful, workaholics me thinks too. The building programme here is astounding and on a massive scale. We have been fortunate to see only a very small part of China in a month but with the diversity and with 50 odd minority groups assure you of a culture that is both extremely interesting and varied.

The old chairman, is still evident but maybe not as much as one would expect?

Almost all towns and cities will have superb parks and Chinese lanterns, some helium filled gently bobbing in the wind like the guys above. The parks are used every day for dance, Karioki and mai jong which makes for a good stroll but don't stop too long or they will try and drag you in too.

As you can see, china is not flat and in the most part terraced to make the best use of the space available. These fields have rice in them but could have had rubber trees, tobacco, maize, sun flowers or just about anything else. The soil and climate is so good, you get two growing seasons each year.

Well dear readers, I hope that's wetted your appetite for parts two and three. Talking about wetting ones appetite "it must be beer O'clock Vicar"? "Indeed it is young Stevie". Need I say more......slurp!