"Adopting a Child won't change the world; but for that Child the world will change."

Wednesday 23 April 2008

Knee How from Beijing!

(yes, I know I spelt it wrong - I did that on purpose!!!) 擦!I think this computer wants to type in Chinese?!! OMG! Monday, we travelled all day - we were up at 4am (although some tossa rang Mr T at 1am, so I was actually up at 2am! And didn't get into our hotel room til about 10pm. A loooooong day! The kids did awesome! H-man only got up a couple of times, to stretch his legs, and slept for about 2 hours as well.



Tuesday, our first day as tourists in the Chinese capital. I had scheduled a tour for our first day, but changed it about 3 days before we left home, thinking it might be a bit much to be touring our first day! THANK GOD I DID! We got up at about 730am, thanks to H-man, waking us all up, and went down to an amazing buffet breakfast. our hotel Holiday Inn Temple of Heaven, is fantastic! The service is great, beds are a little hard, and pillows a little too soft - but hey, when in Rome - right?!! The Chinese Sports Institute here have put in some new rule, that in all public pools, swimming caps must be worn - so we had to buy hideously expensive swimming caps from the hotel... all to look like condom-knob-head morons to have a swim! Note: It was NOT hot outside, a chilly 11 degrees - but the indoor pool was lovely! We went for a walk to find "Temple of Heaven" only to wander the streets, with no idea where we were going! We found a local park, where we were definitely a sideshow, then had lunch at a local restaurant, where we were put in the front window... on display! I've since found out - there are no other "International"Hotels in the area!



Wednesday, Great Wall / Ming Tombs tour day! We had to be out front by 745am, so had to be up by 6 to shower & breakfast. Ming Tombs wasn't as "cool" as I expected... maybe I thougth we'd actually see the dead guy?! The Great Wall, was all and more than I expected! OMG! It was soooo steep. I've read it a thousand times in people's blogs/stories... but being there, looking up at it, and then chasing your 6 year old son up it - totally different story!!! We all made it to the top! And if you asked my kids what was there memory of the Great Wall? They'd say with much pride and gusto "My Mum puked at the top of the Great Wall!" Yes, you read that right. I puked. It was horribly embarrassing!!! I don't know whether I'm sooo unfit, that my poor old body, just couldn't cope with the exercise, or whether it was the heights or whether it was the massive buffet dinner we'd just consumed... but one thing is for sure - I left something of me, on the Great Wall!!! Of course our diligent guide, made sure we stopped off at the local Jade and Cloisonne factories! i scored a beautiful jade bracelet for Mothers Day & the kids got a pendant each. I'm sure we were hideously ripped off.... but hey, I got a beautiful piece of jewellry - and longevity, now, right? We didn't get any cloisonne (my hubs is now stone broke!) And finally today, we saw an acrobat show which was absolutely amazing - I highly recommend it, if in Beijing. We got the DVD, coz we couldn't take photos or movie. We flagged down a cab to take us back to our hotel, and hit the jackpot with "Mr Loony Toons"!!! I swear this dude was high! He actually spoke good english, and loved to sing. He'd break into song mid sentence! We filmed him, he was so hilarious. Poor H-man was so tired, he kept asking if the guy knew where he was going!!!



So far - it's been an amazing trip. Hope to post again, from Xian - we go there in a couple of days.


Photo above: "pre-pukage"

*sorry tried to download more photos, but I can't compress them here, so they're not downloading!

 

Zia Jian (did I spell that right?!!)

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL at "pre-pukage" !!!

So proud that you made it all the way to the top, regardless of the pukage. That rocks!

Enjoy!

C's Mom said...

Oh wow! I am glad you spared us a puke action shot of the great wall:0)

Live it up!

Briana's Mom said...

Yay! You are there! The Great Wall is amazing, isn't it? I started to laugh at your throwing up incident. I know it is not funny, but Doug almost threw up at the Wall too! I think it was a mix of him being sick and the altitude.

Keep having a great time!

Johnny said...

IF they would only sell t-shirts that said, "I climbed the Great Wall and PUKED!"

Lisa and Tate said...

Oh wow... CHINA!!!

Sorry you had a puke on the wall.... but it will make memories of the trip.

Have a great time!

Lisa

M3 said...

You puked on the Great Wall???!!!! OMG. That is classic. I don't know anyone else who can say that. :-0 Glad the trip is going well and can't wait to read more.

Puddin' said...

LOL!! I'm sorry to laugh at your pukage, but you just crack me up so bad!

It sounds like you are having a fantastic time. Can't wait to hear more! :)

Anonymous said...

WOW!! i am just catching up with everyones blog after coming home with Jessica Rose that i forgot you guys were going to China.
The Great Wall is certainly STEEP! The last blog you would have read about that was ours, ha ha!!!
Hope you are feeling better!
come & visit our blog
Little Miss Ladybird

Catherine said...

Glad you're having such a great trip! Have fun!

Anonymous said...

Oh I am so glad that you are loving it. I knew you would. Glad the kids are loving it too.
LOL-Too funny about puking on the wall. I bet it was worth it though.
xxJandra

Ashley Winters said...

I hope the rest of your trip goes better for you.

Fliss and Mike Adventures said...

Knob Head... have not heard that one since being in the US... I love it... glad you are all having a nice time and glad to hear that you left part of yourself in true Aussie style on a 'construction' that is 1,000's of years old... hehehe...

Jen Boote said...

Puking on the great wall of china - now that deserves an award! Seriously though - sounds like an awesome trip - can't wait to read more....oh! and I've tagged you! Should have read your blog first to see you were away ... oh well! it can wait (it's any easy one at least :)
Jen + Ebony

Chelley said...

I jsut heard about a train crash in China near Beijing and remembered somewhere along the way you were going to be on a train!!!

I hope that your are all ok!!!

HUGZ

Alyson and Ford said...

Wow!! I need to start running up stairs!! Must get into shape!
Hope all else is going well. We need more pictures (no puking please!!).
Enjoy!!

Alyson LID 01/27/06