We're home! Sorry didn't post from Hong Kong - but we were SO busy, meeting Mickey & his friends, watching the wicked stage shows, lining up for ages for rides, swimming in the "piano shaped" pool, sunbaking, and of course buying tacky materialistic-mickey souvenirs!
Oh! Within the hour of publishing, my last post, (sprouting off that no-one had been sick) - I was hugging that porcelain bowl like it was my long lost friend... nasty! Damn that Murphy's Law!!! Once I got rid of everything (and then some), I was much better. AND I had to do it all in the dark, because Mr T was out having a massage, and took the key card with him - so I had no power in the room!!! Now that's some skilled heaving!!!!
Yes, I do intend to take my laptop on the next visit, as we'll be leaving the kids at home, and will need to "sk.ype" them! PLUS, I know you'll all want to be seeing the "main attraction" (Mini!).
I thought I'd do a quick run down on our experience in the "Great Orient".
Things that surprised me:
*how "clean" Beijing was - assuming they're in overdrive for the Olympics?
*how few people speak english
*how many people can "read" english, but not speak it?!!
*how many trees were in Beijing (I expected a concrete jungle)
*how much pollution was in Xi'An
*how hard the beds were (everywhere)
*how we could find our train gate, without speaking a word to anyone (showed our ticket and did lots of hand-signing!)
*the sense of "awe" when standing in the same shed as the terracotta warriors
*how humid Shenzhen & Hong Kong was!
*how "mountainous" Hong Kong was!
*Hong Kong Disneyland is SO clean - you could eat off the ground (I didn't.)
*how beautiful the country is
*our city has been established since 1836, we saw places that existed 6,000 years ago!!!
*how much I enjoyed the "local" cuisine
*Snickers are delicious no matter where you eat them!
*Disney Hollywood Hotel has no room service... is it ok for the kids to eat a Mars bar for dinner? (only on holiday, of course!)
Take with you:
*disposable razors
*ladies sanitary products
*packets of lollies (we like the "jelly" lollies, China like hard lollies)
*the "right" charger for your phone (yes... I'm a moron, and packed the wrong one... what a tossa-pot!)
*SMALL suitcases - ours were awesome. All 4 fit into every boot of every taxi.
*poo-stop pills
*spew-stop pills (will be taking some of these next time!)
Leave at home:
*hmmmm.... don't know about that - we used everything we brought! (except my phone charger!)
Something to think about next time:
*don't go the first week of May or the first week of Oct - China has a national "labour" holiday - they ALL go to Disneyland!!!! OMG! It was so busy in Disneyland. Lucky it's (apparently) a relatively small Disneyland!
My Summary:
I've decided to call it "an experience" rather than a "holiday". We didn't have time to relax - but I wouldn't change a thing about our trip. It was ALL an experience. I loved that I organised the whole thing. At one airport we were talking with some American's who were on a "tour". One lady wasn't that chooffed with the "tour". She said some people weren't physically able to "walk" around some sights, so they didn't go. We booked a couple of "main sight" tours, and winged it, the rest of the time! We hung out with the locals, at their parks, flew kites, cracked whips (video to come!) and ate in their restaurants. Our next China trip will be very different. I'm SO glad we had the opportunity to do this trip. From start to finish. Awesome.
Videos & slideshow will be coming... we only took about 600 photos - so I'll try and narrow it down!!!
9 comments:
Really glad that you had and awsome time!!!
def hanging for the photos **GRIN**
And what an experience you and your family have to share about her/his homeland when he/she is older!!
Very happy to hear that you are home safe! Sorry that you jinxed your self!!!
Sounds like you need a hoilday to recover from your hoilday~
So glad you enjoyed yourself in China! Beyond envious that you saw the Terra Cotta warriors. I am planning a trip to China when Ruby is 10 & Xian is on the list of things to visit, right after Jiangxi... *smile*
HAPPY YOU'RE HOME SAFE!
-Amy & Ruby Cate
ps. I'd have done the phone charger mix up myself, sad isn't it? But honestly, when you have 9 GAGILLION THINGS TO REMEMBER, you can't be expected to remember EVERYTHING, right?
Glad you had a great time! I hope it it's not too long before you go back again!! =) Tossa-pot??
You are amazing! So glad you experienced things. LOL at poo stop pills.
Sounds like you had an amazing "experience"! Except for the throwing up part - LOL! Can't wait to see pics!
Welcome home! Your probably exhausted! What made you hurl so much, was it the food? I can't wait to see the pictures. Rest up and them post 'em! ;)
Sounds like a great "experience". I love that you used the small luggage. I surely would have overpacked. Not many people can brag that they blew chunks on the Great Wall of China. Way to go!!!
Welcome home! Can't wait to see photos :)
I would second that about Xian. Out of all the provinces we visited in Feb the pollution was the most horrible in Xian
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