:: zone3 ::

Back in China. Nice to be back visiting again.

Was expecting some nice sunny weather but arrived yesterday morning to rain in Beijing. Was only light, much finer today.

All a very un-eventful series of flights over. I'm beginning to think it is better to have a few delays or missed flights, at least it makes it a bit more exciting.

So far having the fun just adjusting to the time zone and catching up on sleep.


Have decided when travelling it's not the major cultural differences you really notice. As John Travolta put it in Pulp Fiction "It's the little differences." The big ones you're sort of ready for and they don't creep up on you. However the little ones are the ones that sneak in and blind side you.

Well, off to China today and into Beijing. Better have a coffee and finish packing, check-in soon.

Only downside is about 25 hours of travelling to get there, but at least gets to sleep on the planes, then am in summer. About 30c and sunny there at the moment.

Looking forward to the nice break away. Get to see a few things and play in the desert. And of course duty free on the way home.

Visa's are all sorted and off to China in under two weeks. Even 1/2 packed.

Looking forward to a good break away for 3 weeks!

:)

Now have flights and travel booked for heading back to China. Going to do the Chinese part of the Silk Road for a few weeks.

Away from the current rain of Wellington, instead the sand desert of China, yay.

Better get visa sorted out tomorrow....

Have leave from work all lined up for my next holiday, just waiting the quote back for flights etc.

Heading off in 4 weeks time.

Was considering Mongolia again, but the plan is flying off to China and doing the Silk Road.

After getting back from visiting China, decided would learn some basic Chinese Mandarin.

Once get past the whole tonal thing, it’s not too bad… Although do need to practice getting the tones right, otherwise when I get back to China the locals will have no idea what I’m trying to say.

Have done something with the photos I took while on holiday...

If go to: Photo Page, can have a look. If you regsister, you get to see the larger versions of the pics instead of just thumbnails...

Well the forbidden city is interesting for a visit, not really though the
place I'd go more than once or twice. Impressive number of old wooden
buildings, a lot of it under renovation for the Olympics though.

Saw a bunch of Beijing acrobats, sort of like a scene out of Oceans' 11,
but more impressive and went on for a good hour..

Mongolia was pretty cool to visit. Staying in a Ger camp made for nice
relaxing night. Went off horse ride for a couple of hours and then another
the next day after the night in the Ger. Ger's make for a nice warm place
to stay the night.

After headiing back to the Mongolian capital for a night, was on to more
trains. Then time a 30 hours on to Beijing. Sleeper trains do make for a
fun way to travel. Although a bit tight on space.

Beijing is like many monden Metropolis'. Getting around is pretty easy,
taxis everywhere. The traffic is interesting for crossing. Much like
Vietnam, walk across and hope the cars dodge you. Was surprised how clean the city is. Prob cleaner than central Wellington.

Well made it to St Petersburg...

Made for about the worst set of connecting flights have ever had. Wlg to
Akl was fine. Got fun from there.

The plane to Shanghai brunt up a lot of fuel due to the weather on the way
and with fog in Shanghai had to divert to Naha, Japan to re-fuel. That put
things a bit late getting to Shanghai, had 60min to until my plane to
Moscow took off. Shanghai customs etc was fast lucky (fastest I've had in
any coutry), check-ins for my next flight had just closed, but they let me
on...

Then that flight was delayed in Shanghai, so got to Moscow with again
60mins until my next flight, however there is no way can transit Moscow
that fast... Getting myself on to a later flight to St Petersburg was fun
considering I about 5 words of Russian and the airport staff don't speak a
lot of english. Had some Russians that were on the same flight me to
Moscow and also going to St Petersburg, they were pretty friendly and helpped
me get re-ticketed and on the right plane.