Oh China!

I must have walked into the hostel in Shenzhen with a sign round my neck saying 'Mug'. 'How about we upgrade to the Japanese styled room for one extra pound?' I thought and asked. 'Yeah, why not?' I decided. If you've ever wanted to create an authentic, Japanese style room in your own home, here is how - remove the matress, that wont be needed and only adds wasted comfort. Remove the bathroom door, privacy isnt needed after all. And to top it off, take away the duvet cover, a sheet is all that is needed for that authentic look. Don't get me wrong, it looks like it has been taken straight out of an Ikea showroom, but somehow I get the feeling we are the only ones who opt for this upgrade!

So, yes, I'm back in China. The Country that never fails to amuse me. The trip is so far going to plan and as long as two more train journeys go as planned then fingers crossed, everything will have gone perfectly.

Had a slight episode in Bangkok. Went to KFC for lunch in a huge air-conditioned mall (I was hotter than Pavarotti in a pastry shop in Bangkok). After finishing, we left and headed back to our hostel. It was only after about 10minutes that I realised I had forgotten my wallet somewhere (as I very often do). I stormed back, sweating like never before (all my money was in it) and looking like a fool. Anyway, would you believe it, there it was, on the floor next to my chair. In open view. Untouched. The Manager had even come and cleaned the table, surely seeing it, but nevertheless leaving it be. I smoothly checked the contents and walked off as cooly as I could. Now I may be over exaggerating a bit, but I reckon that had that been in Hartlepool, the second the outside of my wallet had touched the floor, some little tinker would have swiped it with his trotters - never to have been seen again. I imagine had I been in Middlesboro it wouldn't have even touched the floor. But here, in Bangkok, where I cannot believe nobody saw it, nobody touched it. 'If we just leave it where it is, the owner will surely return'. Yup. I did.

I must just mention Macau. Being as culturally inept as I am, I had no idea that Macau used to be ran by a bunch of Portugese. We had the day to spend pottering about, waiting for the 18:00pm ferry to Shenzhen. We had driven in the taxi past the huge Casinos which I knew to be there, a brand new MGM Grand being built that looks fantastic. But it was the City centre I wasn't expecting. Thanks to the Portugese, the streets have what I would have called a Spanish look to them had I not known any differently. Yellow buildings, white balconies, fountains and even McDonalds was blended into the architecture so not to stand out. Where I had been expecting to spend the day eating rice and noodles, bored out of my mind, turned out to be one of the more relaxing days of the trip. I'll have to show you the pictures, which will be uploaded once I remember to bring my camera with me to the computer to show you what I mean.