Tuesday 13 September
We haven’t left yet but the holiday has started.
I finished my last (ever?) day with Geoff and went to fetch J from the Library. We ordered pizzas from Eagle Boys and enjoyed the vista across the Bay while we waited. No dolphins this time but very serene and beautiful, as always.
Paul had just arrived and we left the three “kids” while we shot down to the beach with a selection of pizza slices and a beer. The Mandurah Mozzies were out but we shuffled and waved while we enjoyed the Supreme and the sunset. It was a perfect setup with a clear horizon and a solid cloud cover overhead. The setting sun got in underneath and lit up the cloud in a series of rolling waves, which became richer and redder. The pattern was mirrored on the water, where it alternated with silver flashes while the sun stayed up.
Aaron arrived soon after we got home to spend some time with Alyssa, who has decided over the past 24 hours that she much prefers to walk upright. All too soon it was her bed time and there were a few grandmotherly tears as she was carried off (Alyssa). Amanda rang and Paul had excellent news of Lachlan’s progression to kneeling and rocking. We are very lucky indeed.
I had shocked everyone by spreading some clothes around the lounge some weeks ago but (predictably) there were no jocks (again) and packing trailed on through the evening, along with finalising bank passwords and balances. Finally, I cleared the spread of paperwork off the kitchen counter and all was ready. Except for the bathroom. Ooooh whatever. The alarms are set for 0245!
Wednesday September 15th
We all woke in time and I polished off the bathroom packing. Paul drove us to the airport and we sailed through the checkin process. The guy in the aisle seat wandered off and found himself a seat with better legroom. This left us 3 seats which was a big improvement but we still got little sleep on the 5.5 hour flight to KL.
The transit area was half as good as Singapore and a thousand times better than Kathmandu. Nowhere to lie down except the floor but a few reasonable snack places. Bad weather delayed many takeoffs but we left on time at 6.15. We had been given seats astride the aisle but J’s neighbours didn’t show so she had 3 seats to herself. Only 4.5 hours and not bad at all. We had seatbelts on for most of the flight because of moderate bumps but we enjoyed a spectacular lightning show. Something I had never seen before. We were high above low cloud, which had clumped up in patches either because of storm patterns or around mountains? These clumps frequently erupted in blazes of flickering light.
We shot through the formalities with lightning speed. Chinese authorities come with a grim reputation and we had qualms about some of the contraband but they seemed bent on emptying the hall. Our pickup was waiting for us and we took off on the ring road, usual mad driving. Through lots of industrial area, then a district of neon, although not as full on as Hong Kong. Chengdu has 8 million people. Arrived at Hostel midnight. Very tired and ready for a good nights sleep.
Thursday September 15
Sims is a very good backpackers, we are on 5th floor (Top). King size bed ensuite, comes with a pair of walkie-talkies. There is a rabbit living in and around the gardens/building, even hopping into the dining area at breakfast time.
Nice little Feng Shui garden/pond with Koi, tortoise and rat. So have already ticked off 2 of the Chinese star signs. Going to have to play the Chinese Checkers game that is in the upstairs chillout area. Little wander along local streets to locate ATM. Very clean streets, nice shops, they were very welcoming in the fruit and veg shop and spoke English. YAY. Bought cheap bananas. All the fruit in prime condition. The dentists were drilling out their patients right in the shop window!! Saw several of these ‘shops’ up to 6 chairs with patients in full view. Various types of medical clinics, although we haven’t seen the shopfront proctologist yet! Trying to plan Tibet trip today.
Nice little Feng Shui garden/pond with Koi, tortoise and rat. So have already ticked off 2 of the Chinese star signs. Going to have to play the Chinese Checkers game that is in the upstairs chillout area. Little wander along local streets to locate ATM. Very clean streets, nice shops, they were very welcoming in the fruit and veg shop and spoke English. YAY. Bought cheap bananas. All the fruit in prime condition. The dentists were drilling out their patients right in the shop window!! Saw several of these ‘shops’ up to 6 chairs with patients in full view. Various types of medical clinics, although we haven’t seen the shopfront proctologist yet! Trying to plan Tibet trip today.
Afternoon stroll towards the city centre. Thoroughly smogged in and yet the scooters all run on battery power, as do most or all of the cars. It’s hell for the pedestrians because they creep up on you unheard – along the pavements and from all angles when you are on the zebra crossings. Minimal use of the hooter. Seemingly all very civilised and disciplined.
Babies in arms without nappies!! They wear jumpsuits with open up access to the rear end and the one mum was walking along with a finger in baby’s bum (in a manner of speaking). Actually the editorial committee is now divided over the exact design but we will clarify after further inspection. Banks everywhere – one of which had a jeep with a rack of rocket launchers fixed on the back, complete with an array of fearsome looking shells. Robbers beware!
Inevitably we popped in at Maccas. Quite restrained in the sense that the Golden Arches were not the most prominent feature for miles around. Must be resistance to capitalist cultural imperialism. The Mcflurries were delicious and less than $2. The “meals” were about half priced. (We didn’t eat there)
I’m not enjoying working with a small screen and no mouse! We had wifi access at KL and Sim’s has about 7 channels. We are in an annexe reached 5 floors up via the Bridge of . . . Death! It’s decidedly dodgy and has threadbare old wooden planks placed over even older and dodgier planks. We face the main road below but it is double glazed and pretty quiet. The whole compound is tucked away behind huge double gates . . something like Fort Apache.
Friday Sept 16th
One of the several babies in the care nursery.
Giant Pandas!! Early brekky then off in a van with the hotel party. About half a day. Yes they are soooo cute . . and sooooo lazy. Make wombats look energetic. They have distinctly carnivorous front teeth but actually live on bamboo shoots and leaves. We saw the intensive care ward where they were nursing 1 month old pink things in humidicribs. Very vigorous grooming with brushes. Apparently pandas cant be trusted to mate or raise babies properly so it is all done clinically by humans. There are only 2000 live pandas worldwide and China “owns” them all, including any born overseas. We saw the famous one who is an ambassador of the Earth Hour movement.
On the way there we had another almost accident. This one also related to freeway cloverleaf flyover intersections. A taxi in front had STOPPED and was going sideways across the lanes to take an offramp to the right. They drive on the right here. Our driver braked sharply and had to take the ramp as well. He then spoke quietly calmly and briefly to the taxi driver. We reversed and steered back into the main flow of traffic. I later asked the guide what he had said, expecting some profound and ancient Chinese wisdom. Apparently it lacked a direct translation but her nearest attempt was exactly what most Aussies would have said. 2 words 7 letters.
We are having second and third thoughts about Tibet. It’s a heap of money to see Everest and no guarantee that it will be visible on the day or that we would cope with the 5,000+ metres. It probably won’t happen . . this time. Perhaps they will loosen up on the regulations which make it all so cumbersome and expensive.
Great excitement in the evening!! We got an email from Stephie and fired one back to invite her to get on Skype. It worked like a dream and we had half an hour or more with various children and Lachlan, who obligingly stared at the screen/camera.
Saturday Sept 17th
Backs stiff from the unyielding bed but much more of that still to come. RAIN!! The Bridge of Death is now downright perilously slippery as well. A quiet day around the hostel, repacking to dump the 20kg bag here until we come back for it.
We are presently unable to post directly to the blog or to see it ourselves. This should change in 5 weeks.
We have booked for Beijing tomorrow. Presently at half time of the Eagles final. Not bad at all sitting here with pizza and a burger and chips “watching” the game. And what a sensational and satisfying finish! Another very enjoyable Skype session with all the kids and grandkids at Cass’ except Steph.
(Emailed to me from mum so i could post it, Steph)
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