Kung Fu Panda n the Karate kid

in K.L

kailani_merrie — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:14:00 GMT

Sat 26 march

Ok we are in Kuala Lumpur now.....arrived midnight .....and yes

Confucius say......don't buy cheap chinese suitcase.....otherwise when claim baggage it covered in "fragile" tape and clothes sticking out........

Yep all i can say is bloody cheap chinese shit......

needed a suitcase for all these winter clothes we had to buy...amongst other stuff......yep paid not much for it $10......yep....wheels fell off.....zip clips come off and when we collect baggage from off the flight ...didn't recognize the bag as it had "fragile" tape all over it....yep and lucky for us , we didnt have our dirty underwear in that bag.....as there were clothes sticking out inbetween all the tape....!!........well i guess you just have to laugh.....oh and buy another bag!!

So we are now just wondering the streets of China town.....wishing we bought our swimmers with us.....not use to the heat after all that coldness....Have been to K.L a few times and have done all the the touristy things..so we are really doing nothing much, just the last bit of shopping.

Sunday 27th march

Our last day....poobumwee.....so don't want to go home. This morning i went off to buy that bag we needed. I went fishing for the best deal last night and have now come back this morning to see if i can better...i dont't want to pay more than 50 ringet....which is about $17......i went back into one of the shops from last night, and the Indian man working there....anyway cut a long story short.....i could get the bag at a big discount if i let him touch and look at my boobs!!!....too funny....i ended up telling them off and having my say and getting angry (wasnt realy), they didnt like me getting upset with them so they give me the dicount....without flashing my tits and letting him have a grope......thank goodness Kailani wasn't there....then again, he wouldn't of said it if she was. So i got to get the bag that i wanted and the price i wanted....

So thats it for me....till the next adventure

thanks for reading

Photos: Kuala Lumpur

kailani_merrie — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:42:00 GMT

Photos: Hong Kong.......and H.K Disneyland

kailani_merrie — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 02:32:00 GMT

Hong Kong.....and Hong Kong Disneyland

kailani_merrie — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 02:57:00 GMT

Ni hoa.... thursday 24 march

Chinese, Japanese, Hong Kong money please.........i been walking around saying that saying in my head past few days.....Use to say it when i was a kid, and am still doing the actions that go with it......ANyone know what I'm talking about........no prob not...

Hong Kong......the land of the many buildings....am still trying to figure out if i like this place or not. Holey toledo it's expensive for accomadation here. I'm just about spent as much here for 3 nights as i did for 3weeks in China. Our room is smaller than a shoe box.....much smaller than our room in KL.......i can touch the wall on one side and stretch my leg out and touch the other side.......its only the length of the bed......yep more like a pill box.....and costing $62 AUD a nite..........I could go cheaper but that means they use the hotels for "love" rooms.....and the entrances to them is very seedy....i figured i best not give Kailani that experience......so its a pill box in a family run hotel.

Lots of great food places to eat.....but alot more exy than what I have been paying. So when your on a tight budget....Hong Kong kinda kills it. Lots of things to do here.....other than SHopPing!!!!!......You could go to town here...lordy.....its hard not to just buy buy and buy.....This place is filled with shopping centres, shops and wait more shops. How many shops do they need. The metro is great way to get around and soooo easy. We have been hopping on and off the metro the whole time we have been here.

Yesterday we wondered around, found ourselves at the peak tram.....for a birds eye view of the city. Then a wonder around the streets of Soho....i .like this part of town.

We came across the rugby thingmejig they were doing. Sponsers of HongKong rugby team.....didn't know they had a rugby team...well you learn something everyday.....apparently big game on this weekend and the place is booked out because of it. Anyway they had a few "jumping castle" game thingy that you could have a go on.... like tackling, and bungy cord thing.....i dont't know what there called.....and also kicking.....kailani had fun doing it and got a couple of little free things out of it.

Checked out plenty of shops...as you do in Hong Kong.....and spent money on i don't know what......it seems to disappear while your here but nothing to show for it.

Today we went to DISNEYLAND......we were very excited. Especially miss Kailani. Easy to get to..hop on the metro and your there within no time. We had a fun time...no one was there inthe mornings.....they all come after 12......just like everything here and in China...things dont start going till late morning...So we didnt have to line up for rides. We had to line up for one or two other wise straight onto them. Funny the lines that you had to line up for ages is the line to see the characters and get your photo taken. They do it just like getting your photo taken with Santa.......now all the times i have been to Disneyland in the States, you dont do this......the characters walk around the park and you kinda just go up to them.....but no here its all very orderly. Also Hong kong Disney have hardly any characters out and about compared to U.S Disney. We got to see Mickey. Minnie, Pluto, Tangled, Alice, and a couple more....but that was it!!.....Also H.K Disney has hardly any rides, and is way smaller than U.S. No realy good rides.....well not for older kids.....it realy only caters for the little kids. But it was FUn....being there.....i was getting into trouble the whole day from Kailani for singing and doing a jig to all the disney songs.....you cant not march when you hear....mickey mouse club mickey mouse club.....blah blah blah.......im sure all of you would of done the same...or maybe not......and what about whistle while you work......anyway i embarrassed her big time.....but hey isn't thats what parents do when you have teenager .......i think i will be waking up in the middle of the night now singing disney songs......and dont start me on the ...its a small world song, that so gets stuck in my head and i hate it......The annoying thing that happened today, just after we walked into disney.....was my camera's battery went flat!!!! omg i was so annoied with myself....of all times.....ningnong forgot to recharge the battery last nite....so could of kicked myself......lucky i had my phone....till that ran out of battery also.........yep what a ningnong

So our favourite ride would have to be the buzz light year one....we went on it 3 times.....kinda like a 3d game you play......Anyway was fun being a kid for the day....and can't wait to go to U.S Disney again one day.

After a full day at Disney we then went to Temple st, markets......so had to be strong and not buy things.....we cant carry anymore....as its trains to the airport and also will have to public transport it home back in oz......so frustrating .....all these stupid winter clothes we had to buy...take up way too much room.......the markets were pretty cool to hang out in and check out......love this part of the town also.....i much prefer market shopping than the shop shops......

Friday

Not going to have time to do all the things in Hong Kong that we would like to do. Time goes way too quickly especially when you get up around 10 am....seems to be the norm around here....we stay out too late.....

am at the airport now ......thats it for Hong Kong

Photos: around Guangzhou....and Nanfeng Ancient kiln Shiwan

kailani_merrie — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 02:24:00 GMT

arriving in Guangzhou and the Nanfeng ancient kiln

kailani_merrie — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 03:10:00 GMT

tues 22 march

so the story goes like this....

the bus had stoppped, it was still dark and I had no idea where we were....we couldnt be there yet,i was told that it got in at 7.30 am and its 5.30 now....mmmm not everyone is getting off..mmmm anyone here speak english.....nope!....wondering.....mmm ....i tried asking driver..."is this Guangzhou?"....and he kinda shrugged at me flipped his hand and said something i heard the word Guangzhou, but was no clearer with where we were.......mmmm....hey look there's a black dude (african, found out later guangzhou is full of them...on business..yeah)...

"you speak English" i say to him.

"yes"....o thank the lordy i say to myself...but then he started to saying all this stuff to me in his english...wtf is he saying....

i went back to my seat, oh yeah i mean bed....and just lye there thinking...oh well i have no idea what we are doing here...bus isn't moving, not everyone is off the bus, so maybe its tsill going...all i know we were getting off at the last stop....

in lala land and the black dude comes up to me (half an hr after i spoke with him and said.."you have to get off now..this is Guangzhou"....huh..im confused...i just go with it

he asked me where am i going...i show him the place...mmmm

"ching ching chong wing wam wong xie xue xie" whatever he said in chinese to this girl

he then tells me this girl will show you taxi to go to this place.....cool bananas i thought...

so off we trot down the road...its light now.....oh and thank god its not raining....allaluihah.....and not cold....more praising the lord...

oh...hello nightmare trying to get a taxi to where ever we are going...this girl was good...i didnt haveto say anything she just talk....

finally we get a taxi...she say ..."i come with you, so you get place ok"....

oh ok i say, dont worry me.....

so we go to youth hostel...and poobumwee...no room....

hotel next door....they say no room

taxi driver chuck a spass...n no take us anywhere...whatever he say in chinese...

so we stand outside going....ok....what now...mmmm umm yeah...why didnt i book a room....won dum gai....

the hotel say we can wait in there...oh good thanks....she talk to them....they say they have room now....delux room....

so we ended up taking room.......

now this the funny part..........triple room

i didnt pay, the girl wouldnt let me.....cause she staying with us!!! ha

ummmm hello.....what you think you doing......

Kailani and I just look at each other and go......what the????

how did that happen...n what....

i say its ok.....but room already paid for....and off we go to our room!!!

I scratching me head still wondering....am i dreaming......

She say its ok...i will come with you to Shiwan....now this place , Shiwan is the whole reason why we are in Guangzhou...it is the pottery town and where the old kiln is (more about that later)......Shiwan too hard for you go by self...i come with you....and see Guangzhou...i come with you

Oh ok..........whatever

i sleep and then wake going...o my god...she planning, when we are gone, she going to have her friend come in and steal all our things etc....no...whe wants something else...what does she want....yep all those thoughts cross my mind...i ended up going...she can have all my stuff, dont matter....too late now, shes here...just have to go with it.

So we have our snoozy and then head off on the metro to shopping....yep...im thanking Lilly now being there...yep if we went by ourselves would of been so difficult....

we have lunch with here friend and they paid for lunch....she would not let me pay for a thing all day!!....

So this place is sooo cheap...we didnt but any clothes, i found them all too tacky....converse rip offs $3...dvd 80c (new releases) ...and lots more stuff......and no we didnt get alot of stuff here..we have to carry and with all the winter clothes we had to buy....

The next day we head off to Shiwan.....to the Nanfeng ancient kiln.. This kiln hasn't stopped since the ming dynasty, I won't go into detail about it here and bore you non potters....but basically this is a ceramic town and in the middle of it is this ancient kiln, and surrounding village ..

.....anyway this is such a cool place...i was so excited being here....and you lot at tafe....i so wished you were all here.......seeing that kiln in action.....everything about it...took lots of photos for show and tell....and the ancient town surrounding it...very cool......the museum was like right out of one of Rowleys classes in 3d...kinda....

and then i had a go at the wheel....you can play for $4 for an hour....this clay was soooo good to work with....wish we had it at home......

of cause the westerner having a go at the wheel was entertaining for the chinese....now im realy in the spotlight......no one was around when i started, i was off in my own little world trying to centre etc and then felt eyes looking , looked up and great....about 10 people around me watching....oh piss off stop laughing at me.......but then i made a good bowl..yes they were impressed...i was more impressed with myself then they were.....so i mucked around with the clay....and was so good to have a play, have missed it....anyway.....i felt someone else watching.....and looked up and this man said "good..good"" and smiled and Lilly the girl said he said that you good, but he can teach you something if you like....he is teacher..

yes cool banana.......he can show me.....yes..

so he grabbed some clay, sat there with me and ....oh my god.....

my mouth hit the ground and i was like ...oh..my ...goodness...did you see that....kailani quick get the video....this man was the one hand bandit...what he did and how quick....was oh my lordy....

and then he grabbed my hands and was guiding them on the clay and talking to me in chinese which i have no idea what on earth he was saying but kinda did.....i think i was in shock...didnt expect the quickness and....i was just lost for words.....by this time i had all the workers around us, they were filming him teaching me and then Llilly was kinda translating for me...she kept saying, you are lucky you very lucky...he is teaching you this....he is most famous chinese teacher.....he does not teach many people...he is teaching lots, way more than he has taught his students...which were the ones that were working there and surrounding me......i sat there with him for about an hour......and i have no idea how much i took in, it all went so fast....and not understanding what he was saying...but he was a true master on the wheel and i was very priviledge to get that oppotunity out of the blue.....apparently his students where very envious...and he said to me that if i had more time he would teach me much more....and i should come back there and he would teach me.....that would be soooo cool....so if it wasn't for my new room mate iwouldnt of got that experience and i doubt very much if i got to that place at all....as it would of been very difficult to find on my own. Sorry you lot that are not into clay....that would of been very boring for you reading all about that....kailani was soooo bored the whole day. Going to that place and doing my Tai chi would be my highlights of coming to China, and meeting those masters.

So i had a good day hanging out, checking out the village and the other otherpotters, and artists and the sculptures etc.

So our friend..more like room mate/translater what ever she called has been with us the whole time we have been in Guangzhou....it has been very easy for us being here because of her, it would of been difficult otherewise....she has left us now,as we are on the bus to Hong kong. She did not ask for money, she did not ask for anything, she was such a beautiful girl and out of the goodness of her heart she wanted to show us and help us around. She spoke english a little english, she wasnt fluent and realy didnt understand alot of what we were saying....but it was good to have her help us. She paid for so many things, she keptinsisting, she so wanted to look after us. When we said goodbye to her, i did give her money ( about $50) as she was a great help and would of been worth alot more if we hired her to take us places....she said it would of cost her $50 to havea english teacher for 2hours...she got us for a couple of days, so in the end she got what she wanted...just to practice speaking english.

So now its off to Hong Kongers......damn its going to be expensive here...accomadation is already costing me about $60 a night and thats a cheap cheap place...and we wont be getting much for that... my $10 a night everywhere else has gone hohum......

So its a goodbye China.... until next time.....damn there was so many things i wanted to get but didnt get to buy....poobumwee

update about Hong kong later....till next time

leaving yangshou

kailani_merrie — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:47:00 GMT

sat 19 march

We have just left Yangshou...on our way to Guangzhou. On an sleeper bus....this is the ultimate way to travel long distance....omg...you should see this bus......too funny....its like a hotel on wheels....

firstly you have to take your shoes off before you get on the bus...into plastic bags....mmmm yep the smell of smelly feet mmm actually i think there mine...i have no idea, maybe theyre the mans feet that are at my head.....or a collection of the whole bus...hopefully the smell will wonder off....forget seatbelts on this bus....there are actually no seats on this bus.....they are all beds!!! ha...each with there own blanket and pillow....oh and tv!!, there all watching some chinese war movie....i'll just stick to the computer....each bed is very narrow, about 10cm wider than my hips...unless you have the pretty cool triple seater bed....they look very cosy...there are three rows and each row have bunks....this could be the best party bus ever....im in the front and i have to keep looking behind and laughing...on the inside....as this is so bizaar to see...when it gets light i will be such a tourist and will be taking photos....

ok enough about the bus

I know, we have finally left Yangshou....sad...we didnt want to...

i didnt even get to do all the things i wanted....mainly because of the stupid rain.....it has rained non stop since sunday....and has been cold still.....i thought it was suppose to be around 18 deg at this time of the year...agh no...been average 8deg...no not liking the cold at all....

by the way....i feel another epic coming on...sorry to bore you...or maybe i could do it in parts....depends on how long the battery last for...

so what have we been doing....

lets just tell you about our day first.....

we were on our wondering around when we came across a photo booth shop thingy...this is the thing to do here in china and im guessing Japan....you pick your designs and then you stand in front of a computer and you do some dumb cheesy smiles and try to look glam and then they print the photo, put some glittery plastic cover on it....and whola...you have your 6 mini photos....and then you collect them....you in all sorts of poses and guess what else you do with them....you swap them...with your friends....we have a collection of two already from friends.....and now we have our own collection, that we can pass on to our friends.....i know.....corny...but hey it was fun...and when your hanging with a 13 yr old...this was a cool thing to do.....oh and also a crowd drawer....this place was non stop of young kids coming in and getting this done....damn, wish we found it days ago, would brought our friends here to do cheesy group shots...and of cause start up a big collection..

After we left our photography session, we came across a guy in the street selling....have a guess...yes....porcipines!!! what the .....here are these 3 little sute prcipines...he ahs then upside down and you could see there lttle cute faces and there little cute feet sticking out...omg, they were so cute...ive never seen a porcipine before...they were all curled up trying to hide....he gave one to Kailani to hold...she was making lots of noises because she thought they were going to hurt, but she said they didnt realy, just felt like lots of pins n needles, and they left her hand with lots of indents....and of cause, when she was holding the porcipine...lots of photos were taken...and not just by me....i asked the man, what you do with them.....they EAT them!! oh no...they were to cute to be eaten...how do they eat them?? do they pull the spikes out?? i wonder...i didnt ask him that...didnt want to know that one...we wanted rescue them...

ok...now to what we have been doing during the week. We have been doing a few things. We went out for dinner one night with a group of friends...yummmm the best vegetarian restuarant..things you would not think of ever to have...so good...caramilsed taro balls...omg so good...sweet n sour fried eggplant...mmm sooooo good....i think we had about 10 dishes...that we shared and cost me $5....and it was a beautiful restaurant

....after dinner we wondered down to bar 98....for quiz nite...it was packed of westerners...appparently all living here....teachers and rock climbers....we had our team...kailani played very well....putting her input to alot of the answers, far more than any of my input,...anway we came third...which was pretty good....and we staggered out of there at midnight...kailani was impressed...she wanted to do it again the next night...not for me...i stunk of cigarettes...one thing i hate about China....they still smoke inside everywhere....so gross...you forget what smoking in buses and cafes, anywhere...so annoying.

We climbed the tall mountain..the tv tower mountain...o lordy, that nearly killed me, 50 million steps....but worth the view.....you dont realise how many mountains surround this place...pretty cool...legs were jelly after coming down...and it stopped raining for the walk....for the first time. It hasnt stopped raining here...driving me up the wall.

What else have we been doing....ummmm..there's something else i was going to tell you...what was it...ummm no wasnt that i have 50 million dvd's...ummm...oh yeah i remember....i had a cooking lesson the other day....cool bananas....it was fun.....even had to wear...chef hat and apron...hat looked more like in the navy hat...there was only two of us doing the class...my friend Lillian and I...we had 3 dishes each that we chose and learnt how to cook them....so now i know how to cook chinese....and we got to eat it after it....it was way to much for the two of us to eat 6 dishes..so we took it back to hostel for the boys to eat....we cooked....chinese dumplings, sweet n sour pork, chinese stir fry vegetables, vegetable noodles and string beans and something else...was so easy...and no not cooking for all of you...thats a one off thing and Shirley if your lucky i may remember how to cook it again and we may have chinese for dinner one night.....I wish i did the lesson weeks ago, as i would of done more classes and learnt many more dishes...oh well next time...

ok somebody please tell the bus driver to stop whistling...its starting to annoy me..

We went for an excursion to a local "willage" The other day....to Fuli...this place is old ming dynstay or something like that...plenty of old buildings..which mean plenty of photos....i like this town better than Xing Ping...thats another town we visited which havent toldyou about...anyway taht doesnt matter anymore...

ok now what on earth is the driver saying over the loud speaker...hes turned the light on and speaking very loudly over the microphone...ok back to the story blah blah blahblah

...i wrote about that one on the blog thingy that i have been trying to get together...its where i have put all the photos on....i need to catch up alot with the photos as well.....so if you want to hear about that story read it there..

ok...toilet stop...omg....that was thE strangest toilets that i have seen...this one takes the cake....talk about comunal peeing...no doors...hello...i can see your butt...oh and you can see mine....oh where is that wee going to...look out its going down your way, down the canal...where all the wee meets......ok these toilets are like a toilet block....there are no doors, they are like little cubicles and the wall that you can hide your butt in is only waist high, so its suppose to give you sometype of privacy, but not....so when you stand up...!..and there is no hole or drain that you pee in, its like a trough...didnt look if it went up stream or down stream....omg...get out of there quick...lordy please no more stinkypoo toilet stops for me......sorry about the toilet talk, but that was one to write home about....funny funny funny

ok...try and sleep now

Photos: Guilin .....Li River

kailani_merrie — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:44:00 GMT

bamboo raft from Yangdi to Xing Ping

Photos: Yangshou....CHINA

kailani_merrie — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:48:00 GMT

around yangshou

Photos: around Fuli, CHINA

kailani_merrie — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:00:00 GMT

visit to the village Fuli

kailani_merrie — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:56:00 GMT

Ni Hao everyone...... sunday 13th March

As I have finished my Tai Chi lessons and Kailani has finished her Kung Fu classes we have free days again........but what do we do now?

After fartassing around this morning and umming and aghing in what to do..........we finally decided......at 2pm. Lets ride bikes to Fuli....mmmm nah lets just catch the bus. So we hop on to our bus to Fuli...(Chinese pronounce is Fwuli)....I love catching local buses, there is always so much to see and experience in catching these buses. It is one way to capture local life. Our bus by rights seats 9.....no.. but of cause not in Asia....it seats 17!! quiet comfortably. Of cause we are in the seats (well kind of seats) behind the driver and yes that just happens to face everyone else....yes a good view of the tourists...and for some reason, its always funny to watch us, even if we are doing nothing at all. So the bus ended up being much cheaper than any bamboo boat or bike....3 yuan....45c...and a 15 min travel trip..beats an 1 1/2 bike ride.

Arrived in Fuli town and walked to the old area....visited the farmers markets on the way...which is always an entertaining site....and a rare thing in asian markets...the smell was good. Cooking...mmm something was smelling good. One thing about China.....there are so many smells....but all to do with cooking and they all smell so good. So many times i have smelt something and want to eat and i'm not even hungry.

We wondered through this village and taking 50 million photos......loving it. It's an historic village with stone houses and cobbled lanes. It is famous for its handmade fans. We came across a few places that were making these.....they are huge fans. Interesting to watch. Lots of colours. You would walk past one house and in there you would see red fans lying around and then another house green and it goes on...each house seemed to concentrate on one particular colour.

It was a very quiet sleepy village....had that old smell, but in a good way. Oh and so many cute little old Chinese men and women....they were everywhere....so cute seeing one couple walking up the laneway holding hands....you don't see that....thats a rare picture. Lots of old people hiding in the doorways, sleeping. They must be so cold in these houses. They are all made of stone and its dark and damp.....narrow laneways...they dont use much electricity....i guess just lots of layers....and in the summertime it would be nice and cool.

Found ourselves by the river........surrounded by the beautiful karst mountains....water buffaloes hanging around and wait for it...the sun trying to show itself...something we havent seen much. It was very peaceful. I practiced my Tai chi beside the river, surrounded by water buffaloes, mountains behind me and the old village just over there...was a pretty cool spot to practice Tai chi.

We had lots of groups of boys yelling out and making noises.....some even yelling out...."i love you."..yep Kailani had a following. They had been following us for some time now...much to her disgust.

We stayed in Fuli for a few hours before we grabbed another bus back into town.

hanging out in yangshou

kailani_merrie — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:42:00 GMT

Ni Hao.. Friday 11march

i guess i should give you all an update, i think it's been a while. Just that I have been too busy....doing nothing much....it's amazing how the hours go in a day doing nothing, and alwaysi seem to run out of time to write.

We are still in Yangshou.....yes still here.....i kinda had a feeling I would stay most of our time here. I was hoping to go to another place, a few hours away....a place called Dragon backbone terraces.....rice terraces and in amongst it wooden villages. The weather has been putting me off from going.....no point if its misty all day and raining....we wouldnt see anything......and apparently they dont have heating and its damp and freezing.....so have decided to give it a miss......buggerpoobumwee,

So instead will just hang around here longer and find things to do.....

This week.......i have been doing my Tai chi lesson everyday for 2 hrs. Have just finished learning my 24 steps and am now mastering them. Have been doing the lessons in the "classroom" and not in the park most days.........rain......sends you indoors.....i liked doing my lesson in the park with every Tom, Dick and Harry.....or should i say .....with every Wing, Wong and Li.... oh and dont forget Tontong. I guess im lucky, my master has a "classroom" that he uses for rainy days, I have a friend that is learning also with another master and he has to find shelter somewhere when it rains and not much fun when its cccooold. Master Yaung gave me a big hug and said " u fast leawner.....vewy good."....that did make me feel better because i was having inner tantrums because i wasnt getting it, taking to long in learning, and forgetting....amazing how you beat yourself up....when it realy doesnt matter......i didnt have to prove to anyone, or even compare....just an inner battle, so was pleased then with sef when he said that.....

My master Yaung has been learning this since he was 5 yrs old.....his master was 93 when he started teaching him.....he died when he was 103, and still practised tai chi till the day he died. His next master, was 70+ when he started teaching him.....he is now 95

and can still know someone out with one blow...pretty cool......and i have seen photo of his master....i swear he was only in his early 70,s.....mind you i still cant get over how old Master Yaung is.....i nearly didnt have lessons from him because i thought he was so young....he's 41 and looks 20+......he tells me...."yes, if you do Tai chi everyday, you will look younger".....hello...bring on the hours of tai chi everyday for me...thankyou very much.

Tomorrow is my last day with him....i just have to come again and learn the 240 steps!! that will take me a few months....anyway, Kailani has started Kung Fu lessons with him now.....so watch out boys,,,she knows how to defend herself now, and watch out when you try and trip her in the playground....she's prepared. She will be having lessons with him for the rest of the week, while we are here.

So Tai chi has been taking up most of the day......other than hanging out at cafe's still....eating our way around the place...Last night we went for dinner with a couple of people, up the river. Just out of town and at a place where all the locals eat. Well this lot ordered a local dish......i called it "cockhead soup".......it was a chicken stew.....with everypart of the chicken in that pot....bar its feathers......and yes that is a beak in my soup........along with the rest of the head.......feet, intestines, you name it, it was in there......and they ate the head and all......and no they were not chinese.....americans!.....mmm aparently it was very delicious...

While I'm at it....local delicacies....yep went for a stroll to the local market.....as you do when your wondering around town......come across the meat section....lots of fleshy meat hanging around, chickens looking like those plastic floppy things you would buy as a toy(you do here anyway)....and then i see........ the skinned dogs!!......and then you see them skinning them and cleaning them up....not a nice sight.....i couldnt look any more and turned away, and then i saw what has haunted me ever since...omg......a cage with about 4 dogs in it.......but it was the look that one was giving me.....a brief moment thats all it took, but felt like a long stare.....it looked up at me with those eyes.....it was like it knew what was going on......i wanted to cry....had to quickly move away and then pass .lots of other cages with all sorts of creatures....ducks, geese, chickens, pigeons, other feathery things, rabbits....and.....no....that look was still there, could still see it....i wasnt expecting to see live ones. I'm glad Kailani wasnt with me.

Ok got to get that picture out of my head....mmmmm lets see what else have we been doing.......um....walked up to the tv tower the other day.....man that was steep....my legs killed for days after........very steep climb....fantastic views, and we were lucky it was a bit of a clear day. Jelly legs when we came down.....was good excercise.

Treated myself to a traditional Chinese massage after that workout........yep, i like that massage.......hurt a bit, but a good hurt......and didnt have to take clothes off for that massage, too cold for taking off clothes........ Before i was taken to this massage place I found another one, I've past a few times in the alley way.....checked out the prices and types of massages etc....and when i went in there, the girl shakes her head meaning "no"....and im saying, massage and pointing to the sign and she keeps shaking her head and kind of not letting me go any further.....ok...i figured they must be closed...so off i went, and then went past the backpacker hostel couple doors up...decided to turn around go in and ask...."do you know of anywhere for massages....or when that one opens"....she told me oh no, that one is a sex one, you dont want that one.........agh...no...no thanks...i not that one......no wonder the girl wouldnt let me past the door.........but there is nothing to say to say it is......unless there is a big chinese sign and me dum gai....cant read......but....hey ....its all in english as well....anyway, i was lead to a nice one, thankgod.

Oh yes...... weird when you meet people in a totally strange country and start chatting and then you find out that they know people that you know.....blows me away everytime that happens.....happened today...pretty cool. Anyway just thought i'd add that bit.

Photos: xing Ping

kailani_merrie — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 03:09:00 GMT

tai chi in Yangshou

kailani_merrie — Thu, 3 Mar 2011 11:38:00 GMT

Thursday 3 march

Its now thursday...the days go so quick. especially when your doing nothing. So getting back to what we have been doing. Yesterday i started Tai Chi lessons. With a Tai Chi master....all to myself. Pretty cool having private lessons with a my very own master. He even wears the white pyjama looking clothes while he is giving the lesson. Am loving doing Tai Chi. I had learnt some tai chi about 15 yrs ago, but have since forgotten and besides i learnt in a gym room with about 30 other people. So totally different learning from a Chinese master and with you being the only pupil. Yesterday we practised in the local park. The park in mornings in China is the place to be. It was an amazing thing to see. Firstly there are all these bright coloured lanterns hanging everywhere....they look pretty cool. And then you see heaps of people everywhere and hear all different sounds of music. There a groups dancing...all in time, moslty older people....one group are ballroom dancing kind of....another dancing chinese version of line dancing....another dancing with drums and ribbons.....another with swords......another just some kind of dancing.....and then there are the men doing some sort of lawn bowls.......and then there are the people doing their tai chi......so many things to look at. people watching.....it is such a cool place to see....the energy here is great and they all seem to be happy doing this........why dont we have something like this back home.....its packed.....hard trying to find a possie to have my lesson....

...and then i have people watching me....oh go away you lot......and stop taking photos of the westerner trying to learn tai chi...just cause your an expert at it.....why do they always laugh at me??....im trying to concentrate...how can i when you lot at watching me....piss off....

....this morning it was raining so i got to have lesson in the classroom, which much better way to concentrate, dont have all the distraction around me, that my mind would wonder off and watch while he was showing me the next move,,,,,good view from the windows also....and not getting wet helps.

...am off there again tomorrow, i think i will be having lessons everyday that i am here.....kailani is going to have lessons with him in kung fu......private lessons also, pretty cool....she will be like karate kid.....watch out kids at home....wouldnt be messing with her....i may even do it to....

Not going for our big bike ride today as its raining....buggerpoobumwee....also Kailani not feeling to good...sore throat n head....looks like a day for watching movies and sitting in cafe drinking hot chocolates...

around yangshou

kailani_merrie — Wed, 2 Mar 2011 11:28:00 GMT

Ni Hao, wed 2 march

I suppose its time to update you lot. So what have we been doing? where are we?

By the way im freezing again.....was so nice and warm the last few days and yesterday it turned on us again.....damn those marshmellow jackets, thinking of them again...

Ok back to what have we been doing..

Well for a start we are still in Yangshou. We like it here. It's easy....menus are in english, most of the people speak some english.....beautiful scenery....its a backpackers place so lots of nationalities here, people to hang out and chat to from all over the world. We always meet lots of interesting people staying in places like this. We alls seem to hang out in cafe's....thats what you do when your not off riding around on bicycles...exploring caves...rockclimbing....bamboo rafting and if it was summer swimming....and there's loads more to do.

This place is beautiful....the karst limestone peaks that surrounds the town is stunning....to see this place in summer would be great....but being here now is better in some ways as there is not hoards of tourists and finding a room is easy and cheaper.Its a very well known area for chinese artists, as you see these mountains on everything, paintings, ceramics you name it its on it....even the 20 note. The part of the town where we are staying is the old part. No cars allowed and even bikes...its only foot which is realy nice way to get around all day ....no hassles of cars. The streets are narrow and are lined with old buildings which are only about 2-3 story high. These are filled with restaurants,bars, cafe's, shops......there are many skinny alleys that come off the main strip and much quiter and even more accomadations and cafes......we love just geting lost in here....cobblestone streets...makes it a pretty cool place to just hang out at. Thats why we are still here.

We are paying $10 a night for our room dble...comes with bathroom,aircon, tv, dvd and free movie hire and free wifi in rooms also...snuggly doonas and also towels...thats exciting having nice towels for this price......we getting alot for the price...and loving the free dvds, so everynight we watch a movie....mind you the latest, ones on at the movies at home.

So when we are not hanging out at cafe's all day and watching dvd.s at night or wondering the streets we are actually getting out there and doing things, doing some exploring.

yes.... will have to write another time of all the little things that amuse us...things that we see around the place.......not now

so...lets see what have we been doing..umm....oh yes we have been hiring bikes and riding around the countryside.....i should say....widing awound the countwyside to willages and eating wegetables.......i love it when that say that to you......you only have to be pushing a bike thru the main street (no riding allowed)....and they say to you..."

""yes yes....you widing to countwyside.....which willage you going to?'""

i tell them" Fuli"....they correct me and say no....its "fwuli"

So off we ride into the countryside.....lots of bike paths around which is realy good , so dont have to compete with cars and motorbikes....just dodge the buffalos.....and the buffalo poo.....giant poo's they are!!

oh also as watch out for skinny parts of the path....when going thru rice paddi fields.

i figured out something......

""confuscius say....."do not try and take photo's while riding pushbike......otherwise you end up in rice paddi"""

stop laughing.....yes down the ditch i went, first the wobbles and then down....lucky....i didnt get wet.....and nobody saw me...even better.......otherwise the chinese would be saying.....

"""o look....sum dum gai..."""

Anyway getting back to our bike ride. So one of the days we went riding, we took a guide...Mikki..she took us all around place we wouldnt of found...was pretty cool. Over beautiful bridges, thru rice paddi's and took us to her home to hang out with her kids. They were suppose to be coming with us. She had a 13 yr old daughter who was taller than Kailani. She was cute as she spoke a little bit of Chinese, and she was asking Kailani questions. I love the name of her brother (who was 6)...Ton Tong....cool name..... We left there and rode more.....she doesnt stop this Mikki, she just keeps on riding.....oh my aching buttocks.....not to mention my legs. Over 4 hours we rode for....i was totally exhausted when we got back and had the jelly legs. Had to have two days off before could get back on a bike. It was fun. Tomorrow hoping to do another big bike ride...this time to the old "willage Fwuli".....This is an old old town, and where they make the famous fans that you see. Will take about 2hrs to ride there. So riding the bike has been good....good to get the cheescakes that we have been eating off me....

.omg.....have put on so much weight.......the cheescakes are so good and Kailani's favourite drink....oreo and banana milkshakes......i dare not get one one for myself...they are huge and taste so good. The food here is much better than in Guilin.....alot more we can order., well know what we are ordering....dont have to point and pray that we get the right one. Eating lots of noodles and fried rices...spring rolls.....mmm what are we having for dinner tonight....off there now....vegie claypot...thats what i had...pretty good, huge but very tasty. No no dog on the menu there...i skip those restaurants.

right what else have we been doing??....mm thinking....yes..yesterday...i had a one on one calligraphy lesson....was good, i enjoyed it. I learnt how to write to 10 in chinese and also how to write the words.....love, happiness, buddah, long life and also Kailani and my name....pretty cool. Felt like being back in kindergarten and learning how to write again....even with the special paper with lines on it to help you write. Its kind of strange saying im writing chinese it feels more like im drawing or painting chinese....to me its like an artform, i guess chinese writing it everyday would think of it the same way we would in writing...nothing to it....just writing and not an artform. Anyway so now I will be buying some calligraphy bits n pieces for myself...and play.

Have had a couple of accupuncture treatments......holeytoledobatman.......it hurts here....omg...when she stuck the needle around my wrist or wherever it was, i nearly jumped through the roof.....and then in the foot.....ooooouuuch. At home having it done it doesnt hurt a bit. When she said to me ....Chinese accupuncture much stronger than western accupuncture, i thought yeah yeah......and then ...yep she was right.....it went after a bit...i guess it wasnt to bad if i fell asleep lying there. She wants me to go everyday for treatment.....i wagged the past 3 days and went back today......and i dont know if i want to go back......scaredy cat now.....

bamboo raft....Li river..Yangshou

kailani_merrie — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:25:00 GMT

Thursday 24 feb

We are here in Yangshou......again....nice n warm in my bed and loving free wifi in the room.....no more internet cafe.........cool bananas....although, internet cafe's was a place to meet fellow travellers and just to check out everyone. Here there doesnt seem to be any internet cafe's as such......everyone is travelling with there notebooks or using there phones.....technology....how it can change......forget postcards these days....anyway keeps you posted anyway.

By the way while i remember......if your waiting for us to post stuff on Facebook......forget it.....no can do from China!!......its a no no here.........part of the Government control on websites
no Facebook or twitter or any of those......i guess im lucky i can get onto yahoo.......another interesting thing is, on the tv especially the news.....you do not see anything of whats going on in the outside world of China.......tv programs ...only documentary's that are talking about China......havent seen any U.S, english or any other country programs. So will have to post photos on fb when i get back.....or email a couple.

Ok.......so our bamboo raft ride down the river

yep bamboo raft......are you having the vision of a tranquial relaxing float down the river.....on a raft made out of bamboo with a canopy for the shade.....agh yes peaceful, just cruising along looking at the beautiful scenery.....of these amazing limestone peaks jutting out of the earth........yes i have that vision.....
until.......

i boarded our raft............ha........bamboo raft my foot
hello......only bamboo thing on that raft was the chair that the girl in front of me was sitting on!!!
of cause we are in CHina.....what does China make well......of cause plastic!!
actually we laughed, big joke on us.......the bamboo raftsare actually.......plastic pipes joined together with a wooden flooring, chuck on some steel poles and a plastic sheet for the shade and a couple of wooden chairs....and lets make 2 of them made out of bamboo so its bamboo raft.............and then throw on a noisy whipper snipper engine for the motor..........and while your at it.......mother nature you can add in a bit of.... rain and a realy realy thick fog!!.....and then we have it. Our expensive boat ride down to Yangshou......i could of taken the $2 bus ride that takes an hr....

After all of that I am glad we chose that route......to see the river and the peaks in the thick fog was a different experience.....very eery....kinda reminded me of the mist of avalon.....and your waiting for something to happen just ahead.........but to see the tops of peaks kind of appearing out of the fog right on top of you was pretty cool.....and seeing a fisherman down stream standing on his "bamboo" raft....his is actually bamboo.....was something out of a painting......i guess in a way quiet magical......if it was sunny and clear .... i would of had a totally different experience. All along the river are these huge limestone peaks jutting out of the water and land which tower over top of you. With the fog it feels very Avartarish.....if thats a word......i have read somewhere a long while ago that part of the movie Avartar....where the mountains are in midair......was inspired from around here somewhere and i can see why with all this fog around......hopefully i will get to see it also when its clear weather....as these peaks surround Yangshou..

We stopped at a random place out of the middle of nowhere on the side of the river for lunch....enjoyed that....rice....and steamed wild vegies......finally steamed vegies!!....for less than $2.

Anyway it took most of the day to ride down the river and get to Yangshou.......

ok im off for breatill the next timekfast and for some exploring....will tell you about this place later

Guilin......

kailani_merrie — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:15:00 GMT

NI hao wed 23feb

Loving wifi and bringing my little compter with me.......its 5am and im lying snug in my bed......heaters on...and even have
an electric blankie...just need that hot choc.

Havent bought a marshmellow jacket as yet....tried some on yesterday, and they just dont seem to do it for me.

So far we have looked at alot of shops....Omg....they are everywhere....huge, and all they sell are marshmellow jackets...
lots of thermos (very stylish ones indeed)....and jeans. I can not just buy a jumper. I can find
tight fitted syntho knitted tops, but not big fluffy snuggly jumpers. I keep seeing the women knitting but none in the shops.....i gather im looking in the wrong spot......
They also have loud blaring chinese pop music out of the shops, one after the other...all competing, which turns into one very loud BLAH in
in your head. Love it when you walk in cause they dont say hello and say small talk crap like we do at home....they leave you alone....only cause im white!!
Man these chinese love billboards!! humungas ones.....
everywhere. Its a reminder that I am in China with all the huge writing everywhere and billboards. Have no idea what it all
says.....bar one.....yes Mcdonalds.....good ol maccas. Good for a kid that wants something other than noodles!

Food...mmm yes i can see im going to be over noodles very soon....like tonight. China is not a place for vegetarians...very difficult. Mostly we get by pictures on the menu or point...as they make up meals in front of you...with all the ingriedients in bowls....but none of them have just vegies. Last night i finally found one that sells all sorts of vegies and meat. Pretty
cool actually....you pick a skewer of whatever....could be broccolii, mushrooms, beans..whatever and then she...dips it in a thing of oil and cooks it...then paints it with some sort of sauce and then sprinkles msg!! mmmm msg....lots of oil.... if you dont watch and know the cooking process it taste ok .. and only cost $1.50 with rice....and that does the both of us.
We've had noodles everywhere even in KL....here they are swimming in oil.....gross.
Im yet to find just steamed vegies....and havent come across any fruit as yet. Hopefully when we get out into the real China
we may find some....or will it be more difficult?? so dont be suprised if i come back looking like a bubbaboom.
Oh yes will include a photo of part of an english menu that we found.....we opted for the vegie noodles and not the ........you have a look...mmmm yum yum for my tum

Yes we have done some things other than eating and looking at shops. We checked out the 2 pagodas here on the lake....sun and moon....and the surrounding park. Pretty cool to see some real Chinese buildings...and for me to take note to make clay versions It hasnt been the best weather for it...its all misty....and still a fine mist of rain.
Also checked out the men fishing on the river....they use birds to catch there fish...pretty cool to watch. Kailani knew all about it,
seen it on amazing race ( the tv show)....and she knew of the pagodas because thats where they had to check in....was good as that kept her interested.

So now we are just about to leave Guilin.......and heading down to Yangshou...on the bamboo raft ride....mmmm yes its still raining mmm great.........backpacks
hopefully wont get wet.

arriving in China

kailani_merrie — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:04:00 GMT

ni hao 21 Feb

Arrived in China yesterday....and yes the adventure begins. Story to tell already. Firstly,
for those that have not recieved my emails from my travels before....I apoligise now, there
usually long, filled with spelling mistakes and have blah blah blah in it. Read them if
like or delete, but definetly reply...i don't want to miss out in whats happening back home.

So our journey began in KL first (Kuala Lumpa). Stayed in chinatown, right on top of the
markets.Kailani happy, lots for her to want. Also lots of cheap good food right at our door.
Had dinner with a couple one night that ended knowing lots of people we knew back
home.....i love those moments. Our room at our hotel was literally a shoebox!.....no window
and very very small, but it was clean people were nice and it did the job, especially for
$20 a night in KL.

OK....CHina.....can't believe we are actually here. Arriving at the airport and coming
through the gates and just seeing what was ahead..........OMG........chinese writing.....
o my godness....its everywhere........oh shit......yep....and then they start talking to
me....!!!!!!!.....blank look on my face.......thinking.....oh shit im in trouble....the only
Chinese i know is 'who flung dung" and " i bung mi neee".....dont think that will get me far.
So i just smile and they just laugh.....so the dancing charade had just begun and lots of
smiling and nodding of the head, bit more like bowing.

I had one man on the bus ask me....'o whewe u fwom"....Australia, i say....."o austwawia..yes
and what do you spweak in austwawia?".....i told him Enlish....."o you spweak ingwich!!....just
like Ingwand.....he was very excited that in Australia we spoke English, i
gathered he realy didnt know much about australia at all. This man then continued to sit
and ponder on how to say somthing in enlish and then after a long while he would turn very
excited to me and then would ask me a question....i would answer him usualy with a nodd and
a yes and he would give me a big cheesy grin and a thumbs up....i gather that was a very good
not so much by my answer but by his happiness that he spoke to me in english. That was the
first in many that have come up to me and practised there enlish..... I best start learning
a few phrases in chinese.

We get of the bus and then catch a cab to the hotel, the one that i have booked and paid for
already. Two nights i have booked and paid for over the internet through airasia......
we wait there in line in amongst 3 men that are at the counter....smoking!!!....agh hello ..
dont you know its no smoking in public places....oh yes i forgot im in your country and you
dont have that rule......kailani was highly disgusted that they were standing there smoking...
and realised that she has grown up not seeing that, smoking in buildings, and realy not seeing
that in any other countries that we have visited. Anyway getting back to the story.
So i handed them my booking paper...which is in English, by my handwriting because somehow
the email was deleted in my inbox before i could print it. Anyway there was no booking for me
in my name for those dates let alone did they have any booking from airasia at all....so
even if i did have a proper print out they didnt have it. So i was there for ages trying to
explain to them that i have already paid for it, and how i have been trying to contact airasia
to resend me the email etc etc....very difficult when i dont speak chinese and they speak only
a smiggen of english. They were letting me use there computers to try and contact airasia, but to
get hold of them for a hotel that they no longer list...since doing my booking...is extremely
difficult. So the outcome was that they were happy for me to stay there, they had plenty of
rooms but i would have to pay again.........i dont think so......there was nothing i could do,
they were not going to give me a room that i had already paid for, unless i pay again....Now
this hotel was way out of the main tourist area, more in the nothing around it.....so i told
them no thanks....going somewhere else...going to the backpackers.....so another taxi ride
into the main town...we step into this old wooden building where the backpacker lodging is....
and immedietly felt this is sooo much better, much more us....more relaxing, comfy and homely
and more welcoming.....and no smoking in there.....and so much cheaper!! also she spoke enlish.
The room is huge, comfy and cute. We so much like it better here than that stark stinky big fancyhotel.....the universe works in amazing ways....the money doesnt matter any more.....feelingcomfortable and surrounded by people and things that make your stay even more comfier is even better. We are now close to shopping, food and sights. So thanks airasia for stuffing up my booking.
Won't be booking hotels with you again.

By the way...we are in Guilin for anyone wondering. The weather is...yes i have been lucky, not ascold as it has been....top of 18 deg....they say in a few days colder and rain.....anyway have
been walking around in short sleeves....yes lots of stares, as they all have these huge puffy coates on
...its not that cold. Im suprised in how well dressed they all are.

...omg...that was this morning i wrote all that.....im freezing my titties off......its been a fine mist
of rain all day and cold. I certainly dont have the right clothes and they are not that cheap to buy here....
i look like ive been dragged out of an op shop bag....especially with these chinese all doodied up around me. Am going to have to invest in and spend some $$ buying a marshmellow jacket....

Tomorrow hopefully it wont be raining as we are intending to float down the river on a bamboo raft to a town called Yangzhou....and where we will stay for a while.

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