Ni Hao China!

Hi Everyone!

So I've now been in China 3 days....first time connected to the world and it feels great! The flight was great we flew over the north pole..so could look out at the ice flows and stuff....got 5 hours sleep so I can't complain. Beijing is pretty stinky although I think i'm now used to it......

The first day Helen and I went to the Summer Place where the Emperors and Empresses hung out in ...you guessed it summer. Quite amazing...this GIANT man made lake. It's very cute.....european people are pretty rare here, so chinese people will point at us and get there kids to say "hello"....very cute! The women here are hilarious, dressed up to the nines with heels and everything...whilst trekking up and down hills and for miles at a time. I'll have to explain the craziness of their foot stocking fetish and the use of parisoles..... After the Summer Place we headed to the Hutongs, basically local traditional housing networks....where we hitched a ride on a rickshaw and then had a beer on a rooftop. Is quite surreal sometimes being in foreign lands chilling out!

Must say....language is a struggle...not many speak english at all. Helen and I were in a taxi the other day and we couldn't get him to stop! It's quite hilarious thinking about it....we were yelling he was yelling....we worked it out in the end and then had to walk half a km back to where we wanted to be.

Yesterday we went to the Great Wall....very cool....killer hike up there but got to luge down from the top! After that we hit the markets where helen picked up a 70L pack for lik US$10! She's a definate hard arse in the bargining department!

Today the tour hit Tianimen Square (forgive the spelling) and the Forbidden City.......quite spectacular! You'll see photo's later I'm sure.

Tonight is the first of our night train and tomorrow we drive 6 hours to the terracotta warriors......things are not all fun!

Also! Have heard that sometimes....we'll have to share toilets no walls and no sense of space woman are lined up to use the toilet and there are no DOORS....this is NOT good...problem is that at altitude you have to drink a lot not to get sick.....YUXCK YUCK YCUK....more to come

hope you're all well....talk soon

Remember - Ritchie will save the world

People.....while I'm away it's very important that you watch the rugby and cheer on ritchie for me while I'm away!! I enclose a picture just so you don't forget who you're supporting! What a QT!

Working in Florida

So here I am working in middle of nowhere Floriday......or perhaps it's actually a retirement mecca! Best bit is that once I get back to New York on Thursday....only 2 more sleeps till I go to China! Yay

Birthday Piccy's

The following are some piccy's of my birthday dinner and drinkies with my peeps! Thanks lily for the photos!

Memorial Day Weekend!!

So.....summer has finally arrived! It's memorial day weekend....and fleet week here in the city. There's so many people around.

This morning I got the last of my shots for my trip.....Rabies, Japenese Encephilitus and Hep B. That was round three....so nice to have them all done and feel a little safer! Now just need to stock up on Tylenol and Immodium for the trip! Got my hiking boots the other day, which are much pinker than they were in the pictures on the internet. Oh well.

Tonight the girls and I are off for an early drink at Tonic, hopefully we'll get out to the rooftop bar. I suspect many people will be thinking the same thing! Nothing other than a yankees game (sunday) and packing this weekend before heading to Florida on monday for work. Perhaps will head over to long island city "beach" for a few beverages tomorrow afternoon too.

Hope you're all well.

Lucky Me!

So last night my friend Ryan calls me an asks if I want to go to the Yankees v Red Sox game that night! YES! Why not.

So, we had these killer seats about 8 row from the Boston dug-out. How cool!!

Not only that but the Yanks won! 6-2......we're making a come back.

Tour Details

So this is the link to my trip https://www.intrepidtravel.com/trips/fsn in case you're interested in following my tour and also in case anyone needs to contact the tour company.

I'm leaving on the June 4th departure of the mountains and monestaries tour.