Arrived in Beijing finally on the 30th Sept. Taxi to the hostel and off to bed.
Day one started with a challenge...get to the Forbidden City and Tiannamen Sq. Take the subway the lad on reception said...HA just like that eh! Found the station no probs and was easy to navigate actually. Got there and just followed the HUGE crowds that were also packed on the train like sardines.
Got speaking to a nice Chinese guy who was an English teacher of Calligraphy....you can guess what happened next. Yep pulled into his 'art gallery' and made to feel guilty to by some art work. Left £40 lighter but they were nice though. He also booked me on a trip to the Great Wall the next day for £10. A little dubious but that would be my lesson learned. Got lost on the way back and it took 3 taxi drivers to know where I was going. Good job I took a picture of the street because I forgot the bloody hostel address and tel number DOH!! Overall, proud of myself for getting out there alone.
Day two started with me thinking i'd been had. Low and behold, 45 minutes after the agreed meeting time, my guide, Steven, turned up. It appeared I was the only one on the trip too so I had a full day private tour.
Olympic Stadium, Pearl Store (£30 lighter for a necklace and bracelet down from £56 - real too), Tea shop (£20 lighter down from £120 and a free PEE PEE BOY), a pottery shop and silk museum but learned to say NO by then at last. THEN... The Great Wall. Was amazing!! Faced my fear of cable cars going up to the top (either that or 30 min worth of steps...as if!) and a toboggan back down. Truly breathtaking.
I'm am really proud of myself so far for not cowering away in my hole of a room and taking the plunge feet first :)
Day one started with a challenge...get to the Forbidden City and Tiannamen Sq. Take the subway the lad on reception said...HA just like that eh! Found the station no probs and was easy to navigate actually. Got there and just followed the HUGE crowds that were also packed on the train like sardines.
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| Forbidden City |
Got speaking to a nice Chinese guy who was an English teacher of Calligraphy....you can guess what happened next. Yep pulled into his 'art gallery' and made to feel guilty to by some art work. Left £40 lighter but they were nice though. He also booked me on a trip to the Great Wall the next day for £10. A little dubious but that would be my lesson learned. Got lost on the way back and it took 3 taxi drivers to know where I was going. Good job I took a picture of the street because I forgot the bloody hostel address and tel number DOH!! Overall, proud of myself for getting out there alone.
Day two started with me thinking i'd been had. Low and behold, 45 minutes after the agreed meeting time, my guide, Steven, turned up. It appeared I was the only one on the trip too so I had a full day private tour.
Olympic Stadium, Pearl Store (£30 lighter for a necklace and bracelet down from £56 - real too), Tea shop (£20 lighter down from £120 and a free PEE PEE BOY), a pottery shop and silk museum but learned to say NO by then at last. THEN... The Great Wall. Was amazing!! Faced my fear of cable cars going up to the top (either that or 30 min worth of steps...as if!) and a toboggan back down. Truly breathtaking.
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| Pee Pee Boy |
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| The Great Wall of China |
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