Hey Mickey!

Arrived in Chongqing and my hostel was great.  Right on the Yangtze River.  As you may have seen...they had no dorms rooms left so I got a single room with private bathroom.  When you travel you realise the small things you take for granted become a luxury.  Toilet paper provided, western toilet and hot water to name a few!  The bed was rock hard mind but hey, you can't have everything.

My single room

The next day I had to venture out as I needed toiletries and to send my Panda pressies home.  Guess how I got there.........yep more bloody steps!! Looked like a drowned rat when I reached the top.  The centre was huge and full of famous named shops but all I wanted was a bit of shampoo and toothpaste.

Dungeon corridor

Got back to the hostel and through the night I got talking to different people...which ended up with a few drinks too many (sorry mum) and a rough hangover the next day.  Shot out of bed the next morning and ran for my cruise.

Hostel drunkards

I was well surprised when I got there.  It was amazing!  Checked in and got to my cabin and thought YES! my own cabin.  That was til my roomie arrived.....71 yr old Mickey from San Francisco.  Yep, thats right, Mickey 'as in the mouse' her words not mine.  Turns out she didn't like her name Leah Anne so she changed it by deed poll to...Mickey 'as in mouse' of all names LOL!  

Victoria Sophia

* Infasemia - so I couldn't smoke near her or spray anything near her
As many old people, they seem to share their list of current illnesses with you so off she went....
* Gluten Free Diet - or she shit herself
* Pork Intolerance - or she shit herself (the staple food of China)
* Hunchback of Notredame - she used to be 5ft 9in and now she's 5ft 4in
* Bladder weakness - had to go to the bog a minimum of 10-12 times per night
* Bad kidneys - Every little bang caused a bruise or a cut

Mickey 'as in mouse'!!!

BLOODY HELL and that's all I remember!  She was ok though and I give her her due, she was up everyday doing all the trips and even climbed the Yellow Mountain once up there.

Anyway, the first few days of my trip I really suffered.  Has a bout of sickness and diahorrea for 3 days.  Eventually I got a little better and started to enjoy my trip.  The Three Gorges were amazing and I went up the Yellow Mountain and really overcome my fear of cable cars.

Top of the Yellow Mountain

Also treated myself to some acupuncture.  I've had a really bad neck/shoulder due the the way I sit at work so he treated it with acupuncture (with electric currents so I sat there with a twitch for 20 mins lol), cupping (seen below) and a deep massage.  It must have been bad as at one point he was kneeled on the table behind me really trying to get the knot out.  Hey, it worked!!! No more pain!  He gave me 20% off if I paid him cash and didn't tell the head coordinator (god knows how much commission they take off on the cruise!!) and in return he gave me a really nice embroidered picture...bless him.

Being cupped

After cupping...

I tell you what though, the blue rinse brigade were out in abundance on that cruise.  I was the youngest passenger apart from a 7yr old chinese girl.  The couple I met from Holland were funny.  One night the guy (Gon) sat down and spilt a full cup of coffee on his crotch and jumped up and did a little dance and made sounds from some seedy porn right on the stage in front of everyone ahhaha.

My table

Arrived in Shanghai and as I reached the hostel Clare Bear was waiting with a big scream and a hug.  Let the fun begin...................

CHEERS!!!!