Xi'an
SO
I feel the need to tell you about my experience of the Great Wall, which happened about a week ago, but it's been too hard to try and get to a computer from then till now...
IT WAS BLOODY FANTASTIC!
We didn't go to the main toursit spot, but another place that Ben and Cindy went to before. It's closed off to the public becuase they're supposed to be doing renovations, but it's pretty much deserted there now, except for some people who run a gift shop and a restaurant there, who were happy to let us sneek in. Now, saying 'sneek in' conjures up images of us just walking through a hidden door and just having a look around, but what really happend was this:
Fist we had to walk along a damn wall, on one side of which was a thinly frozen iced lake, and on the other side was a not frozen lake which was 10m drop down. Then we climbed in through a window of one of the towers, and then had to scale a mountain. I'm tempted to say 'scale a rocky cliff face' but that's a tad dramatic... but it was more than than just walking up - like, there was literally me trying to find hand and foot holes and CLIMBING up... It was actually really scary, and I wasn't looking forward to getting myself back down... Jess was skitsing a little bit, and I think that was the only reason that I didn't... Then we had to scale the steps to the next tower, and they weren't just steps. This bit was almost as bad as the little cliff/mountain bit - they were mostly broken, and quite thin, and VERY steep. OH - and did I mention that all of this was done while THERE WAS SNOW EVERYWHERE????? yes.... this was no ordinary walk in the park ladies and gentlemen...
After that it was much better, and after a bit more exploration, we found a MUCH better way to get down. (actually, we were pretty stupid for going the way we did, it was unnecesarily dangerous... I think the ladies at the bottom of the hill must have thought we were idiots) It was on eof the most beautiful views ever.. and I was just so proud of myself that I got up there... this is not something that I typically do... there were a bit more hard bits that required a bit of coaching from my part to help Jess and Cindy get up bits (apparently, when it comes down to it, I'm actually quite the little rock climber), and a little bit of 'ass-toboganing' which was fun... and of course, I bought the t-shirt that says 'I climbed the great wall' cos, boy - did i ever!
unfortunately that night I got really bad food poisoning or something... vomiting and general nastiness from the bottom end... basically cleared my system out completely... and I didn't feel to good for a while after that...
but
We've now gotten to Xi'an, which is south of Beijing (and I'm feeling perfect) - and is where the Terricotta Warriors are... Been here two nights now, all of which have been pretty bad sleeps... Unfortunately we're now stuck in the same room with a dude (I'm talking about Ben here) who has sleep apnia (or however you spell it). It's fairly violent, and it's bloody noisy.... but I think I'm slowly getting used to it (and the chewing gum in the ears helps - seriously... apparently the Chinese don't know what ear plugs are... or they know but they refuse to use them...)
Our plane got cancelled on Friday night, which is when we were supposed to leave origionally, so we actually had to sleep at the airport in a little hotel all together. 6 of us in the one room, with two single beds and no extra blankets.... it actually wasn't soooo bad.... another story for my travel journal...
BUT: here in Xi'an: We've now gone to the City Wall, the Hot Springs, SomeDude's Tomb, the Terricotter Warriors, the Temple of the Eight Immortals, the Big Goose Pagoda, and the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show. All in two days. It hink that's fairly impressive actually...
The City Wall was cool. We were just wandering around and came upon this huge wall, and a ticket booth, and a really scary looking ladder that I first thought were stairs, but no - turned out to be a rickety ladder... and I couldn't make myself climb it... but after some to-ing and fro-ing we finally found a place I could get up, and get up I did. Yes, I know, mere days eariler I was scaling the Great Wall, but a little ladder stopped me in my tracks. ah well. Once we were up there it was nice to look around - it goes around the whole city (duh: hence 'city wall'). We found out that you could hire bikes, so hire bikes we did - and embarked upon the 14km ride!!!!!!! (this is massive for me, I havn't ridden a bike for 8 years or more) (oh, and I'm grossly unfit) It really became more about the bike and less about the wall, but it was still fun. I was proud of myself for making it all the way - and not being the only one complaining of their legs dying. Actually, it was my ass more than anything else - which, after that, the great wall, the fact that we're staying ont he 5th floor of the hotel here, and there's no elevator, and all the other steps and things we've climbed here - should be looking pretty fine once I get back home!!!!!!!!!!!!
The hot Springs were beautiful - and hot. You can still bathe there, and get massages and the like, as well as look around allt he historical buildings and stuff.... but we didn't have time for that. The Tomb of the such-and-such emperor (the dude who commissioned the warriors) was a bit of a let down... there was a massive hill, whith a massive staircase that we walked up, but when we got to the top it was actually about the view, where-as we thought we were going to see a tomb (not that a tomb would necessarily be that exciting... but.... you know... my ass was sore again....) The warriors were cool too - although, after the second big, massive, gargantuan room full of them, they tend to look the same (but, as my mum said: imagine how the sculpors must have felt... hyuck hyuck)
The temple of the eight immortals was great today as well. I'm finding the temples really really interesting. There's such a sense of peace there... I could stroll around for hours and smell the thick insence and listen to the soft chanting in the background..... ah..... soothing. The Big Goose Pagoda was just yet another massive tower that we had to climb (like I said: ass = fantastic), that was all about the view. And maybe for the sense of satisfaction - or something to do with inner enlightenment... it's a Buddist thing... I don't think I get it.
the show tonight... well... it was..... nice.... lets just say that.
I could probably type for ages.... (already have) so I think I'll just stop there. So much to tell, so little time....
ah- living the life of an adventurous traveller.... hehehehe it's so cool!
(and all the guys think I'm hot - I got told I look like a doll, a BARBIE doll this morning - by the hotel owner - a little guy called Jim Beam... seriously that's his name)
oh, and I think I've forgotten to say before now - but for some odd reason, I can update my posts, but I can't look ant anyone's blog, including my own - so I can't reply to any of the comments, nor keep myself abreast of what's going on with everyone else. Hope all is well!
I feel the need to tell you about my experience of the Great Wall, which happened about a week ago, but it's been too hard to try and get to a computer from then till now...
IT WAS BLOODY FANTASTIC!
We didn't go to the main toursit spot, but another place that Ben and Cindy went to before. It's closed off to the public becuase they're supposed to be doing renovations, but it's pretty much deserted there now, except for some people who run a gift shop and a restaurant there, who were happy to let us sneek in. Now, saying 'sneek in' conjures up images of us just walking through a hidden door and just having a look around, but what really happend was this:
Fist we had to walk along a damn wall, on one side of which was a thinly frozen iced lake, and on the other side was a not frozen lake which was 10m drop down. Then we climbed in through a window of one of the towers, and then had to scale a mountain. I'm tempted to say 'scale a rocky cliff face' but that's a tad dramatic... but it was more than than just walking up - like, there was literally me trying to find hand and foot holes and CLIMBING up... It was actually really scary, and I wasn't looking forward to getting myself back down... Jess was skitsing a little bit, and I think that was the only reason that I didn't... Then we had to scale the steps to the next tower, and they weren't just steps. This bit was almost as bad as the little cliff/mountain bit - they were mostly broken, and quite thin, and VERY steep. OH - and did I mention that all of this was done while THERE WAS SNOW EVERYWHERE????? yes.... this was no ordinary walk in the park ladies and gentlemen...
After that it was much better, and after a bit more exploration, we found a MUCH better way to get down. (actually, we were pretty stupid for going the way we did, it was unnecesarily dangerous... I think the ladies at the bottom of the hill must have thought we were idiots) It was on eof the most beautiful views ever.. and I was just so proud of myself that I got up there... this is not something that I typically do... there were a bit more hard bits that required a bit of coaching from my part to help Jess and Cindy get up bits (apparently, when it comes down to it, I'm actually quite the little rock climber), and a little bit of 'ass-toboganing' which was fun... and of course, I bought the t-shirt that says 'I climbed the great wall' cos, boy - did i ever!
unfortunately that night I got really bad food poisoning or something... vomiting and general nastiness from the bottom end... basically cleared my system out completely... and I didn't feel to good for a while after that...
but
We've now gotten to Xi'an, which is south of Beijing (and I'm feeling perfect) - and is where the Terricotta Warriors are... Been here two nights now, all of which have been pretty bad sleeps... Unfortunately we're now stuck in the same room with a dude (I'm talking about Ben here) who has sleep apnia (or however you spell it). It's fairly violent, and it's bloody noisy.... but I think I'm slowly getting used to it (and the chewing gum in the ears helps - seriously... apparently the Chinese don't know what ear plugs are... or they know but they refuse to use them...)
Our plane got cancelled on Friday night, which is when we were supposed to leave origionally, so we actually had to sleep at the airport in a little hotel all together. 6 of us in the one room, with two single beds and no extra blankets.... it actually wasn't soooo bad.... another story for my travel journal...
BUT: here in Xi'an: We've now gone to the City Wall, the Hot Springs, SomeDude's Tomb, the Terricotter Warriors, the Temple of the Eight Immortals, the Big Goose Pagoda, and the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show. All in two days. It hink that's fairly impressive actually...
The City Wall was cool. We were just wandering around and came upon this huge wall, and a ticket booth, and a really scary looking ladder that I first thought were stairs, but no - turned out to be a rickety ladder... and I couldn't make myself climb it... but after some to-ing and fro-ing we finally found a place I could get up, and get up I did. Yes, I know, mere days eariler I was scaling the Great Wall, but a little ladder stopped me in my tracks. ah well. Once we were up there it was nice to look around - it goes around the whole city (duh: hence 'city wall'). We found out that you could hire bikes, so hire bikes we did - and embarked upon the 14km ride!!!!!!! (this is massive for me, I havn't ridden a bike for 8 years or more) (oh, and I'm grossly unfit) It really became more about the bike and less about the wall, but it was still fun. I was proud of myself for making it all the way - and not being the only one complaining of their legs dying. Actually, it was my ass more than anything else - which, after that, the great wall, the fact that we're staying ont he 5th floor of the hotel here, and there's no elevator, and all the other steps and things we've climbed here - should be looking pretty fine once I get back home!!!!!!!!!!!!
The hot Springs were beautiful - and hot. You can still bathe there, and get massages and the like, as well as look around allt he historical buildings and stuff.... but we didn't have time for that. The Tomb of the such-and-such emperor (the dude who commissioned the warriors) was a bit of a let down... there was a massive hill, whith a massive staircase that we walked up, but when we got to the top it was actually about the view, where-as we thought we were going to see a tomb (not that a tomb would necessarily be that exciting... but.... you know... my ass was sore again....) The warriors were cool too - although, after the second big, massive, gargantuan room full of them, they tend to look the same (but, as my mum said: imagine how the sculpors must have felt... hyuck hyuck)
The temple of the eight immortals was great today as well. I'm finding the temples really really interesting. There's such a sense of peace there... I could stroll around for hours and smell the thick insence and listen to the soft chanting in the background..... ah..... soothing. The Big Goose Pagoda was just yet another massive tower that we had to climb (like I said: ass = fantastic), that was all about the view. And maybe for the sense of satisfaction - or something to do with inner enlightenment... it's a Buddist thing... I don't think I get it.
the show tonight... well... it was..... nice.... lets just say that.
I could probably type for ages.... (already have) so I think I'll just stop there. So much to tell, so little time....
ah- living the life of an adventurous traveller.... hehehehe it's so cool!
(and all the guys think I'm hot - I got told I look like a doll, a BARBIE doll this morning - by the hotel owner - a little guy called Jim Beam... seriously that's his name)
oh, and I think I've forgotten to say before now - but for some odd reason, I can update my posts, but I can't look ant anyone's blog, including my own - so I can't reply to any of the comments, nor keep myself abreast of what's going on with everyone else. Hope all is well!
posted by ekstasis at 12:45 AM
2 Comments:
Heheh; "ass".
It's "ARSE".
Post a Comment
<< Home