Beijing Part 3!

Friday

OK so we woke up feeling a little worse for wear. Well I did... Today was a day for odd jobs! We needed to change all our Chinese money to real money and head to Yaxiu to pick up my shirts...

We had a great lunch at a Chinese place, we ordered some Kung Pao chicken, dumplings, sweet and sour pork and spare ribs. Really tasty food!!!

Next stop was the bank to change our money, simple enough... or not! We had about 12,000 RMB to change and the bank told us that foreigners can only change 3,000 RMB a day... And Mike leaves tomorrow...  And they only have US Dollars.... So naturally we went and befriended a Chinese person and asked her to change it for us!! It only took her 2 hours... We did buy her an ice cream to say thank you though!

It is amazing how the highest Chinese note is 100RMB, that's about £10. When we took out our money we had a wad of bills, we felt very rich. However when we changed it to US Dollars, there were a lot less notes...

Next stop was Yaxiu to pick up my shirts, I tried them on and they fit perfectly! We then headed back to Qiamen to find some dinner. We decided on another Chinese place and ordered some food from the Chinglish filled menu. There were dishes called 'Grandmother cooking scrambled eggs' and 'fried enema'...

After food it was time to say goodbye to Mike. It was a bit rushed because Mike got the only early taxi driver in the whole of China... Going to really miss him. We helped him with his stuff and hugged him goodbye.

Next thing we know there is only 2 of us. It felt weird, like we were missing something. Sad times.

Saturday

Saturday morning Cecilia and I headed to the Lama Temple to see the massive Buddha.

After wandering around for a bit, we decided to head back to the hostel for a chill out as both of us were feeling really ill. Damn you Beijing smog!!!

We decided on a place called the Long Table for our chill out. We brought cards with us and I introduced Cecilia to Chrononauts. It was nice.

Eventually it was time for dinner and we were meeting Cecilia Swedish friend, Jenny. We eventually found her and we went for duck! Now the duck was delicious but just so expensive and not at all filling. So we decided on a second dinner at a little Chinese restaurant. We were joined by Jenny's Australian friend Keith,  good food and great company! After food we headed to the Long Table for a drink and some card games. Keith taught us this new game which was really fun!

Sunday

Today was packing day! Cecilia and I repacked our suitcases and headed out for lunch at the Long Table. We just wanted out of the hostel, it really was atrocious... Our bathroom roof was leaking water from the bathroom above and by leaking I mean a cascade of water... Leo Courtyard Hostel may look pretty but its awful.

Anyway for lunch we got Carbonara and then settled down to playing Chrononauts again. We were soon joined by Jenny (who was just completely confused by Chrononauts) and we then headed off to meet the rest of her friends. Well that was the plan at least. They were near San Li Tun so we headed over there and waited for them to turn up, and waited, and waited. They didn't turn up, oh well!

Cecilia and I headed back to the hostel for our last night...

Monday

The taxi came to take us to the airport at 7am, we checked in our luggage. My suitcases were both over weight and the man asked me to pay 1,200 RMB (£120) for the excess, I told them that I didn't have enough and haggled them down to 400 RMB (£40). Only in China can you haggle at an airport!!

We headed through security and I bumped into Mary and Ant, both people I knew from CAMIC. Was good catching up with them for a little bit! Cecilia and I headed out in search of breakfast, we got some rather awful breakfast in Pizza Hut. It was horrid.

We then went and chilled out, we met up with Jenny and I bumped into my friend Julie! I said good bye to Cecilia as she began boarding her plane and began the wait for mine.

Eventually we began to board too and Julie, Mary and I got UPGRADED!!! Yep I flew out Business and the girls flew out Premium Economy. I feel sorry for Ant who was stuck in economy by himself!

The flight was ok, watched 'Admissions' 'Identity Thief' and 'Jack the Giant Killer'. The food was good too!

Eventually made it back to the UK! Picked up my bags and emerged to see Mum, Dad, Max and my Auntie Marion waiting for me. Its good to be home!!!