Done In China

So I ate, shopped and wandered my way around Shanghai. I loved the 'Bund', a esplanade next to the Huang Pu river at night. I stood on the Oriental Pearl Tower, second highest in Shanghai, and could see no end to the skyscrapers. I hung out with Summer, who still has a bit of her stomack/motion sickness so we spent a lot of time looking for Starbucks so she could buy their steamed milk to calm her tummy down. It's everywhere! I even found a small one in the Forbidden city today.
Anyway, so I did get on a plane and fly to Beijing. I landed with only the hostel name and nothing else (not even the address). I ended up ordering a Vip taxi who called the hostel for me and sorted it out eventually.
Our hostel is actually in the Hudongs, which is kind of like the old slums. It's a crazy maze of back alleys and I've gotten the team lost qute well so far. Right now I'm the only one who speaks chinese, so it's all a bit of fun.
Food is also very interesting when I try to order. The team's first meal turned out to be Hot Pot because we walked into a random restaurant and it was actually quite posh. We dropped chopsticks everywhere, ordered random ingrediants and generally had the waitress laughing most of the time.
The team have celebrity status whenever we venture out, with the girls especially popular for random photos by strangers. Because I look Chinese, I get puzzled looks a lot of the time, or asked if I am their translator. Or if I'm Korean. Or Japanese.
Yesterday we had some students introduce themselves, declare that they wanted to be our friends, take us to their exhibition, then pressure us to buy their paintings. It's been a rude awakening to the opportunism of China and I can see some hardening and cynicism developing.
Today started off with a rather early flag rasing ceremony in Tianneman Square. It's a bit nuts catching cabs here. Most don't know their way around the city, or refuse to take us (I can't figure out why). 1 cab and 2 motor-cycle rickshaws later, we made it to see the soldiers march in and the red flag rise against the muddy sky.
After wandering around for ages in the Forbidden City, we saw Mao's embalmed body. I think theire's a 50% chance it's a wax figurine, but you can't get close enough to tell. People sell the tourists flowers to put on his plaque, then they collect the same flowers to resell after. We missed out on it in the morning and arrived with 5 mins to closing time. This random guy grabbed me and started hauling me along, shoutng 'Quickly! Quickly!'. He made us all run to book our stuff into the cloakroom, as it turns out, because you can't take bags or cameras in. Thanks to him (given in a $20 yuan tip) we made it into the last batch in.
Now, an hours sleep and a bowl of noodles later, I feel pretty good. Tomorrow we go to the orphanage and the Great Wall of China if I can organise it.

Changi Airport

So I sat my exam this morning, wasn't too bad except that I was late because I called Summer in China (woke her flatmate at 5am!) and then chatted for too long.
Packing was insane, I have way too many presents in my bags. I should never have volunteered to carry in the 6 packets of koala teddies. I was still packing when my lift came for the airport. If any of my flatmates read this, please apologise to Bron Daly and tell her that I did intend to clean my bedroom, I just seriously ran out of time. And make sure you let her in the house too, she's arriving tonight.
Now, I did buy a great book for the flight (Cecilia Dart-Thornton's latest - Kat will know what I'm talking about), but the Singapore airlines in flight system has been upgraded, so it's pretty amazing. I watched I, robot, which I thought was cool, but then I am very geeky. I also ended up watching Ella Enchanted, which is very G rated. I don't know whether it was the time (1am by my body clock and I was still being fed supper) or dehydration or the fact that my brain is still aged about 6, but I was laughing a fair bit. If you can find a small child (preferably female) to go to the movies with, sneak into this one it's a pretty good converted fairytale.
Now, I am just abusing the free email system in Changi airport and trying very hard not to shop.
I must say though, it's all a little too effiecient. The automatic sensor kept flughing the toilet while I was still on it. Very discomfiting.
OK, next post from Shanghai.

Post Mac, Post Interview, Pre Exam

Okay, so I got on a bus yesterday at Port Macqaurie at midnight, got off it at 6am in Hornsby(sleepless), went to the second stage of my interview at 10:30am and finished the interview (where I had to design 3 items) by 1pm. Then went to pick up my things for China, napped for an hour, did a photoshoot and went to girls study.

Phew.

Outcomes: I have a full time job next year (almost 100% sure on that). Hooray! It's an absolutely ideal one too! Design, design, design...
I haven't finished packing yet for my 5pm flight tomorrow.
I have not studied at all today for my exam tomorrow.
I don't think there will be much sleep tonight.
I am even more confirmed in my belief that my family are eccentric (it was a family holiday at Port Mac).

Ah..

On the other hand, I have gotten heaps of love and hugs and prayers and now really look forward to my travels. Thanks everyone who was thinking of me in this ridiculously hectic time.

Need to sleep!

What is wrong with me? I have a big day tomorrow! I have an interview at 3pm? Why is it past 3 am and I still won't sleep! I've drank milk, I ate food (at two am), I turned the fan on and I've been sleeping on my side, my back, my other side....toss and turn.
Well, anyway, since my brain is on overload, here's some latest goss. I am off to China next week. Yeah crazy. I haven't packed, just got my passport with visa today.
Am feeling very loved though, since Delle's organising a farewell/commissioning brekky this sat - 9:30 am at her's if you'd like to come. Finances in a complete mess, but who cares I'm still going!
Nobody gets prezzies this year though.

sniffle...sniffle

I have a cold. Everyone has a cold. Anna is our modern day typhoid Mary.

Elyse's gran is also staying with us. I think she has more energy than all of us put together.

I watched Chasing Amy yesterday. Other than the disturbing amounts of very graphic gutter talk, it was actually a pretty thoughtful movie. Prompted a huge discussion on where guilt meets forgiveness.

Am in that annoying phase where I can't nap, but I can't work. I can only watch anime. Oh well.