Landed in Beijing

Thursday 16th November I’ve arrived in China via Helsinki – where the plane got delayed due to Santa streaking across the runway – we all know what these Scandinavian countries are like (although Finland is not strictly Scandinavian). Arrived in Beijing this morning to an icy frosty air – the type you get in the UK in February, cold but plesent, know the type? They let me in the country (hurrah!) and I navigated my way onto an airport bus 16yuan (about £1) and then onto a bus which is about 6p to my hostel – Lotus Hostel. I have started liking this place. The hostel I am at is down a Hutong – a narrow alley they call it but its really cute with really nice owners and free wireless broadband so out comes my laptop. Glad my laptop has already come in use. So sat here with tea in one hand and laptop in the other typing away. Theres lots of bikes here, they have their own lanes as wide as the roads, and lots of tea houses (still yet to visit one). Had the tourist thing done to me – taxi drivers trying to rip me off – no i am not paying £2 for a taxi when i can pay 6p for the bus – come on i am a tight fisted northerner even out here!! Also had “art students” approach me, various tour books mention art students – avoid them at all costs, be polite but avoid them. I seem to be one of very few westerners out here which is interesting, but all good and adds to the experience. So today once I got to the hostel I did the sorting out and freshening up etc and then went wandering to Tiananmen square and Forbidden City which is just out of this world. By about 4.30pm jet lag had set in and I was ready to put on my jammies and have a cup of tea. So its really time to go now as its way past my bedtime (yeah ok its like 11am in the UK) still time to go to bed…