FLASHBACK #15: A Date with Kylie (& Fred)

My return to the UK (on the Wednesday) from China was a welcome one - it had been such a different part of the world and the ten days of trekking in such a culture had somehow exhausted me. Unfortunately, my family were in Spain so there was no one to tell everything about my trip to.

I spent the first day just relaxing, doing my washing and watching TV. The jetlag was a bitch, but I stayed awake as late as I could in order to adjust to the timezone quicker. Anyway, on the Friday, a friend of mine, let's call him Fred, from Liverpool came to visit me down South. I had bought us tickets to see Kylie Minogue in concert at Wembley Arena and it was fab, it really was.

After the show ended, we headed to Soho for some drinks before taking the last train back home. It was great to see him, he is my best friend. I told him all about Bree and how things had been going in Finland. And by the time I had told him all there was to know about China, I think he was bored!

Fred is the content sort who often tells me how brave I am. He's very comforting, supportive and stable type, and will give me his honest opinion at all times. It is that kind of honesty - and the fact that he's got a laugh that makes you laugh - that makes our friendship work.

FLASHBACK #14: China & Charity (Part 3) - Sightseeing, Adventure & the End of Friendship

I really thought that the overnight stay in a plush hotel would help me to get a good nights sleep. How wrong could I be? With my friend and I sharing the same room, I just couldn't get over how she had treated me and how she had behaved during the trip. It played on my mind, depriving me of sleep. With just one day left, I was determined to make the most of it. After a sumptuous breakfast, we all clambered onto the coach and headed to the Forbidden City.

Located in the exact centre of the ancient city of Beijing, the City contains 9,999 rooms in 800 buildings. It is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987. Although no longer occupied by royalty, the Forbidden City remains a symbol of Chinese sovereignity. Construction of the Forbidden City started in 1406 and took 14 years and an estimated 200,000 men. After being the home of 24 emperors, the Forbidden City ceased being the political center of China in 1912 with the abdication of Pu Yi, the last Emperor of China.

Have you every seen the movie, The Last Emperor? The 1987 biographical film about China's last Emperor, Pu Yi, won nine Oscar Academy Awards. As evidence of China's openness, this was the first feature film ever authorized by the government of the People's Republic of China to film in the Forbidden City. The City does have a feeling of grandeur and, as we strolled across the expanse preceeding the Hall of Supreme Harmony, I began to recall emotional scenes from the film. I remember that the weather on this day was stifling, the strong rays of the Sun coupled with the humidity of the City. The City truly is huge, covering some 720,000 square metres. The visit was full of kodak moments as we clamoured for group photos here and there.

After returning to the hotel just after midday, I decided to head out on foot and alone - this was about to become one of the most adventurous, thrilling and exciting parts of the trip. I knew that if I walked up a nearby main street, I would eventually reach Tiananmen Square, the scene of a series of student led demonstrations against Communist political repression and corruption during 1989. As I approached it, I visited the various stores, checking out the offers, buying small souvenirs for family.

Amid the mass of people, I slowly made my way towards the square. The first thing that struck me was it's size - it is 880 metres from South to North and 500 metres from East to West, an area of 440,000 square metres. Locals casually strolled across the square and one petit Chinese girl, holding an white unmbrella to shield her from the sun, offered to take my photo. I declined the offer, wondering if she was in fact a prostitute. I spent about an hour wondering around Tiananmen Square - to the South, I could see the huge gates leading to the commercial quarter I had walked through earlier. To the North, was a huge picture of Chairman Mao gracing one of the walls. Beyond his image, stood the Forbidden City. How arrogant, I thought, that a picture of China's first Communist Leader should precede the City which contained nearly 600 years of imperial history.

I continued my walk, heading back the way I came. I noticed a McDonalds and I'm ashamed to admit that I succumbed to the enticement of this most common of American food. After downing a Big Mac and Fries, I was on my way once more. A girl of my age approached me, asking if I would be interested in seeing some paintings. I obliged because I really had wanted to by something visual to take back home. She had said the paintings were just down the street, but when she led me down this very long, narrow alleyway, I started to panic from within. Two guys followed us into the alleyway and my first thought was how stupid could I be. After all, away from the crowds, anything could now happen. Would I disappear from the face of the earth, like those tourists you read about in the paper?

We entered a building and, true to their word, we were surrounded by paintings in a brightly lit studio. There was myself, the young girl and the two guys. My heart beating, urging myself not to react, I wandered around the premises, admiring the many paintings and drawings. After five minutes, I explained that I didn't have much money left as I was on the last day of my trip in China. The girl had the cheek to ask me if I could go to a bank machine to draw out some money to make a purchase. I told her I didn't have any bank cards. I had lied, of course, and when she asked how much money I had, I lied again, indicating I barely had enough money to buy another McDonald's meal. She asked if I was travelling alone and I told them I was with a group of friends who, glancing briefly at my watch, were expecting me in 20 minutes. When I suddenly saw the change in her expression, I knew then that their contact with me wasn't genuine. They realised I was penniless and that I had contacts who would alert the police if I didn't return. Bidding them good day, I made a quick exit, running as fast as I could down the alleyway, my heart beating fast, cursing myself for being so stupid. Perhaps they meant no harm, but to this day, I still consider myself to have been lucky. That far away from home, alone and outnumbered, anything could have happened.

I hastily made my way down the main road I had navigated down earlier, but at some point, somehow, I had got lost. The city's complex layout had outwit me. With a map in Chinese and all the street names written using chinese symbols, I was lost. I didn't panic though. With plenty of time (I didn't need to meet anyone in 20 minutes), I wandered around. The rest of the afternoon was a blur - at one point, I found myself strolling through a slum with dusty streets where adults and children alike wandered around with no shoes on their feet, rooves laden with metal. I continued walking, absorbing the contrast, my heart glad that while some children who played nearbly looked like they had nothing, they chuckled with glee.

I did start to worry, however, when I found myself walking over a bridge over a stretch of motorway! Whilst on the bridge, I scanned the scene, desperate to seek out a familiar monument or building. As I reached the other side, I entered what resembled a Supermarket and asked one of the cashiers if she could tell me where the Rainbow Hotel was. She shook her head, launching into a cacophany of Chinese. Her colleagues gathered around and, within a minute, there must have been twenty people barking at me in Chinese and pointing in different directions! I shouted out a 'thank you' above the clamour and they all started nodding their heads, smiling as though they had been helpful to a lost tourist. The truth was I was more lost and frustrated than ever.

I continued walking and, after a few minutes, a sense of happiness overcame me. I was lost, right, thousands of miles from home in a land of people that spoke no English whatsoever. And I was actually grateful for this deviation from the humdrum of normal life. As I stood on a street corner in this leafy part of the city, I noticed two old men nearby playing poker on stools and a rather rickety table. Elderly and winkled, one of the frail-looking duo slapped the shoulder of his opponent and laughed maniacally. Whether they were drunk or a really good joke had just reached the punchline or the guy had just won the game, I don't know, but his happiness spread to me and, once again, I was smiling.

I looked to the left and, miraculously, just fifty metres down the road, stood the Rainbow Hotel. I was saved. Not only had the afternoon been some kind of adventure where I had risked abduction, found myself in a slum, tried to seek help from the locals and was possibly approached by a prostitute, I had enjoyed the whole day. When I told my fellow travellers of my adventure over dinner, they all listened intently, envious of my deviation from the beaten track. My friend, true to her recent form, had downplayed the adventure, instead launching into a tale about her not-so-unique afternoon shopping with the girls from Watford!

After the celebratory dinner was over, a group had organised to go to a nearby nightclub. I declined, choosing instead to have an early night. The day had taken it's toll and my stomach was aching, for whatever reason. When I returned to the hotel room, I was given the fright of my life when, while I was sitting on the toilet, the phone next to me (which I hadn't even noticed!) started ringing! My heart literally stopped as the phone rang loudly, situated less than a metre from my hearing ear! I reluctantly picked up the phone; it wasn't as if I was expecting a call in my toilet, was it? Sweetpea was calling to ask if I would like to join her and Judy to the nightclub. I explained that my friend was going, she had pissed me off again and that I wasn't feeling 100%. She understood and, within an hour, I was in bed. The truth was I was ready to go home.

I slept amazingly well that evening and, when I woke the next morning, I felt surprisingly alert. Already packed, I headed down to breakfast. Judy and Sweetpea joined me and told me all about the visit to the nightclub. Apparently, there had been some kind of spat between the alliances which ended in the throwing of drinks. Oh, dear! The rest of the day was spent travelling to the airport and beginning our long journey back to the UK via Instanbul.

My friend and I checked in together so we were seated together for the flight home. Having fell sleep, I woke up to find that she had feel asleep on my shoulder. I looked down at her, pitying her for she hadn't realised how much she had pissed me off. Despite her arrogance, insensitivity and tactlessness, I let her rest there for I knew that this was as close to me as she was ever going to get once we got back home. Our friendship was over.

China had been a wonderful experience. Having created these entries about China in hindsight, there are some details that I can't remember. I remember that we visited a School for the Deaf in Beijing. The children there had created a memorable, exceptionally choreographed show for us. I also remember the night when my friend, the girls from Watford and the rubella boy went ten pin bowling together. We had a great time and, apart from my friend's behaviour, my experience of China was a positive one. I must admit, however, that China is a hardcore destination - there's the heat to consider, the culture, the very different food and the fact that you are isolated in every possible way in terms of communication and understanding. Because of this, I think going away with all those people made China a great experience.

http://en.wikipediaorg/wiki/Forbidden_city
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Emperor

FLASHBACK #14: China & Charity (Part 2) - A Strained Friendship & Beijing

As the sun began to set on the fourth day of trekking, the Wall appeared jet black against the rich orange-red sky. I made an emotional call to my parents - although I had my friend with me, we no longer spent time together and I was starting to feel the strain on our friendship as we continued to ignore one another. I had met lot's of new people and, from time to time, her behaviour shocked me to such an extent that I wanted to acknowledge no association with her. Arrogant is how I would describe her behaviour. On several occasions, she was overly sarcastic with comments like 'you big girl' or 'move, you big poof' which were a bit below the belt. During the telephone call, a tear rolled down my face. As my phone call ended, the young doctor sat down beside me on the steps where I was sitting. Noticing my tears, he asked if I was feeling okay. I lied, saying I was just missing home. Later in the evening, I met up with Judy and Sweetpea. They asked if I was okay, referring to my friend's behaviour. I was embarrassed. I had no idea she had been that obvious. My lip quivvered and Sweetpea gave my back a gentle rub; that simple gesture made me feel much more relaxed, determined to enjoy the remainder of the trip. I spent the rest of the evening with them and, as we got to know eachother, an alliance was formed which still exists to this day.

The next day would be the fifth and final day of trekking, covering 8km along the Great Wall at Simatai. This stretch of the Wall had the most watchtowers, reputedly containing 135 of them. The trek was quite a challenge as we scaled more than 1,000 steps. There were some sheer drops where walls had fallen away and a number of participants suffered from vertigo. Amazingly, every single member of the group managed to make their way to the lunchstop. When the last few arrived, there was a round of applause followed by an official photo shoot. We decended into the lush valley below, bound for the accommodation we had left in the morning. On our arrival, we were greeted with champagne, party poppers and balloons, celebrating the completion of our 80km trek.

After the celebrations died down, we were transferred to the heart of Beijing, to the Rainbow Hotel. We were all in awe, as we looked out of the windows of our coach. There were people everywhere, either navigating the streets on foot or by bycycle. Those fortunate enough to afford to pay for transport overloaded buses and cars. As we checked into the hotel, I felt badly dressed as I dragged my luggage into the plush reception clad in now-dirty trekking shoes and loose t-shirt and shorts. My friend and I had been assigned the same room and I can honestly say that, by that stage of the trip, I truly detested her. I grabbed a long shower, thankful that we had all made it this far safely. Wearing real clothes (e.g. not shorts, or trekking shoes!) for the first time on the trip made me feel like a King.

As I headed down to reception, I made a quick phone call to Bree. During the whole trip, I had made a conscious effort not to tell anyone about the man who had only recently come into my life. Not being able to share this happiness with people (even my friend who I'm so glad I didn't entrust this kind of news with), made the whole experience more stressful. By this time, I realised that I had fallen in love with him. Remember how much your heart aches when you are away from someone you love? Hearing his voice at the other end of the line, I was once again amazed at how successful my hearing operation had been. He was well, he missed me and, as people started to gather around the coffee table where I was seated, I wound down our conversation.

The chat was a nice start to the evening we had planned; a group of us had opted to have professional foot massages. I was a little cynical about how much my feet needed rubbing, but oh-my-god! After 30 minutes of twisting, clicking and literally slapping my feet, the petit young Chinese girl with a surprisingly strong grip gestured for me to relax for five minutes. There were about four of us in each of the rooms and each of us looked at one another, a happy/drowsy relaxed look about us.

Upon our return to the hotel, we sat down for dinner, reflecting on the trek. People showed eachother photos on their digital cameras, taking the opportunity to swap contact details as the trip began to draw to an end. The next day, people had the freedom to do what they wanted. Literally everybody had opted to visit the Forbidden City and nobody could have told me how much of an adventure the day would have been for me personally.

FLASHBACK #14: China & Charity (Part 1) - People, Trekking, Zip-lining!

The weekend after Vapuu, I flew to the UK where I spent a day with my family before flying to China. I had signed up to take part in 'Trek China', raising money for the National Deaf Children's Society. The event was supposed to have taken place last September, but after the tragic attack on the World Trade Centre in New Year, our trip had been delayed more than seven months. I had managed to rope one of my friends into participating with me and, together, we raised more than £5,000. The 10 day event would involved trekking some 80km along the Great Wall of China.

Excitedly, we headed to Heathrow's Terminal 3 very early on the morning of departure, checking in with the rest of the 70-odd people who were also taking part. Before the plane even took off, I had managed to get aquainted with several of the people taking part and it seemed that there was a good group going.

Having flown to Beijing via Istanbul, the trip had been very well organised, with a different place to stay each evening. The first day of trekking was at Waterfall Park in Beijing Province. Over the course of 6 hours, we trekked 18km, in a region dotted with reservoirs. Climbing 120 steps, we made our way to the opposite side of the park via a mountain path. As we progressed, I got talking to two of the native guides who worked for Classic Tours, the organisers of our trek. The guy was a handsome doctor about 30 years old who, surprisingly, was single. His family lived in an isolated in the very north of China and regularly travelled to Beijing to make money, escorting trips like ours to make ends meet. I accompanied Judy and Sweetpea, two girls I had met at the airport, as we descended into a valley where our accommodation awaited us.

The next day, we covered five towers along the Great Wall. Setting our eyes on the Great Wall for the first time was an amazing feeling - we reached it after trekking several kilometres through lush hills which offered spectacular views. We covered 20kms that day, over the course of 8 hours. Each day, I got to know more and more people - one guy had a bionic ear just like mine, although his history was rather different. As a rubella child, he suffered from multiple disabilities. His balance wasn't too good and, every now and then when we came across uneven terrain, the group pulled together to assist this young, courageous man. Likewise, there was an elderly guy from Liverpool who was the oldest at 72. He was fighting fit, flagging at times, but demonstrated considerable determination.

During the third day of trekking, we were transferred to the nearby Black Dragon Paw Park. Trekking along rocky terrain, we reached a small Chinese settlement before reaching the park. After a simple lunch of sandwiches and chicken drumsticks, we headed uphill until we arrived at a badly damaged part of the Great Wall. We clamberred along the Wall until we reached the main road. From there, having trekked 18km over seven hours, we were transported to the traditional Chinese-styled Simatai Lodge. In the evening, we all gathered around a dinner table, comparing blisters, sunburns and stories. The weather had been cooler than I expected (always 25-27C), but coupled with the humidity and the fact that we were constantly on the move, the sweat just rolled off us. That's why, each morning, bottles of water were added to our backpacks.

On the fourth day, we were transported to the small village of Shalingzi and, from there, set off towards the Great Wall. We ambled along a dirt track before the Wall finally came into view. It was a good one hour climb before we reached the Wall itself. This part of the Wall was in really bad shape and, during the evening briefing, we were told that we had walked 4km along this steep and stony section. On some parts, only one side of the wall remain, no longer defending the Chinese from the Mongolian's who live on the Northern side. We stopped for lunch and, as we ate, were told that there's two ways to get down: by a dry toboggan run or by zip-lining over a reservoir. It was a tough choice, but I opted for the zip-line. After downing my lunch, I rushed off to the zipline. It looked initimidating, especially when people suddenly disappeared from view. Within seconds, however, the line tightened and they reappeared, shuttling (several hundred metres high) across the reservoir. When my turn came, I launched myself enthusiastically. There was a momentary feeling of unease, but as the welcome cool air surrounded you, you opened your eyes and admired the dry landscape. Within a minute, I was at the bottom and this was a much better than walking down which would have taken several hours. What a thrill!!

www.ndcs.co.uk

FLASHBACK #13: Vappu Day, 2002, A toast to the summer!

I must have got home after 7am in the morning, having got lost on my way back home after drinking too much of the 'black stuff'. I got straight into bed. When Bree got back to Helsinki about 10.30am, he gently woke me up; despite the lack of sleep, seeing him was such a wonderful feeling. The sun was shining and his smiling face looked down at, as happy to see me as I was to see him. Was this love?

Still feeling a bit dehydrated, we ate a quick breakfast then drove to Kaivopuisto on the coast to see the thousands of people who had decended on Ullanlinna Hill to celebrate May Day the finnish way - lots of large groups engaged in loud chatter, donning white caps, consuming herring and champagne. We, ourselves, had packed a bottle of sparkling wine into our rucksack and, before noon, we were seated among the crowd at Ullanlinna, toasting to the coming Summer.

Naturally, I had a 101 questions about how differently Finns celebrated May Day. The atmosphere resembled that of a New Year's Eve party, but one held during the daytime and without the usual cold associated with December 31st. My heart stopped for a minute when I saw four dead bodies lying on a train track, but it was a very imaginative practical joke, thanks to some very creative students!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vappu

FLASHBACK #12: Vappu Eve, another Salmiakki Koskenkorva incident and the police!

Since meeting my 'boyfriend' (we were still in 'were we/weren't we mode' and it felt weird for weeks that I had a boyfriend and not a girlfriend), most weekends were spent in Helsinki. I would either take the train, or drive the 90 minutes straight from the office, heading South on the E3.

'Vappu', Finland's version of May Day, was fast approaching. Always on May 1st (even if it falls on a weekend), Vappu itself is preceded with Vappu Eve, a drinking frenzy. In 2002, Vappu was on a Wednesday so I booked the Thursday and the Friday off work and drove to Helsinki already on the Tuesday night. Bree had already made plans for this year's Vappu Eve, but he had given me a key so I had somewhere to stay.

My friend from Kallio and I met up in town and, even thought it was a Tuesday, we let rip! The city was packed, students in the crowd differentiating themselves by wearing multicoloured jumpsuits representing their field of education. Each jumpsuit had a number of stitched-on badges, indicating that the individual had raised some funds for the department at which they were studying, be it at University or Commercial College. Adults among the crowd who had graduated from some kind of educational facility worse white hats. So, the scene was a mass of students adorning multicoloured jumpsuits and graduates wearing white caps.

The Havis Amanda fountain in Helsinki's Esplandi (which leads to its seaside Market Square) is washed my students as a prelude to the May Day celebrations. Havis Amanda, so-named by Finnish-Swedish newspapers at the time of its erection, was sculpted in Paris in 1906, but wasn't erected in it's current location until 1908. Cast in bronze, the mermaid stands upon a fountain of granite. At 6pm every Vappu Eve, crowds decend upon her to witness her being bathed and crowned with a Student Cap.

We headed to a bar in Eerikinkatu where we stayed most of the evening before heading to a club in Lönrotinkatu. At the first place, however, I was introduced to some of my friend's friends. We had a great time, but then out came the Salmiakki Koskekorva (see my entries 'FLASHBACK #6: Castles, 'support package' and sleeping in the sauna' (1st-Feb-06) and 'OUT OF INTEREST: Salmiakki Koskenkorva' (2nd-Feb-06) .

My friend came up behind me, handing me a shot glass containg the rich black, insidious drink. Several rounds followed and, somehow, we ended up on the dancefloor at the second establishment (the one where I had met my Bree).

The night flew by amid a flow of drink and familiar faces. When I left the darkness of the bar just after 3am, my eyes were stunned by the brightness of the sky - while I had been in the bar, night had set and dawn had broken once more. Wow! Totally pissed out of my head, I stumbled up the street, unfamiliar with my route back to Bree's. After a period of wandering around aimlessly, I noticed two police officers walking towards me. I was saved, I thought, but when I asked them if they could tell me where the street Bree lives was, they just laughed. You see, I was so pissed that I couldn't pronounce the name of the street! They just left me there, vulnerable and lost! To cut a long story short, it took me 4 hours of navigating the city streets to find my way home, a trip that would normally take no longer than 20 minutes! The Salmiakki Koskenkorva had done it again!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havis_Amanda