2002-2005 (c) GetJealous.com, All rights reserved. http://www.getjealous.com/deejay85/rss.xml Welcome to my site. I hope you enjoy hearing about my experiences and thoughts about what I have seen and done. http://www.getjealous.com/deejay85 http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=622071&go=deejay85 Up at 0515 with a quick cooling shower and then onto the bus to travel 2.5 -3 hours outside of Beijing to the Great Wall of China and our big walk. Only 5 of us all together and all except me doing the full 5 hour walk - I did about a third. Paid our 50 yuan. Had been warned that local farmers would accompany us to help and then sell us stuff - one of their few forms of income. I had a lady attach... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=622071&go=deejay85 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=622073&go=deejay85 The drive to the hotel in taxis was during rush hour so took about 50mins. Fortunately our rooms were ready as everyone was very hot and sweaty. No airconditioning as it is turned off in the hotel - late 20"s and humid. We started sweating when drying ourselves after the shower. Jo and I sharing so a good ending. Met at 1015 to go to the Forbidden City. Went via the metro system which is easy... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=622073&go=deejay85 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=622072&go=deejay85 Xi"an has a population of over 4 million - strange to think of the entire population of NZ in one city. The City walls were built in 1370 during the Ming Dynasty with a perimeter of 14kms Big Goose Pagoda was built in AD 652 to house the Buddhist sutras brought back from India by the monk Xuan Zang who spent last 19yrs of life translating scriptures with a team of linguistic monks -his travel... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=622072&go=deejay85 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=621250&go=deejay85 Arrived at the hotel in Xi"an at 1100 - quick shower and then met for a quick orientation - we are pretty central within the Old Walls staying in the middle of the Bell Tower and Drum Tower. Jo, Julie and I initially set off together heading towards the Bell Tower which is in the middle of a huge traffic roundabout that you get to via underground subway passages lined with shops and expensive... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=621250&go=deejay85 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=620564&go=deejay85 Messed around in the morning and Julie and I walked to the local supermarket for supplies for the 19 hour overnight train journey to Xi'an. Caught taxis to the train station and we were all on by 1415. We are all in separate cabins this time as the local agent who booked the tickets decided that we would all prefer to be on bottom or middle bunks rather than the very high top bunks. I was in a cab... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=620564&go=deejay85 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=620183&go=deejay85 Left at 0900 for a 5-6 hour van trip to Jiayuguan - good roads and a couple of toilet stops and mid afternoon we were there. Very happy that I had internet access in my room for a fee however wouldn"t let me onto my Paradise email or face book. Let the others use it and they could get onto theirs so felt very frustrated. Then out to dinner - again a small local restaurant and very cheap 1.4po... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=620183&go=deejay85 Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=619913&go=deejay85 Hi allNo internet access for 2 weeks anywhere but will update tonight. However dont appear to be able to get into my paradise emails or facebook so this may be it.... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=619913&go=deejay85 Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=620182&go=deejay85 Everybody today is feeling tired and worn out - most of us have coughs and sniffly noses and aching musles from carrying our bags so much yesterday. It was a nice surprise when I got out to the lobby to be greeted with Happy birthday - had no idea it was the 18th today as we neer know the date or the day of the week just the day number of the trip. I had specifically decided not to work out where ... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=620182&go=deejay85 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=620179&go=deejay85 Up at 0700 to be ready to leave the hotel at 0800 - very long day ahead. First our taxis never turned uo so we walked to the main road with all our luggage - about 10-15 mins and then found taxis to take us to the bus station. Then we were in time for the earlier bus so were rushed aboard - the public bus wasn"t so bad but it did smell a bit. Took us 3 hours to get to Urumqi where there have ... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=620179&go=deejay85 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=620178&go=deejay85 Got up early this morning and met Martin and Jacqueline at Johns Café for breakfast before departing on our side trip. We had decided to hire a taxi and visit the Mor Stupa about 40kms outside of Kashgar. Of course the driver didn"t turn up when arranged. He had wanted 0930 and we wanted 0900 which he eventually agreed to but then didn"t turn up til 0930 anyway. For me I knew the ... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=620178&go=deejay85 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT