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Archive for August, 2007

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China – A Dichotomy

Tuesday, August 28th, 2007

(Dichotomy – a division into two mutually exclusive or contradictory groups. Not a medical procedure that involves sticking cameras into various bodily orifices. That just wouldn’t make sense now would it.)

This past week has shown me that China is definitely a country in the process of trying to reinvent itself. As the title suggests, China is a lesson in extremes with wealth and lots of shiny children, people, and buildings coexisting side by side with the exact opposite. This is usually within sight of one another. I got my first lesson as I made my way to the Guilin train station about which I will tell you in due course. [read on]

Posted in China, Travel | 1 Comment »

China – Leaving the British Commonwealth

Tuesday, August 21st, 2007

On Wednesday evening, I caught the ferry from Hong Kong to Nansha which is an industrial suburb of Guangzhou. The trip went by quickly as the ferry was relatively new and fast. On the trip I met a Canadian named Terry (the only other foreigner on board). He was just moving to Guangzhou to take a computer science teaching position in Clifford Estates where I was going. He was married to a Chinese lady and they were going to live in Clifford Estates. Upon arrival in Nansha, I swiftly moved through immigration and then into the line for the metal detector. The metal detector seemed to go off as everyone went through including me yet the guards never checked anyone. After clearing customs, Terry and I caught the bus for Clifford Estates. The bus driver never sold me a ticket. Upon exiting the bus at Clifford Estates, a guard wanted my non existent ticket. After much finger pointing, in Chinese which I didn’t understand, and English which they didn’t understand, I had to go back to the bus driver and buy a ticket for 15 yuan (7.5 yuan = 1 US dollar). I was then met by Kemble who was to be my host in Guangzhou. Kemble and his wife Zallari are an Indian couple who are friends of a friend. They currently work in China in the jewelry industry. After meeting Kemble, we walked through Clifford Estates to his apartment. Clifford Estates is a very large planned suburb of Guangzhou built by a developer named Clifford. (Lots of things there are named after Clifford). After meeting Zallari and dropping off my bags, we went to eat at a Thai restuarant. After eating, we went to watch Zallari take salsa lessons. It was sort of surreal to spend my first night in China watching a group of Chinese and Indian people learn to salsa. I must say they are good as this was the intermediate class. My last action of the night was to call Terry and arrange to go sightseeing with him as we had discussed on the bus trip. Kemble and his wife were working. [read on]

Posted in China, Travel | 4 Comments »

Hong Kong – My Gateway to Asia

Tuesday, August 14th, 2007
My trip and arrival in Hong Kong was quite an exciting one. I boarded a Thai Airways flight in Perth for a seven hour flight to Bangkok. I sat next to an Englishman going on a business trip to Mongolia. ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Hong Kong, Travel | 3 Comments »

Last Australian Adventure

Monday, August 6th, 2007
Today is my last full day in Australia. Tomorrow I have an overnight (I have to sleep in the Bangkok airport) to Hong Kong. I am both nervous and excited at the prospect. China is regarded by some as one ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Australia, Travel | 1 Comment »