On our way Home - Yay!

Up at five to get to the airport. Sasha and Mr Sun punctual as usual, and not much traffic but that nasty, dirty smog still around - even at this hour. Worry that the planes cant see to take off! Sasha comes up to the Air China desk to make sure we get booked all the way through (English is limited this side of the border) and that our luggage is checked properly through (my big fear that it will end up on a baggage line to Shanghai or somewhere). She was very emotional saying goodbye to us, wanted to take her back and show her how it was done away from the big brother Chinese govt. Arrival in Hongkong was fine, and then 5 hours waiting round an airport. Thankgod it had free wi-fi. Went to the boarding room, and the first thing I saw was the Koru pattern on the tail of the plane and nearly cried! just looked at it for ages and ages, till Dave was wondering what was wrong. Plane trip home was hideous due to two babies crying constantly, just in front of us. when one stopped the other started. couldnt decide if I was sorry for the mum trying to keep her baby quiet or totally agreeing with baby-free flights! anyway no sleep at all - watched movies for 12 hours. Seeing Auckland was wonderful - such a joyful sight after all this time, and the luggage was actually there! couldnt believe we mangaged so long with no lost luggage, passports, money, tickets - no booking stuffups or missed transport. pretty amazing considering what naieve travellers we were (not now, very seasoned now!). Our arrival in Napier was lovely - a great welcome and lots of hugs and a few tears WE MADE IT!

China - 2nd day -big disappointment

Up bright and early so we could get to the Great Wall - today is the day. the real reason why we came to China in the first place. Meet up with guide and Mr Sun ( just love him - so much like a Sumo wrestler with a huge smile) and off we go. 8am and peak hour traffic - 2hours to the wall and lots and lots of brown smog. Oh no I think, and then think, it's 2 hours (like to Palmi) surely the smog will be gone by then. Well, one hour goes by, smog, and then another 30 min and more smog. Still in the city of Beijing, still on 3 lane highway, still smog. I had great visions of this wall in the country, rising up from the fields or hills but not from behind 4 story apartment blocks! another 15 min on and then suddenly there are tall, steep cliffs behind the houses, then more cliffs and I feel we are in a type of gorge. 2 more minutes and there it is ! you can hardly see it, emerging from the smog, kinda make out the outline along the cliff ridges and thats about it! we pull off to get into a lane with buses and more buses, and then stop and it's about 20 metres in front of us. Jam packed with people and food stalls just below it. Very disappointing. Have alook and you can see why.

THIS IS IT! CANT SEE A THING!

see the people climbing up the wall to the next tower? very steep. Dave got most of the way up

sights from near the top looking down. I am way down the bottom - can you see me?

the wall had a 4 lane highway under it and a sewrage pond beside it - disgusting way to treat a national treasure.

So we came all this way for this!

Ming Tombs More than thankful to get into the car and get away from the wall and the heat and disappointment. We head to the Ming Tombs which are more into the countryside, some smog but not as bad, but very, very hot. These are 17 tombs set into hills, and only a few uncovered.They have made one for the main Emperor into a museum for the last Emperor (the one that gave it all up).

OLYMPIC VISIT

After a visit and lunch at Jade House to see how they make some of these really neat figurines, and off to the Olympic area. Back into the smog and more heat, not pleasant at all.
 Did you know that the Govt displaced 1 million people so they could build this in the middle of the city? There is a 2km huge walkway right up the middle (concrete) 70 metres wide across (way wider than a rigby field) remember this width goes for 2 kms! now it is a nearly deserted walkway except for the silly tourists who come and see the stadium (birdsnest) on one side and the pool (icecube, gymnasium, fencing stadiums on the other). App. the birdsnest has not been used since the closing ceremony 4 years ago and they are talking of dismantling it (the idiots made the middle too small to be used for any other sport ie soccer so cant be used for anything). the pool etc are used by the university. they had toilets along the side with classifications of 4star, 3 star etc depending on the class of toilet you want. the 4 star I went into was all marble but the door hinges were coming off, the soap tap things didnt work and the blow heaters blew out cold air! not much has been done in upkeep since the games. All for show is what the Chinese seem to do best.

It was very interesting seeing these buildings but I look now and think what a waste! esp. the walkway 2km of concrete in the middle of a city where land is at a premimum!


After that we were very hot, tired and thinking what a day! We relaxed by going to a tea house to try out different types of teas. That was very informative, esp. as we are not tea drinkers! got some real green tea for Emma at an exorbitant price compared to NZ, so it better be good! After that was a special Peking Duck dinner, where by they bring out a whole duck cooked (including its beak and feet!) and cut it up infront of you and give you the meat! the good news was at least I knew what I was eating! the bad news was that face and beak visual was not appetite enhancing! picked my way through (tho the meat was juicy and no real flavour at all, must be duck-farmed). Was glad to get in our bed - what a day!