CHINA TRIP

Back from China trip.. Had fun.. but not really superbly refreshed n more relaxed leh... Guess It takes time...

Day 1. 4/9/04
Dad drove us to the airport in the morning about 7.25. Gathered at Terminal 1 and checked in at around 9am.. Chern Yue's friend, Wei Yang, was on our care as his parents cud not leave the country and put him in our care. (He's one of bro's best friends, so his mum's quite assured to leave him with us.)
There are 15 students of Pri 4 and 5, 6 parents, one teacher (who taught me in pri sch) , the school operations manager and the principal. A total group of 24. Then, went to duty free areas and ate some snacks. Soon, it was time to borad the plane.
Sudenly, I had a panic attack as the plane began to lift off the ground.cun breathe. Very scared that something wrong might occur. Maybe coz too long never sit plane.. I popped pill and felt slightly better after the plane stabilised in the air. Sat for a 5hr light whcih felt like eternity and in between quite a few announcements of turbulance made me very insecure... Feared plane crash or terrorists attacks... Going crazy...
Finally the plane landed around 3.20pm.. After an extremely long and ardous wait, we finally went through the immigration counters.Den claimed our luggage and left to board the bus. A parent said i looked very mature, like i'm in the 20s... !!!
Our tour guide was Mr Wei, and the driver's Master Zhou. They are goin to be with us throughout our 8 day trip while we'll get a local guide to join us at different counties... Rode a 2 1\2hr hour bus ride to suzhou den had our dinner and checked in into our first hotel. Shared room with grandma while mum, wei yang n bro shared 1 room..

Day 2. 5/9/04
Woke up at 6 plus den went back to sleep again until 7.. Den showered ad dressed before going to the oppsite building for breakfast. THere wasn't much food and not even like a buffet... We all preferred Thai hotel food to here...
Chern Yue was vomiting last nite so he din eat much during breakfast... He was sick on the bus and we decided to brijng him to the hospital. As such, gran, mum n me missed the tour to Hu Qiu Shan. He was put on the drip and grandma and i left first to fetch the rest of the group to the next attraction, Han Shan Si while Mum stayed with bro... E toilet had only a common flush which works every few minutes n we were quite appalled .. We bought some souvenirs and made some prayers den detoured to fetch bro...
However, he still had about half a packet to finish and we decided to wait for him.. Meawhile, we went to the provison shop to buy some cup noodles as the students wated them for supper. Den bro was fetched back..
Following, we headed for lunch den went to the silk factory.. Saw the silkworms and bought numerous silk products. Next, we went on to Wang Si Yuan, a historical place.. Den, we wmbarked on a 50-min jouney to Wuxi.. Had Wuxi's famous pork ribs for dinner.. Met our 1st local guide.. Forgot his name.
Checked into second hotel... mum fell sick next..Felt nauseous..So grandma asked mum, bro n Wei Yang to bunk in our room..I slept on the floor underneath a temporary bed of blanket while mum slept on my bed, wei Yang n gran shared a bed n bro slept on makeshift bed from 2 armchairs..
Halfway thru the nite, bro cried as he cud not stretch his legs n grandma asked him to sleep with mum.. He sleepily went to Wei Yiang n grandma's bed n slept on Wei Yang backside.. Haha!!! Den we pulled him over to mum's bed n tucked him in...

Day 3. 6/9/04
Bathed den went for breakfast. Left for Li Yuan n turtle head Isle where we took many beautiful pictures.. Mr wei asked me to pose against the willow tress swinging in the wind and let my hair fly similarly as well.. Nearing the exit, we lost our way with the main group following the local guide as we stayed behind to take pictures... Mr Wei brought us to e exit where i bought some souvenirs..
As it was still early for lunch, we went to the pearl centre where we bought some necklacesn handphone chains n pearl powder... Bro n i went to buy some gifts for our granmas. Den we wet for lunch n embarked on a 3hr bus ride to Hangzhou. Checked into 3rd hotel n rested for awhile before leaving for dinner. N met our 2nd local qguide, Ms Yang. Din sleep well at nite..

Day 4. 7/9/04
The hotel buffet food gets less palatable each day. Todays' the worst so far.Yet we have to stay here for 2 days.
Woke up earlier today, 6.45am morning call instead of 7am, as we are going on a boat trip round west lake. At 8am, we took bus to west alke den took the boat trip round the lake. The scenery was great .. Next we went to e koi garden where we fed e kois.. After a while, many pigeons suddenly flew to feed on e bread crumbs i threw to feed e kois.
Den we walked to e bus n rode a short distance to Yue Fei's temple. Next we went for lunch. Almost everyone joined e turn-the-table game.
It started 2 days ago during dinner wen e students put a cup or toothpick holder as a marking on e table n turn e revolving table. If e marking stops n poits at a certain person, e person wud have to eat some food on e table. That way we wud not waste food.
I was made to eat about 7 times after they all ganged up to frame me.. HAha.. The entire reastaurant was filled with our laughter and cheers.
Following, we went to Ling Yin Si n explored Fei Lai Feng. Knocked myself hard on e knees wen i kneeled to offer prayers. Pain pain. Afterwards, we climbed down e mountain.
It was a treacherous climb, although the mountain wasn't really high at all.I almost slipped n fell wen i reahced out to touch e spring water. Along e way down, my fear of heights surfaced n i shrieked alot.
Wished he's there, leading me, comforting me, supporting me.. Was shaking n quaking terribly. Had a aching headache wen we reached e bottom.. Rested awhile on e bus after popping a panadol while on e way to Long Jing Cha plantation.
Learned about China's national tea. Mum n grandma bought quite alot of tea. Den we went on to the souvenir shop.Bought tea pillows. Den went to China's heritage n pasar malam street. Bought some more stuff. Chern Yue bought a shock pen.
He pretended to have problems with his pen n asked 4 my help.AS i pressed e pen, i was greeted with an electric shock. He tried it on Mr Wei wen we returned to e tour bus.He jumped up n shouted loudly while we had a good laugh.. It was really hilarious, though it sounds a bit mean.. Haha!!
Den we went for dinner. Had Hangzhou's famous dishes, Beggers' Chicken, Dong Po Rou n ..... Den went back hotel. A girl, Mei Zhen, fell sick today.. Had sore throat.. On the way back, we almost had an accident as a car on e opposite lane suddenly turned n cut our path..
Back at e hotel, there was a misunderstanding between 2 girls n both cried. I played mediator den sent them both to bathe.. Den went back to room n related e happenings to my family.. Like storyteller..

Day 5. 8/9/04
There's problems with e room key. We can't open e door after taking out e card n leave e room.. Many of our rooms faced a similar situation n we went for breakfast before rezapping our cards at e lobby. Den checked out n embarked on 3hr journey to Zhouzhuang, an old water town of China..Explored e crowded town n we left before i cud buy any souvenir.. Had wanted to buy suff bottles.. Den we left for Shanghai.. Mei Zhen had a high fever n we decided to send her to e hospital after we checked into e hotel. E gals were all mostly on excellent with me n gathered in my room before we gathered at e lobby to go 4 dinner. Den returned back to hotel.

Day 6. 9/9/04
woke up at 6.10 coz there's school for e students today..This hotel's food's slightly better.. Thankfully, coz we r staying here e longest, for 3 days.. WE were met with a warm reception by Zha Bei Pri Sch.
After e opening speech, e students were led to classes while e parents were brought on a tour around e school. We listened to her talk in e parents' meeting room n i almost fell asleep after hearing her talk for about an hour.. Worried about my decreasing attention span..
Den we went back hotel for a short rest den went for lunch.. Shopped freely for 2hr before going to fetch e kids.. After they changed out of their sch uniform, we visited e oriental pearl tower.
There was another quarrel before we left e hotel n i managed to soothe e two parties. E gals sat in front listening to grandma tell jokes, sing songs n tell stories. Den we went for dinner, aTe dim sum. Went for cruise round Huang Pu River den returned to hotel.

Day7. 10/9/04
HAd dream about us patching n being like those days in the past. Wanna cry.. Really wanna return to those days.. Today had breakfast den sent kids off before going back to room..Today's china's teacehrs' day so it's half day of school for e kids.Went for lunch after e kids returned from school.... Bro had lots of gifts from his friends from Zha bei...
The longing fellings's following me everywhere i go today... wanna see him alot... Dne we went shopping.. Agnes n Ming Jiao linked arms with me on my either side n we walked thru e strreets like that.. Rushed back to bus as it bagan drizzling.. Visited Li Yuan den went shopping again..Went to e restaurant earlier coz we had too many kids in tow n we afriad they wud get lost..
After waiting a long time, Mr Wei came towards us with a birthday cake.. Today's his n Teck Jun's bday.. Sang song n cheered loudly den ate dinner.. DEn went back hotel to pack stuff..
Tomorrow's last day.. There were a few quarrels again n they running to ask me to be mediatator...Mum n grandma got fed up with them n threatened to tell grandma den they all went back to their respective rooms..

Day 8. 11/9/04
Today's last day.. After bath n breakfast, we went shopping at the nearby bookstore. Den returned to hotel n packed our last items den checked out early n watied in e bus for e rest.. Missed him again..
Finally, Mr Wei n 2 boys returned with bags of KFC.. It was the principal's treat for lunch. Ate on e journey to airport.. Checked in our luggage n spent e last of our money at e duty free areas...
Den went from 1 end to e other to board e plane.. However, at e last miute, they announced that our boarding gate's changed n we had to walk all e way back plus a further distance!!! Think we walked for about 1km n waited for more den half an hour before we finally managed to board e airport bus to e plane... REally terrible impresion..
Felt less nervous during e return flight.. E kids played cards during e journey n finally we landed in Singapore... The feeling of home.... Yippee!!!! Dad n ah yi came to fetch us n our lugggages... Slept at about 12am....

Overall, we had a fun trip... though some bad experiences as well ... Made new friends n visited many fun places... going back to my life here... Going to attend Autocad lesson soon... It's using computer to draw electrical componets to present in presentations.. Dad asked me to learn n den return to teach other employees how to use e programme... N i might be starting volunteering soon as well.. Try to enrich my life as much as possible... :)


11:38 AM