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Adventure Time

September - December 2017
A 111-day adventure by NZtoWherever Read more
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  • NZtoWhereverAdventure Time
    Day 2

    Auckland: Onam at the Airport

    September 5, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    In celebration of Onam (a Keralan Holiday), Sree has brought us a mini feast for our lunch. Couldn't have asked for a better way to wile away the time. Good food. Check. Good company. Check. Check in. Check. Took advantage of the Diners Club card to access a quiet premium airport lounge with free wifi, food and drink.Read more

  • NZtoWhereverAdventure Time
    Day 3

    Beijing: 10000 steps by 9AM

    September 6, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Touched down safe and sound at 4.10AM after a 13 hour flight. Breezed through customs and baggage claim thanks to a near empty airport. Came to the realisation that the lounge and subway didn't open until 6.00AM.

    Luckily the hotel let us check in at 9am so just had to fill in a few hours strolling around. Found some steamed buns for breakfast by finding a queue and joining it. Then walked some more, ate some more and now relaxing after a couple of naps.

    Looking forward to our foodie tour tomorrow once we work out the subway system!    Read more

  • NZtoWhereverAdventure Time
    Day 4

    The "Foodie" tour

    September 7, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    After a bit of mall wandering (ranging from the conventional to kooky), we figured out the metro (super easy and cheap - 50c a trip ish) and made our way to Guloudajie station. Strolled along the greenery-draped canals and listened to random music being played by randoms. Was nice.

    Then met our tour guide Lucy for a "foodie" tour with Urban Adventures. Waited a little for the other 3 tourists - who turned out to be a family from Wellington over here for their son's inline hockey world champs (and yes we did know someone in common).

    Anyway, Lucy took us to a local supermarket (OK) and then a very quiet dumpling place. Dumplings were good. Then through the hutongs - narrow old alleyways. Quite interesting and learnt to make dumplings (would not have wanted to eat them as the hygiene practices were questionable, and I dropped all of mine repeatedly).

    Continued past the Drum and Bell towers (cool, may return to go in) and went to a busy local place. Lucy ordered us some pork steamed buns (passable), and some soupy stuff with pork liver and tofu and wheat cake. It wasn't to our taste unfortunately. Apparently popular with the locals though (the place had been around for 100 years and packed with locals). Then we finished the tour and Lucy showed us to the HouHai Bar district - very pretty and a great atmosphere. But that's another post...    Read more

  • NZtoWhereverAdventure Time
    Day 4

    The HouHai Lakes

    September 7, 2017 in China ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    So walked along the lake side with the glow of lights and bustle of people. Lively but safe. Had overpriced drinks and some pistachio nuts and sunflower seeds (in shell) at the Nuts bar. Then ambled some more.

    Came across Tuatara beer so had one and a Mongozo mango beer (Belgian and surprisingly good). Saw a guy flying a very long kite (could barely see the end) and saw vendors with those shuttlecock things and some weird thing you fling into the air and it floats back down with lights on it. Cool.

    Had a lovely walk and chat with the Wellington people. Saw some cool shops in the hutongs, then caught the subway back to hotel.    Read more

  • NZtoWhereverAdventure Time
    Day 5

    Unplanned Pearl Market Trip

    September 8, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Had a lazy day today but needed to vacate the room for housekeeping so popped outside and decided spur of the moment to pop to the famous pearl market. A short subway ride away, it has 3 levels of watches, clothes, jewellery and crafts. A place where haggling is a must.

    We perused the goods amidst the relatively aggressive vendors and enjoyed ourselves. Some nice goods and some knock offs. Lots of beautiful things - helped that we have so little space to clog up our bags so meant we didn't buy as much!

    But we did end up buying a watch each for about 30 bucks a piece (from an initial price of about 80 or 100). Intense haggling but good fun.

    Met a guy who does beautiful little glasses and vases. He can then paint your name inside in tiny font. Very cool and not too expensive. But we bought the cheap imitation one for 2 bucks instead ☺.

    After that, ate and visited a supermarket warehouse type place. Oddly empty and many bare shelves. Was odd.

    Then home, ate some steamed buns. Watched a movie and slept for our 8am start tomorrow.    Read more

  • NZtoWhereverAdventure Time
    Day 6

    Temple of Heaven: Aging Gracefully

    September 9, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    An early start to do an almost full day tour with Intrepid Urban Adventures. Our tour group included us, an older well-travelled Aussie couple, and two lovely older men (one from Netherlands and the other from Quebec, Canada). First stop - Temple of Heaven park. Lots of older citizens exercising in the morning in a giant park. Tai chi, shuttlecock hackey, dance classes and random exercise gear. We had a go - quite good fun.

    Basically once you hit 65 (men) or 60 (women), you come here every morning and play poker and exercise with your friends. Sounds pretty good and explains how everyone looked in shape!

    Then we walked around the sights - beautiful buildings and a few interesting stories. Very old buildings, but young trees. Buildings (400 years old) are much older than NZ buildings. But trees are special if they're say 200 or 100 years old - relatively sure we have older trees in NZ right? Odd but nice to see NZ has some old stuff too. Oh and they use the number 9 lots - like the circular area which has 9 stones in a circle in the middle, then 18, then 27 and so on (up to 81).

    There's also a matchmaker spot where parents go and lay out their kid's personal details to try find a match.

    There was an echo wall and echo spot and other buildings. Quite nice then on to part 2 - Tiananmen Square.    Read more

  • NZtoWhereverAdventure Time
    Day 6

    Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City

    September 9, 2017 in China ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Went to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City and Jianshan Gardens.

    The square is huge. Lots of people. Some security. Apparently a million people can stand in the square. Big picture of Chairman Mao overlooking it all.

    Forbidden city is also huge with 10,000 rooms. Big open courtyards. Massive crowds.

    Went along to the Jianshan gardens. Attended a tea tasting. Nice tea and nice cups - our favourites were the Ginseng oolong and Jasmine green tea. Walked up a hill and looked out over the smog. Lots of walking in the heat.

    Finished the day with a nice late lunch/early dinner with our tour group at a great little local place.    Read more

  • NZtoWhereverAdventure Time
    Day 7

    Wangfujing Night Market

    September 10, 2017 in China ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Relaxed day. Walked along the shopping street (Wangfujing street) and around malls with insanely expensive luxury items. Did not buy any (no surprises there)! Found an English bookstore.

    Went to the Wangfujing night market, where they sell all kinds of street food (including scorpion on a stick - some of which were still moving while on the stick...). Did not partake. But got a lot of other street food, was pretty good. Then walked back to hotel and got some bakery treats.

    Also we don't really have access to Facebook or email so just comment on one of these pages and hopefully we'll see it. Or will reply once we're in Frankfurt on Thursday (maybe Friday NZ time).    Read more

  • NZtoWhereverAdventure Time
    Day 8

    The Great Wall (at Mutianyu)

    September 11, 2017 in China ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Up at 5.30am to see the Great Wall (with Intrepid Urban Adventures). Our tour group was made up of people our age this time (a couple from Miami, a Malaysian couple from Australia, and a guy from Michigan - though he'd been living in Japan the last few months). A 2 hour drive in a minivan out of the city. Quite nice countryside - chestnuts and fruit trees. Lots of green. Got to the wall early ish and avoided some of the crowds but still a few people around.

    Took a chairlift up to the wall (to save the steep 50min walk uphill), enjoyed the scenery in peace and quiet. Walked along the wall for a while. Great views and pretty awesome overall. Didn't realise the wall was on top of a hill slash mountain to make it easier to defend. Would have been very impressive in ancient times (although without the trees growing next to both sides of course).

    Bit steep in parts and was good exercise but worth it. Parts of the wall we were there alone which was awesome. Very much enjoyed it.
    Then took toboggan down - had to keep slowing for a woman in front of me who was busy taking selfies (Radi wanted to go faster). But was heaps of fun when you got up some speed. Fantastic way to get back down.

    Then went to a restaurant and a had a big delicious feed. Followed by another 2 hour trip back. Interesting driving. Good to see a bit more rural - big change from the urban area.

    Walked and took subway back. Went into a random supermarket hidden down some steps. Found pineapple beer which will try later. Then time to relax a little!    Read more

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