Censorship

I didn't forget about you in China. I tried almsot every night to get on my website, but the censorship is much stronger than I thought! It is crazy! I could keep you updated in Hong Kong, because it has a very special status since it "belonged" to the British for 100 years and only recently "joined" the rest of China... I am exhausted right now since I just arrived in Paris (in Beijing it is about 1 a.m. now...) Next post tomorrow with all the details and photos I promised earlier!

The Golden Week

There are three "Golden Weeks" in China:

- The spring festival (chinese lunar new year)
- The labour "day" (it lasts 7 days!!!)
- The national "day" (also a week)

Why am I talking about this? Because I didn't know it existed before I arrived in Hong Kong and it fascinates me. The Golden Weeks are three dictated holidays. They are paid and it his to be 7 continious days. Now as if it wasn't amazing enough to imnpose a holliday it concerns ALL the Chinese at the same time! So if you want to travel avoid those 3 weeks (January or Fabruary / May 1st and October 1st)! We actually had to advance our 3 week journey! Why did you think we were flying back on September 30th?!


It is too late now and we tomorrow morning we are leaving quite early for Kunming, but next time I'll tell you all about Hong Kong!

Landing

I promise to upload pictures as soon as possible. Just to let you know how amazing the landing was! Hong Kong, as you probably and actually hopefully all know, is an island. When the plane starts the landing you start to wonder: where? Sea is all around us... And it keeps heading down. You can actually see the water move because of the "winds" created by the reactors. You're not scared, you just wonder. And then you see the surface marker buoy. And you realize: you will of course not land ON the water, but the landingstrip must be very short. Well you just have to hope it is not the pilots fisrt flight... Suddenly the Hong Kong skyline and harbor appear and you forget about it all. It is amazing. It is beautifull and hey! you're there!!!!!

Paris-Hong Kong

Here I am sitting in the plane (well not reallt of course... I am in Hong Kong right now...). Anyway... Here I am sitting in the plane. My head swirls. I am impatient. Now that I know it is for real, that the trip won't be cancelled, that I am in the skies (yes plural!), I want to be there. Right now. I want to see, taste and smell it all. I want to feel the atmosphere, the heat, the humidity. I want to know how they live, if they are friendly, want to hear them speak a language I do not understand, want to see the skyline and the beach, the harbor and the jungle like landscape. I want it all and I want it now! But I fell asleep. Dreamed of China the whole time. My biggest dream is about to come true!

Will or will we not leave for China...

So it is finally time to leave for the airport. 8pm the cab should be here. 8:10pm Still waiting. So we call. Where the hell is he??? Well he's supposed to be there in 5 minutes. 15 minutes later, we are still waiting. The nervousness level rises extremly fast. After a quick glance we decide, that if we want to make it on time we have to take the car. The thing is, it is much more stressful since you have to avoid the traffic and when you finally reachged the airport you have to find a parkingspot which won't be to far from the gate since you're already late... But hell! We have no choice...
You know how it is: is something goes wrong everything does and after a few minutes we realize that there is no gas left in the tank!!! So we refuel the little b.... and drive like crazy to make it on time. But what did I just say: "trouble" never comes alone... Accident on the highway. This is the point where we actually stoped believing that we could make on time. We were actually already making plans for the evening...
Believe me in such a case, a good music choice is vital! It permits to laugh, to destress and sing on some good old tunes.
After a while we finally made to the airport. We arrived at the check in about 5 minutes before close down! But WE MADE IT. First thing we did? What do you think! We were leaving from Paris so Champagne was about the only thing we could think of! It never tasted as good!!!!!!!

I finally start to realize: in two days I'm leaving for China !!!

Berlin, september 7th, 11pm:
I'm chatting with a friend who kindly reminds me that I'm leaving tomorrow for Paris and then from Paris to China and that I'd better start packing... Right! I'm leaving for a whole month! Not really in the packing mood though... But hey ! you have to do what you have to do so I packed... Slowly it started to sink in that I was leaving for CHINA!!!! China! Wow! It has always been one of my biggest dream and now it's actually happening... I still do not realize that in two days now I'll be in Hong Kong... It's crazy.
For those who do not know yet: I will arrive in Hong Kong the 12th, I am staying there for about 5 days. Then I'll be in Xian, Dali, Lijiang and Zongdian for several days. Then back to Xian form where I'll be heading - by plane of course - to Beijing. I'll stay there also for about 5 days before going back to Paris and Berlin. 3 weeks in China!!! Isn't it great?!

Berlin, september 8th, 3pm:
I'm at the airport in Berlin. Check in is done. I still have some time before boarding. I go outside for a smoke, good music on my iPod, sun shines... All is just perfect. A big smile on my face: I'm leaving for China in 4 days!

Paris, september, 10th, 2pm:
I promise to keep you updated as often as possible on this website and if possible with pictures, but that might be more complicated than the posting...

We need a holiday !!!!!

holiday madonna live re-invention tour
Uploaded by mattia93

Holiday Celebrate
Holiday Celebrate

Chorus:

If we took a holiday
Took some time to celebrate
Just one day out of life
It would be, it would be so nice

Everybody spread the word
We're gonna have a celebration
All across the world
In every nation
It's time for the good times
Forget about the bad times, oh yeah
One day to come together
To release the pressure
We need a holiday

(chorus)

You can turn this world around
And bring back all of those happy days
Put your troubles down
It's time to celebrate
Let love shine
And we will find
A way to come together
And make things better
We need a holiday