XIAN - on my own.

Well, I'm in Xian now. I took the night train from Beijing. I slept in a tiny bed, without any space. I couldn't even sit up. But there was a nice boy sleeping next to me, and he spoke a little english. So he helped me with telling me where to go off, and so on... He was also going to Xian. But it wasn't the same as with Camilla right next to me.

The first day here, I was very tired, so I just walked around nearby the hostel. I live right in the center of the city. When I arrived, there were three other girls in my room. But they all left that day. So I got the room for my self.

The second day, I went to see the Terakott worriors. That's why I'm here, actually. To see the Terakotta army. I went on a group tour that I booked on the hostel. I really loved it. There were more than 6000 worriors there! Amazing... Worth seeing:) I took a lot of pictures.

Today, I rented a bike at my hostel, and went to the pagoda here in Xian. It was a beautiful park there as well. And a nice street with lots of restaurantes. So I walked around there for a long time. When I sat at one restaurante, it started raining really bad. So I figured I'd just wait for it to stop. And it did. But when I was on the bike, on my way home, it started raining again - really bad! When I got to the hostel, I was soaking wet! When I walked in the door at the hostel, everyone in the room all started laughing at me:) I was dripping. But at least I made some people smile for a while:)

After I changed my clothes, I went out again, this time with my jacket on... I went to see a couple of towers here in the city, and a mosque. I also ended up in a little street where people were selling all kinds of things. Lots of lots of food, fruit and much more. It was very interesting. So today has been great:)

Tomorrow, I think I will rent a bike one more time, and maybe go to the place where the silk road started in the old days. A road where China traded silk and other things with other countries. I guess that would be fun to see, and then I also get to see more of the city, on the bike. And maybe I'm going to a park I've seen on the map.

And the day after that, I'm going back home to Norway! I'm looking forward to that now. I'm kind of homesick...

bummer...

when we went to the kung fu show today, we were told that kung fu was over. they did not do that anymore, anywhere in beijing... so the tickets we had bought were old tickets, without any date on it. but we used them for an acrobatic show instead. it was fun, but i wanted to see kung fu... acrobatics is not the same...

BEIJING

Yes... We are in Beijing now. This city reminds me of New York. There are many new, tall buildings. And there are many parks here, where all the old people work out in the morning. But this city is much more spread out than NY. The traffic is bad, not because they drive badly ( even though they do, but we are very used with that kind of driving now. and they do not hunk as much here...), but there are sooo many cars everywhere.
we are staying at a very cosy hostel, in the center of the city. right next to the forbidden city. but we still have to take taxis everywhere we want to go, because it is so spread out.

we have been to a lot of markeds. the pearl marked, the silk marked and yashow marked. i have shopped... and shopped... i am very good at bargin now! today a girl told me that i was stupid. and she wanted to kill me, and then she hit me, and said it was no wonder i had no boyfriend, because nobody liked me. because i was so mean. only because i wanted a sweater a bit cheaper. she was crazy! and i had to just walk away, so i would not hit her too. i got really angry. but most of the time it is just fun. and we have met a lot of great people:)

we also went to the forbidden city today. that was fun, or it was ok. i have seen a lot of palaces now on our trip, so i am a bit tired of it. but i liked it, and i could not have been in beijing for so long, and not visit the forbidden city. we have also been to the summer palace. that was beautiful:)

yesterday, we went to the great wall. eirin and marie came a few days ago, so we are travelling with them now. they are friends of camillas. we walked for about 10 km. up, and down. it felt a lot longer. we did a lot of climbing. we went on the oldest part of the wall, and it was kind of ruined some places, so the path was not very good. but that was actually kind of fun:) i had a great time!!! it goes in the memory book for ever...

tomorrow we are going to a kung fu show in the evening. that will be fun:) and i think i want to see the mao museum tomorrow too. and maybe see the olympic stadium...

and on saturday i am leaving. i am going on my own to xian. i am going on a train for 12 hours or something... hardsleeper, so that can be interesting... so that is how i am going to celebrate my mothers birthday. she is 50!

siss