A sunny weekend.

On Saturday I went to see Giffords Circus - a really enjoyable, but wacky village circus, later in the day went to the cinema to watch the film 'Everest'.  On Sunday a blast to Stroud and back on my bike followed by a pub lunch with William prior to him going back to Bath, to start his final year.

Seaton Hall

On Saturday I drove from Cheltenham to Seaton Hall, near Sunderland - a five and half hour journey, for a weekend reunion with the North Eastern contingent of Christine's family and also to meet two long lost cousins who have just met up with each other, and their family after fifty years apart.

At times a joyous and at times emotional few days.  Christine loved all her family and would have been overjoyed to see everybody.  When we first met, Christine said to me 'love me, love my dog - I come with my family'. That was OK with me as they are, and have always been, a great bunch and continue to welcome me as one of their own.  

Weekend

After a long cycle on Saturday morning I then popped up to Anita and Johns for the afternoon. Stopping overnight at Jane's in readiness for a fabulous Sunday lunch.

Exeter

Spent a lovely weekend at Jonathan and Melissa's in Exeter.  Watched Gloucester play Exeter Chiefs on Saturday, and on Sunday we went for a ride on the road bikes, taking in the legendary Salcombe Hill up to the Observatory - I was worn out afterwards.

Setting off

William and the boys off to discover Europe by Interrail.

Me at 22 (after 150 miles of the Pennine Way)

Will at 22 (in the garden ready to go)

Bike Park Wales

I joined William and Ed for a go at the trails at Bike Park Wales. It's either up or down - nothing in between.  Great fun 4.7km up and 3.5km down, and I mean down, fast turns, burms etc.

China – what a wonderful place

China is a country in a state of change with a long history and a fascinating culture. I found its people to be welcoming, generous and kind.  Old and new China beguiles you, the country bewitches you and you just don’t want to leave.  The long distances you have to travel feel right, the clothing, the food, the buildings, the lettering, all make sense in this vast country.

My time with the team was a joy, teaching such lovely Chinese students was a pleasure - I loved it all, and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to take part, thank you Keith.

 

Day 1 and 2.  22.7.15 / 23.7.15   

After meeting with the team, Keith, Rhys, Emma H, Emma, Sara, Geraint, Nick and Zoe at Cheltenham, we set off to catch the overnight flight to Beijing - meeting up with our Chinese hosts, Jason, Lei and Bohan on arrival in China.

As the internal flight from Beijing neared Chongqing I looked out of the window and saw the ragged horizon of a distant mountain range silhouetted against a pale sky.  Below me the ground was a dark emerald green, with vague outlines denoting paddy fields, looking like the curved contour lines found on a map.  As we got closer to the city, the green gave way to slabs of red earth, as construction groundworks push their way outwards expanding the city.

After two long flights, travelling overland by coach and moving into a different time zone, we were beginning to wilt looking like newly planted seedlings in the hot sun, leaning against anything.

Day 3. 24.7.15    

In the early hours of the morning we arrived at the newly rebuilt town of Fengjie. Old Fengjie was destroyed as part of the `Three Gorges Dam’ project.  Waking up late I stumbled my way down stairs for lunch, all of us sitting round a circular table with the middle spinning slowly so you can take your pick.  The mighty yellow ochre coloured Yangtze flowed silently nearby.

After lunch we drove to Xinglong Town where we would be teaching. The forests that cover the local mountains came right down to the edge of the town.  Meeting the students for the first time at the school was great, not a lot of westerners get this far inland as you can only get here by road, so they were very excited to see us.

Day 4. 25.7.15    

In the morning we attended the opening ceremony in the schoolyard. We were dressed in purple, the students in yellow and our classroom volunteers in blue.  Walking into the schoolyard was like entering another world, the students all lined up in neat rows clapping and cheering. Then after the introductory speeches were over, the regimentation exploded into a heaving mass of students rushing round taking photographs and getting us to sign their shirts. 

I took my first lesson, oh my word was it hard.  Flying by the seat of my pants I just got through it, but it was great fun - the Chinese students were just lovely they're so full of life.  In the afternoon I joined a calligraphy class - it's such delicate work with beautiful brushwork. 

After tea we had a walk around the town, it was mad.  Cars, bikes, people, kids running around, food stalls everywhere, a shop keeper was burning a hunk of meat over a fire in an oil drum in the middle of the pavement.  An assortment of tiny shops selling almost everything were squeezed into what looked like lock up garages at the bottom of the buildings.

In the town square they were holding an open-air dance, the lasses in our group were asked to dance by the men, the whole square ground to a halt to watch east meet west, absolutely great. Not forgetting Nick who partnered a Chinese lady.

Day 5.  26.7.15  

After working last night my lessons today went well.  In the evening we started preparations for our end of camp show.

Day 6.  27.7.15   

Got up early to visit the Houping Tiankeng doline, known locally as the ‘sky hole’. At 650m deep it is one of the largest in the world.  It was unknown to the west until the Royal Geographic Society stumbled across it in 1994.  Walking down steep steps all way to the bottom was wonderful - it’s a magnificent place.  At the surface the landscape is coated in green verdant woodland. A great chance to get to know the students.

This area of China is stunning, huge conical mountains are spread out as far as the eye can see, all covered in dense forest, the forests broken up by enormous patches of sheer cliffs of yellow ochre rock. Patches of cultivated ground, where Marigolds and sweet corn grow, dot the sides of the mountain road.

In the evening we had a great time, sharing a meal with our volunteer teaching assistants followed by karaoke in both Chinese and English. The girls strutted their stuff, the boys crooned their way through the night, our volunteers sang Chinese pop anthems and, after a wee bit of coaxing and a couple of beers I got up and did a duet with Keith.

Day 7.  28.7.15     

Teaching went well today although I’m still altering the lessons on a daily basis.  In the evening we practiced for the final show, singing Hey Jude, Summer Nights and a beautiful Chinese song called 'Friends'.  I’m still enjoying attending calligraphy lessons, honing my Chinese writing in readiness for the final day, where I will write ‘I love you’ in Chinese!

Day 8. 29.7.15     

China really is a beautiful country. Early in the morning we visited Difeng Gorge near Xinglong.  Difeng is an enormous river valley cut deep into the rock.  Our 10k walk, in blistering heat, took us down steep steps to a dry riverbed, flash floods can fill the gorge in hours, so watching the weather was very important.

Following the course of the river, we walked under giant rock archways, through narrow gulleys with sheer rock faces that reached high into a cobalt blue sky, sunlight picking out the detail in the distance through narrow vertical gaps in the rock. 

Day 9.  30.7.15    

I think I may have got this teaching lark in the bag at last.  I start with a short introduction, then a work sheet on the human body, followed by a London quiz using human 0’s and X’s, and ending the lesson with a circular hoopla game. Always good to end with a bit of mayhem.

Day 10. 31.7.15   

An interesting drive across country to get to Dulong River through rural China with its ramshackle farmsteads made of wattle and daub covered in red mud, which were giving way to the new, as the villages expanded.  We travelled partly on a road under construction, the pot-holed surface kicking up clouds of dust from the coaches bouncing along in front.

On arrival, Dulong quickly became awash with colour from the students shirts, as they swarmed their way along the valley floor, stopping occasionally at makeshift tents selling freshly roasted sweet corn and spicy potatoes, before wading in the river, catching embryonic frogs and singing. I sang Adelwise with a group, as a leader blasted out the tune through a crackly megaphone.

In the evening it was a meal out, as quests of Mr Wang the former Head of Culture and Tourism for Fengjie County, followed by a trip to a music festival on the outskirts of town. What a hoot that was, dancing and singing. I ended up on stage coming second, in what turned out to be a drinking game! 

Day 11. 1.8.15    

Two lessons in the morning then a short practice rehearsal for the show.  The final show in the evening was just fantastic, words fail me to describe the sheer joy of the evening. Everybody was involved, singing and dancing.  Zoe’s fashion show, the combined dancing led by Emma and singing the Chinese song ‘Friends’, were memorable.

Day 12. 2.8.15  

The last day of teaching, all a bit strange really. The students knew it was our last day so lessons were a bit chaotic.  Again we were invited for a meal out with the locals, what a night that was.  The Chinese really do enjoy themselves.  I think Rhys’s question, ‘if the police are all at the hotel, then who’s looking after the town’ will remain unanswered!

Day 13. 3.8.15  

After a two hour drive through spectacular mountain scenery and vast gorges we approached the city of Fungjie, where new high rise flats and cranes were dwarfed by the mountains behind them.

We visited White Emperor City on the banks of the Yangtze, not far from the city, which following the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, is now an island at the head of one of the gorges.

After a final lunch with the students, where gifts and e-mails were exchanged, we said our farewells and began the six-hour drive to Chongqing. It was a moving experience.

On the long coach journey to Chongqing, I had time to reflect on our time at Zinglong. When I closed my eyes and listened to the soporific hum of the engine, visions of the mountains, the Chinese students, and the team came into my mind, in two weeks we have bought each other so much joy.

Learning to write traditional Chinese calligraphy, using a brush and being taught by a young Chinese girl called Merida was a joy.  Sitting in a classroom with others students practicing this ancient art form was a privilege.

Chinese lettering really is beautiful. To the western eye it is abstract, but when you watch and study how it is done you realise that great skill and practice is required to get such beautiful lines and curves, ‘you need to feel the power of the brush’ was how it was described to me.

Day 14. 4.8.15   

Waking early we caught the morning flight to Beijing - thankfully Beijing wasn’t as swelteringly hot as Chongqing had been the previous day.  After a bite to eat we drove through this enormous modern city, to get to the Summer Palace, passing the iconic ‘Birds Nest’ stadium on the way.  The Summer Palace is a vast array of lakes, gardens and Palaces.

Day 15 5.8.15

Today it was Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. The clear blue sky we had yesterday, had all but disappeared and was replaced by a thin haze of Beijing smog which gave the square an ethereal feel. What a place, a sea of people, the Chinese looking fantastic, with colourful parasols, pretty sun hats, and delicate lace tops and skirts blowing in the gentle breeze.

After a late lunch we watched a traditional Chinese Circus, what a breath taking show that was.  Dancers in traditional costume, acrobats’ performing tumbles and motorcycles racing round the inside of a spherical cage.

Later we visited Hongqiao Market to haggle and barter our way, hopefully to some bargains.  Another great day.

Day 16.  6.8.15

In the morning it was the Great Wall of China, we choose the steeper section at Juyong Pass, because Jason knew it was less touristy than other parts of the wall.  Joining Rhys and Baby G I pounded my way up the wall, topping off with a leisurely jog to tower four - it just has to be done. Fantastic views from the top, looking across the steep sided mountains you could see the wall zig-zag its way into the distance.

A leisurely trip to the Cloisonne copper enamelware workshop where they hand craft beautiful pots and vases covered with intricate designs.

In the afternoon we visited the Lama Temple in Beijing, an ancient temple still being used today.  It has the largest wooden Buddha in the world at 18m tall, constructed from one single piece of sandelwood that took three years to carve.  The temple was left untouched by the cultural revolution, as the Prime Minister of the time, Zhou Enlai, recognised it’s importance and said ‘you’ll have to burn my house down first’.

A wee bit of shopping in the centre of Beijing, some food and back to the hotel for a swim in the pool and the 'Tim Train'!

Beijing is a city of contrast. It’s a modern bustling city with new manicured parks everywhere. High-rise tower blocks and buildings under construction wrap around the remains of older Beijing with its dark wooden pagodas and alleyways. 

Day 17.  7.8.15

The last day - as we said farewell to Jason, Lei and Bohan at the airport and thanked them for all they had done for us, we all wished we could stay longer.  Oops - the large pot, which I'd lugged halfway around China, pushed my bag over weight by over 6kg - thankfully everybody else was on the borderline or under weight.

A wonderful couple of weeks.