And now I'm finally back BACK!

So first I'm back from China, arriving in Amsterdam. Then, after 3 hours train, I'm finally back with my mum, still in Holland though. Then I'm reunited with Lalo, in London. And now, I'm finally HOME. Back back. Really...pffffffffffff.
What hasn't changed is that I'm still in bed. My throat is feeling better, so I think it’s time to start calling some friends, letting them know I'm back! But this cold is killing me and my head is pounding loudly; paracetamol doesn't seem to help. Ibuprofen neither. And after my latest experience with out-of-date illegal antibiotics from Venezuela I rather let this one heal by it self…

My supervisor however seems to welcome my illness with open arms, postponing our meeting to Monday. I think she is hiding something. I’m soooo ready to receive some constructive comments on my work…and with her ‘you should stay in bed and get rid of that tonsillitis-take care-I’ll see you on Monday’ she has made me nervous. Did my 1 month holiday not give her enough time to correct my first draft???

Anyway, I already finished opening the stack of mail that was waiting for me, cleaned my room, unpacked 1 bag (the other one is arriving tomorrow…), hanged up my new pretty arty paintings from China (bought right of the walls of a coffee shop in Beijing!), and made space on my desk to work on my next trip… Florida in 8 days!!! Cannot be bothered, need more sleep. So I’m back in bed, watching Friends. Using one roll of toilet paper a day as tissue paper. Cough like an old woman who smoked 10 packs a day for 50-ish years.

Lovely…

It’s 4.30pm and I think I need a shower. And start to work. Or not. Whatever. Better luck tomorrow.

madness...

I think the only people who can confirm my state of mind before this amazing trip to China are my flatmates and Lalo. Remember that list of stuff I needed to do before I left? I did none of them! I could barely walk, not talk (oops), and definitely not eat or drink... I was a mess... a terrible mess. Beside being ill, I was mostly worried that I couldn't make it on this trip, worried that my PhD was not good enough, worried that I was letting some friends down, worried worried worried...

Then I went to China. And the sky cleared. No more fever, no more tonselitis. Had a great time, and a great rest. What an amazing escape from all the manchester-maddness!!

And now I'm back. Back in bed. Ill as a dog, like I had some sort of holiday from my illness. Back in bed with fever, with tonselitis! And I'm in London, stuck in Lalo's apartment... Cannot call anyone because I don't wanna speak. Because I cannot speak!

Hi everybody, I'm back!
However, I wish I was in China...

Chinaaaaa

I’m baaaack!! From the country of opposites! From the poor and the rich, the capitalism and the communism, the sun and the rain, the colourful and the grey, the heat and the cold, high and low, and the plainness and the spiciness.

And I’ve done it aaaall…saw the south, the west, the north and the east. Visited Hongkong, Guangzhou, Guilin, Kunming, Dali, Lijang, Xi’an, and Beijing. Saw the panda’s, climbed the Great Wall, and visited the terracotta army, the temple of the 10,000 Buddha’s (really!), the Forbidden City, and the Tian’an Men square (remember this picture?).







The trip was tiring, full of priceless impressions. But also weird. Because after 3 weeks, I still have no idea what China is really about! The government is doing an awful good job in keeping the tourist away from real China, the poverty, the real life. Only good stories about China… Only happiness ever since the Cultural Revolution…

So much to tell. So much to show. A few pictures and then I’ll get back to you some other time.


The Temple of the 10,000 Buddha's

Misty Hongkong
Chinese Buddhism
Bai girls in their original costume
The ever impressive terracotta army

And the Great Wall!!!