BANG! Junkets End

So, this is my last entry. I successfully completed my nine month junket and so have come to the end of my tale-telling. As you all now, the trip transpired to be life changing, and after returning to the UK in September as planned, I have now returned to China for the foreseeable future. I sadly packed my life up in Wales and happily came back to my new life here as a Welshese, Chinelish, resident.

There are lots of photos to get through so get comfy, and peruse Junkets End...

Mid August saw the arrival of my first official visitor - Ma. We spent around ten days in Xinpu and then went to Beijing and Shanhgai.

Ma was absolutely delighted when I informed her on day three that I was moving house and she would need to be chief cleaner whilst I bummed around in work. With the help of Lori, Carlos' mum, Jana, Mr Wong and his Amazing Moving Machine, the whole operation took less than an hour.

 

 

Job done. As a reward, I made her come to school with me to work at an end of term flea market.

 

Obviously food plays a big part in all aspects of Chinese life and we were duly invited to Mrs He's home for dinner where Mr Fixit got completely plastered on baijiu and attempted to destroy Ma by the same means, but she wisely stuck to the piss poor beer and escaped unscathed.

I also wanted to introduce her to my buddies, so the easiest and most enjoyable way to do this was to organise a big, rowdy, drunken street dinner.  I won't go into details about how we ended up in a police station until 5:30am but just for the record - it wasn't anything we did ;) Whatever - it provided another authentic experience that they don't sell in the travel brochures... 'Nuff said.

Another dining experience; we went to Summit & Harry's where Ma was taught how to make wantons.

Next stop - Donghai, the Crystal City, for a day trip with Lori her mother in law, and  to see Lucia one more time before she moved down to Suzhou to work.

Various drinking evenings followed by various horizontal hangovers ensued...

 

On the morning of our departure to Beijing, I had time to squeeze in one last visit to our lunch spot in Xinpu Park before Lori & Carlos head off to Tibet and India for a month. This was particularly poignant as when they return, they will be leaving China, and having developed a very special friendship with Lori, with whom I've spent an increasing amount of time during our free daytimes I will be very sad to see them go.

And then it was a sad farewell to both Xinpu and my first summer here as we headed off to Beijing by sleeper train.

 This is some serious candy flossage

 Snigger!

Highlight? Without a doubt, The Great Wall. We took a bus and a taxi and had most of it to ourselves, which was fantastic. We were also treated to a majestic thunderstorm, which was magical.

After a few days in Beijing, every girl needs a rest, so, To Shanghai for some retail therapy and top notch civilisation!

 

 

It was truly rewarding to be able to share my experiences here in China with somebody. To actually show someone and introduce them to everything and everyone I have encountered was fantastic. Ma said that she saw this blog come to life, and it kind of felt like stepping into a TV show that you've been watching, where you know the sets and the characters.

So, now, I am back here, in my awesome new apartment, with a new job, working at the School in Xinpu instead of Xugou, and a whole year ahead to relish my time here in China, whatever it may bring. I landed back with a bump, literally - I had an e-bike accident on the first day that resulted in CT scans, police stations and lost bag/shoes/passport, bank cards, visa etc., so plenty to keep me busy :-/  

The past nine months have rewarded me with the best experiences of my life, a new name, a new job and some new friends I know I will have with me forever, regardless of where in the world they are and regardless of how hard it is say goodbye, which inevitably happens when living as an expat.

So, Junkets end.  I feel a bit sad but frankly, I can't be bothered to keep updating this thing! If you are in the least bit interested in what happens next, either keep your peepers on various social media platforms, or ...... COME TO CHINA!

Zaijian! XXXXX