40,000won to enter China?! Pfft, they should be paying people to visit! Not charging them!

This year for Chuseok (Korea’s national Thanksgiving Day and what usually equates to an additional three days off school) I decided to go Beijing. Again, this was yet another trip that was planned, booked and paid for before I had the accident so not wanting to a) lose any more money and b) ruin any more of my plans, I decided to go ahead with it despite the injury. And after all, I managed to get around Thailand OK(ish) so two weeks on, I thought I’d be fine in Beijing.

Forbidden City

Tiananmen Square

Well, little did I know then that Beijing is THE MOST DIFFICULT CITY in the whole world! And I’m not entirely sure how I got through my five days there without killing somebody… or myself for that matter! Seriously.

Some of the things that made my time there difficult and/or annoying…

1. Nobody speaks English.

2. None of the signs are in English.

3. No western toilets. ANYWHERE. In normal circumstances this would be difficult and annoying. On one leg- impossible.

3. Food that makes you ill. Eugh.

4. Zero pharmacies. Well none that I could find anyway.

5. No lifts at the subway stations.

6. Having to put your bag through security every time you use the subway.

7. Not being able to cross the road anywhere due to the ridiculous fences that enclose every pavement meaning you have to walk to the nearest underpass (with said missing lifts so down and up the stairs which I couldn’t do AND with said missing English signs so down, up, down, up and down and up AGAIN) just to get to the other side of the road and end up where you want to be!!! Argh!

8. The rudest people I have EVER come across in my entire life. Fact.

Doesn’t it sound like I had a wonderful time?!?! I realise that the injury made it so much more difficult that it would have been without that hindrance and it’s a shame because it’s given me a not so great impression of China that would probably have been different given better circumstances.

However, having said that, after the nightmare that was the first two days, things gradually got better (I think I just got used to things being difficult and learned to make the most of it in the end!) and I actually managed to enjoy myself for the last three days and have some good experiences.

Gorgeous sleeping panda at Beijing Zoo

Could have stayed there and watched all day :)

Beautiful Weeping Willows 

Summer Palace

Rickshaw ride around the Hutongs

Peking Duck

Temple of Heaven

Stupid security checking system that you have to put your bag through every time you use the subway

Deliciousness in a bowl

Business Class upgrade! Oh, yes!

Beijing goodies

Favourite things in the world overload!

Needless to say though, I was extremely happy and relieved to get back to Korea after the five days were up. And although I have never felt that way about a trip before (usually I find myself wanting to stay, wherever it is that I have been, forever) it’s actually quite nice to have that kind of experience. China made me SO thankful to be from England and SO thankful to be currently living in Korea. And it’s nice to have experiences that make you thankful and appreciative of what you’ve already got instead of always wanting something better. So thanks China. We had our differences but you certainly taught me something.