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Trip to Changbaishan with Mavis.

A very good trip to Inner Mongolia!

Seeing the grassland in Inner Mongolia is an excellent experience!

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An amazing place - Namtso!!! Absolutely beautiful....

I had a very rough night at an altitude of 5000m. Not only waking up in the middle of the night, but heavy headaches made me pretty much sleepless the whole night. It was my worst high altitude sickness during the trip. However saying goodbye to Mt Everest in the morning was equally difficult. Not exactly sure when or will I have the chance to see her again. We picked up Young-Tai and he looked so much better than yesterday and it was glad to hear that he had a really good night sleep. The others stayed with Young-Tai looked good too. On the way back to Shigatse was tough. Not only the roads were winding, but were very dusty too. We couldn't open the windows but without any air-conditioning inside the car, it was so hot. So it wasn't a comfortable ride at all. We all felt so dusty and dirty and took a shower was on everyone's mind. However, the beautiful scenery again quickly crabbed my attention and even though it was a tough ride, but i felt lucky and fortunate!!

Mt Everest, the highest mountain in the world, was what everyone was looking forward to in this trip. We left Tingri early in the morning and the roads going to Mt Everest Base camp were winding and travelling one mountain after another in the Himalayas was certainly an experience of a lifetime. The first glance of Mt Everest after we arrived at Rongbuk Monastery was a highlight, I was so excited despite the high altitude at 5000m!!! Our original accommodation was unfortunately taken by a group of mountain climbers and we had to either stay at the base camp or travel further back to a town which was about 30km away from the base camp. Glad the tour guides found another guesthouse for us without any extra charges. After we had lunch at Rongbulk temple, we headed towards the base camp. Some of the group members couldn't stand the high altitude and decide to stay back and have some rest. The ride was very very rough and we all wished we chose to walk instead! However, as we approached closer to the base camp, we were more and more excited. It was just an unbelievable experience that we were so close to Mt Everest and it was such a clear day so we got to see her clearly !! After we came back from the base camp, Young-Tai was feeling rather sick. Oxygen cans didn't work anymore and we had to put him to a gamow bag and send him down to a nearest town which had an altitude around 4500m. I was told the next day that if he was delayed for another 2-3 hours, he'd be staying forever in this 'cloeset to the heaven' place. How tiny a person is and how fragile a life is!! (1) Rongbuk Monastery: Mt Everest can be seen clearly from Rongbuk. It is located by the foot of the Rongbuk Glacier in Tibet at 5000 m and is the highest monastery in the world. (2) Mt Everest: the highest mountain in the world with an altitude of 8,848m. The base camp has an altitude of 5200m.

We visited Tashilunpo Monastery first in the morning. Just after we arrived at Tashilunpo Monastery, my nose started bleeding again. The air was very dry and nose bleeding became a daily event in Tibet. We then visited Ping Cuo Lin Monastery in the afternoon. One very sad thing was that my camera died soon after we arrived at Ping Cuo Lin Monastery. The LCD screen turned black and all the photos turned white. Glad Weiting and Tse-Yao both had brought 1 extra camera with them so they lent their cameras to me. Thank you so much!! Well, my Nikon 880 has spent years with me and has taken so many great photos. It has decided to rest peacefully in beautiful Tibet, the nearest heaven place, I have to say it was a good choice! Will miss you Nikon 880! We arrived at Tingri after 9pm and again, the altitude made some people feeling uncomfortable again. Those of us who felt alright walked up and down to find our rooms and then realised our rooms were on the top floor! High altitude together with lots of going upstairs and downstairs was certainly a good preparation for Mt Everest Base Camp! (1) Tashilunpo Monastery: was founded in 1447 and is the largest Yellow Hat sect monastery in Tibet. The monastery is a striking red, white and black Tibetan structure with a golden roof. Within the monastery there is a 5 story temple, which contains a 26 meters (86ft) sitting statue of the Maitreya Buddha. The statue was cast from 6,700 ounces of gold and over 115,000 kg of copper, making it the biggest copper Buddhist statue in the world. (2) Tingri: an impoverished settlement with a breathtaking view of the world's highest peaks, Tingri is the favored starting point for those wishing to walk to Everest Base Camp, and a common overnight stop between Kathmandu and Lhasa.

After spent 2 days in Lhasa, Shigatse was our next destination. Yamdrok Yumtso Lake was our first stop. It was simply breathtaking. Even though on the way to Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, the winding roads together with our driver's fast speed made me car sick, but the simply amazing Yumdrok Yumtso Lake put away all the sickness straight away. The scenery on the way to Shigatse was so beautiful. It was a pitty that we didn't have much chance to stop over and take photos along the way. Most of the photos were taken inside the car. Finally arrived at Shigatse late in the afternoon. Some felt unwell because the altitude was higher at Shigatse, but those of us who felt alright took a wonder in Shigatse. Shigatse felt so empty compare to Lhasa. But we had our afternoon tea in a small Tibetan tea shop which made us felt that we were really in Tibet. (1) Yamdrok Yumtso Lake: one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet. Yamdrok Yumtso means “the jade lake in the upper pastureland” or “swan lake” in Tibetan. With an altitude of 4,441 meters, it is 130 kilometers long from east to west and 70 kilometers wide from north to south and covering an area of 638 square kilometers. It has an elegant view and it is said that a fairy maiden left the Heaven and turned into the lake on earth. (2) Shigatse: is about 300 km from Lhasa, it is an important stop between Lhasa and west Tibet. It is the second largest city in Tibet.

We all felt better in the morning after some of us struggled with the high altitude sickness. We arrived at the must visit place in Lhasa, Potala Palace, after breakfast. It was very cloudy in the morning and I was very disappointed because grey sky with Potala Palace was certainly not the kind of Lhasa photos you'd see. No photos were allowed inside Potala Palace. After we finished visiting Potala Palace, the clouds were all gone and finally a blue sky appeared!! Some felt a bit tired, so we decided to return back to the hotel and continue our day after lunch. We then visited Jokhang Temple which was another must visit place in Lhasa. We finished off the day by wondering around the Bharkor Square. Everyone walked clockwise there and more and more Tibetans gathered late in the afternoon with their prayer wheels. A good day in Lhasa. (1) Potala Palace: stands 117 meters high atop the Red Hill in Lhasa, was built 1,300-odd years ago in the 7th century. The 13-story palace, the world's highest, is more than 3,700 meters above sea level and is a rare example of traditional Tibetan architecture. The main architecture of the Potala Palace is composed of the two parts, the White Palace and the Red Palace. (2) Jokhang Temple: it lies at the center of the old Lhasa. Built in 647 by Songtsen Gampo and his two foreign wives, it has a history of more than 1,300 years. (3) Bharkor Square: a ring like street, surrounds the Jokhang. Along the street are many stalls dealing with different kinds groceries, cheese and the things for Buddhists to make circumambulations and also sourveniors for visitors. This market street is the liveliest and best preserved section of the traditional aspect of the city.

Flew from Chengdu to Lhasa at 8:10am in the morning. I finally came to the realisation that I was really flying to Tibet!! One of the flight attendants dressed in her traditional Tibetan costume. She then performed a traditional Tibetan dance just before we landed. It was simply awesome - what a different landing to all the others! The landscape of Lhasa from the plane was equally amazing. The airport was surrounded by the Himalayas. The scenery from the airport to the hotel was terrific with Yarlung Zangbo River along the road. After we arrived in our hotel, we were told to rest all day to get used to the high altitude. I went to bed to take a rest and the first time I got out of bed to get some water, I felt so dizzy!! It was a terrible feeling and I forced myself to sleep again. I felt much better after sleeping for a few hours but my room-mate wasn't feeling well at all. She was vomiting badly and some others were experiencing the sickness! Looks like the high altitude sickness has hit everyone of us. So our first day in Lhasa, we spent most of our time in the hotel feeling sick.....

Woke up early in the morning thinking whether I should go and visit the King Dragon's Pond. In the end I decided to go to avoid huge crowds next weekend due to labour holiday. The bus ride there was quite straight forward. It's between Dalian and Lushun and takes less than 1 hour from Dalian. It's quite famous this time of the year for the locals when Sakura (Oriental Cherry - Japan's national flower) blooms.

Finally got in touch again with William on 20th of April (he killed his mobile and lost all the numbers) and guess what, he was on his way to Dalian when I rang him up! Him and his wife landed in Dalian after mid-night and I organised them to stay at Somerset since it'd be easier for his wife to go shopping the next day. Met them at Somerset after work on Friday and took them to Xing Hai Square after dinner. On Saturday we had a tour around Dalian, including a visit to the Russian Street, Xing Hai Square, Bing Hai Road and finally back to my apartment. The all you can eat seafood we had for Saturday lunch was one of the highlights - his wife and I discovered how delicious and fresh the clams were when our stomachs were almost full. But we couldn't resist the taste and kept on going! It was an awesome day to see William and Wen Na and I certainly had a good time!

Due to the lack of electricity on site on Friday, I left Dalian on Thursday night and arrived in Tianjin at 4.30am on Friday morning. Checked in the hotel and headed to The Great Wall straight away. The bus ride to the great wall took almost 3 hours and by the time I got there, I was told that there was construction going on and therefore noone could get to the great wall...! Unbelievable! I didn't want to travel another 3 hours back to Tianjin, so decided to go to ChingDongLing. I didn't find it impressive and left without taking too many photos. Another 3 hours on the bus back to Tianjin and finished off my day. A disappointing day 1. I spent my second day in central Tianjin. Started with the visit to the Catholic Church and followed by the visit to WuDaDao and I found roads in Tianjin were extremely confusing!! The road signs and the map never match and the residents were often helpless when asking for directions! Then I went to the Cultural Street for the rest of the morning, but again, after been to many cities in China, I didn't find it impressive. I then decided to go to Tanggu after lunch and took the train there, however, I was again disappointed with it, nothing stood out. It was a very windy day and the city was covered by dust and dirt! It was very hard to breath and the first thing I went back to the hotel was to take a long shower to clean all the dusts! I was very happy to get to Beijing the next day, found Beijing a lot more modern, the air and the streets a lot cleaner! An overall average trip, but nevertheless, it was still an experience. (1) Tianjin: one of the four municipal cities under the jurisdiction of the Chinese central government and is the largest industrial and port in north China. (2) ChingDongLing: an imperial tomb of the Ching Dynasty. (3) Xikai Church: was built by French Catholics in 1916. The 45-metre-tall structure has a floor space of 1,585 square metres. (4) WuDaDao: Foreign villas are assembled in Wudadao District, there are over 2,000 garden-style villas built in 1920s and 30s by different countries. (5) Ancient Cultural Street: this is the place where they restored the street in the end of the Qing dynasty. (6) Food Street: it looks like an ancient walled city enclosed by a circle of neat three-story buildings. There are over 100 eating places, occupying more than 40,000 square metres in floor space and each having its own special dishes of local flavors.

The famous Lantern festival again is a big event in China. Development Zone (where I live) is being decorated like a glowing town and people go out at night for fireworks. Dalian is suddenly alive again in this freezing winter!

Last full day in Seoul. Felt a bit reluctant to leave Seoul especially after having a wonderful time here alone exploring the city, but still decided to maximise my last full day. Walked to Namdaemun first thing in the morning to buy some sourveniors and bargin with the locals was fun. Then went to Marronnier Park to have lunch in a traditional Korean restaurant where the waiters/waitresses were dressed in Hanbok and meals served there were traditional palace meals. Also Korean opera was performed. It was a great experience and trying to finish 19 dishes presented in front of me was not such an easy task! Marronnier Park was full of students in the afternoon trying to sell concert/play tickets and certainly was an area full of energy. Surprising to see Pan-Gut performance in Namdaemun on my way back to Myeong Dong. Pan-Gut is a comprehensive performance of music, dance and games. The dance features the sangmo (a ribboned hat) and the bubpo (a feathered hat) which the performers will make move and spin with the energy of their dancing bodies. Spent my last night in Seoul in Dongdaemun and walked along the river near Dongdaemun was a good way to spend the night. (1) Marronnier Park: has at its center a symbolic marronnier (horse chestnut) tree, and all kinds of outdoor cultural event centers, sculpture exhibitions, and art centers are congregated in the area. The park gets especially busy on the weekends when crowds gather to share cultural events. Bands and singers, as well as dance groups and comedians gather here and give on-the- spot performances. Marronnier Park is a part of Daehakno, the famous street known as the ‘mecca of plays’. Beside plays, there are many cultural performances here, and interesting restaurants and cafes that make this place a favorite hangout destination for many young people.

Took the subway to Ewha Women's University early in the morning. The streets were quiet and most of the shops were still closed. It was nice walking and window shopping along the street near the gate of Ewha Women's University. Then I walked to Sinchon which was one station away. Street near Yonsei University was busy with lots of shops selling goods for young college students. The main street from Sinchon Station to Yonsei University has become known as Yonsei college Street which is full of restaurants and bars. Took the subway to Deoksugung Palace just before lunch. Daeksugung Palace wasn't as big as Gyeongbokgung Palace but it was still very nice. I wasn't expecting to see the royal guard changing ceremony, but glad to find out there was one at 1.30pm. Watching the performance at Chong Dong Theater was another great experience where the beautiful traditonal Korean Fan Dance, Flower Dance, Pan-gut...etc were performed. It was unfortunately that no photos were allowed during the performance. Spent my night at COEX Mall which was as big as Chadstone in Melbourne with hundreds of shops. (1) Ewha Women's University: it has the world's only College of Engineering exclusively for women. The area near the front gate of Ewha contains one of the highest concentrations of stores in Korea that sell clothes, shoes, hats, handbags, and other accessories that appeal to young females. (2) Sinchon: it is eat, drink, and shop central. In the heart of Sinchon, there is Yonsei University, surrounded by other famous schools such as Ewha Womans University, Sogang University, and Hongik University. (3) Daeksugung Palace: was used as a royal palace for 7 years until 1615. Then Gwanghaegun moved the royal palace to Changdeokgung. (4) Chong Dong Theater: where the unique production and splendid performances of 4 genres of Korean traditional performaning arts were performed (www.chongdong.com) (5) COEX Mall: it is an integrated shopping, culture, education, and leisure complex in the heart of Seoul. Connecting the Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX) and World Trade Tower with the Samseong subway station, the area contains over 85,000 square meters of underground dining, shopping, and family entertainment facilities.

A nice blue sky day in the morning and so I decided to go to Gyeongbokgung Palace hoping to take some good photos. Compare with Forbidden City in Beijing, I really liked Gyeongbokgung Palace - not too many tourists and just the perfect size. I also enjoyed visiting The National Folk Museum of Korea (within Gyeongbokgung Palace) very much, not only because it was warm there, but because of its rich history and exhibitions of Korean life history. It made me really appreciate how a modern city like Seoul could still preserve its history and culture so well. Just when I was about to leave Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony just started! I didn't expect to see it due to the season (ceremony normally runs from Mar-Nov) and was thrilled to see it! Went to Namsangol Hanok Village and again, it was nice to see how Korean government put so much effort into preserving its culture. Spent the rest of the day in Namdaemun but it started snowing soon after I arrived, so decided to have dinner in a Korean restaurant in Myeong-Dong. After knowing I was from Melbourne, the owner introduced all the food on the menu and even taught me some Korean. A very nice lady and a very delicious traditional Korean meal! (1) Gyeongbokgung Palace: the main palace of Joseon Dynasty with beautiful and relaxing grounds. One of five palaces in Seoul, it has a 500 year history. (2) Namsangol Hanok Village: it has restored five traditional Korean houses, with a pavilion, a pond and a time capsule which makes it a perfect spot to take a walk. The houses belong to various social ranks of the society from peasant to king. The furniture in the house are situated to help guests understand the daily life of the past. (3) Namdaemun market: located in the very center of Seoul, is the biggest traditional market in Korea selling children's clothing, men & women's clothing, daily miscellaneous goods, kitchenware and local and imported products. Most shops have their own factories and make the products themselves offering both wholesale and retail prices which enables visitors to purchase various shopping items at an extremely inexpensive price.

Got up in the morning and it was again snowing, so changed my itinerary to go to Namsan Park which was just within 20 mins walk. It was very cold and especially without my gloves, my hands lost feelings after being outdoor for 20 mins... I picked one of the many hiking trails leading to Seoul Tower and saw a few Seoulties doing early morning exercise. The view of Seoul from Namsan Park was quite nice. After walking in a very cold weather for almost 40 mins, I finally reached Seoul Tower and I was the first few visitors there. Went back to Myeong-Dong for a hot shower (simply because it was too cold!!) just before lunch time and walked to Myeong-Dong Catholic Church which was just located within Myeong-Dong Fashions District. Spent the afternoon in Insa-Dong which was a very nice culture street selling lots of traditional Korean stuff. I would definitely stay longer if the weather wasn't that cold..... Queued up for 20 mins to buy a traditional black sugar cake was another fun experience. It was definitely worth the wait because the cake was simply delicious!! (1) Namsan Park: it covers almost a million pyong (1 pyong = 3.3 sq. meters), with over 60 species of trees, plants, and animals. The park has several hiking trails leading to the 262-meter peak with Seoul Tower, as well as several exercise areas, making the park very popular among Seoulites for early morning exercise (2) Myeong-dong Catholic Church: famous tourist attraction. It is the first and main church of Catholics in Korea and built in the Gothic style. Behind the church is a space where you can relax from long touring hours (3) InsaDong: The Insa-dong art and antique district has dozens of art galleries and shops selling art supplies, antiques, and handicrafts along one main street (Insadong-gil) and many side alleys. It also contains many traditional tea and coffee shops (4) SsamzieGil : has been marked as the 'Special Insa-dong within Insa-dong'. The unique building was constructed connecting its charming alleys in the form of a spiral-like stairway. The 70-plus shops within offer everything from beautifully glazed modern ceramics to abstract art, making for one-stop shopping — and great insight into Seoul's vigorous charge into the future of all things design.

Got up at 7.30am and found out Seoul was covered by snow in one night!! Struggled a bit with today's itinerary, but still decided to go ahead with original plan despite the heavy snow. It was more than half an our by subway to Uijeongbu bukbu station from Myeong-Dong and then I had to take the #30 red bus to DaeJangGeum Theme Park. I double checked with one of the passengers just before I got onto the bus and he was kind enough even to tell the driver where I wanted to go. I sat right behind the bus driver and he kept on looking at me probably thinking how could a girl travel alone in Seoul especially when I couldn't speak Korean! The driver was very nice and told me to get off when we arrived in DaeJangGeum Theme Park and even pointed at the direction where Theme Park entrance was. I was very excited when I finally arrived, although it was still snowing heavily and my hands were freezing without my gloves! I made it to the Theme Park (which is located in another province) on my own (I'm a big fan of this drama series DaeJangGeum)!! Spent half a day at DaeJangGeum Theme Park and then waited for almost 45 mins in the snow for the return bus going back to Uijeongbu Bukbu station. While I was waiting for the return bus, there were 4 Japanese tourists at the bus stop and one of them could speak good English and Korean, so they all looked after me and travelled with me all the way back to Seoul. A big thank you! Went to Dongdaemun and got some souveniors for myself and the girls in Finance. An amazing day....!! (1) DaeJangGeum Theme Park: The village set for the drama series is an open set built at Yangjoo city Gyunggido, inside the MBC cultural valley. The drama series is based on a real historic female character that was born a lowly untouchable class who rises to the position of king's royal doctor. JangGeum was the only female doctor for the king who ever existed throughout the history of Korea. Originally broadcast from Sept 2003 to March 2004, it received huge attention from the viewers all over Asia. (2) Dongdaemun: Korea's largest wholesale and retail shopping district has 26 shopping malls, 30,000 specialty shops, and 50,000 manufacturers. Within the ten blocks of the market area, there are silks, clothes, shoes, sporting goods, plumbing and electrical supplies, electronics, office supplies, toys and just about everything else imaginable.

Landed in Seoul at 2.30pm local time and took the airport bus to Myeong-Dong where I stayed. I was quite excited to come back to Seoul again, my previous stay in Seoul was just an overnight stop over, so this was the first real visit of Seoul. After a quick rest, I went out to firstly exchange some Korean Won and then look for something to eat. Had Bibimbap (boiled rice mixed with vegetables) for dinner which was very nice and of course Kimchi came with it. My first taste of a real Korean meal.... spicy! That restaurant is most famous for their Bibimbap and its variation is the best according to the locals. Walked around Myeong-Dong after dinner for a while and it was great to experience Seoul's nightlife! (1) Myeong-Dong: located in the heart of Seoul, it is a representative shopping district in Korea. All kinds of shops and restaurants are densely located on the main street with lanes which resemble the shape of a chess board. (2) Bibimbap (Boiled rice mixed with vegetables): a dish made by mixing rice with various other cooked vegetables. Great for experiencing with different vegetables, pleasing to the eye, and full of nutrients.

After spending a week in Kaohsiung with my family for Chinese New Year, I travelled to Taipei 1 day before my flight to South Korea to see friends who travelled to Sichuan with me in Oct last year. They organised to take me for a day out. The highlight of the day was to go to Pinxi. Pinxi is famous for its sky lanterns, which soar into the sky every lantern festival. We bought a large paper lantern which we wrote our wishes and the lit the wicks, let it heated up, and released the lantern into the night sky where it rose like a mini hot air balloon. There was also a government sponsored ceremony on that night in large groups of 100+ sky lanterns. It was simply spectacular to see so many lanterns rose into the sky like huge fireflies and faded off into the distant sky. I was so touched!! Thanks to Little wind, Tobit and A-Wen who organised such a wonderful day. Love you all! (to watch a video clip of flying lanterns, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwIXth_uuLg&search=Pingxi%20Lantern%20Taiwan)

PAT's end of year dinner which was attended by all PAT employees. We had 33 tables on that night and I think everyone had a really good time.

We continued our journey today. We firstly visited Songhua River which was frozen. It was an awesome experience to walk on a frozen river, but the wind chill was unbearable!! It felt like minus 40!! It was an Antarctica experience!! Then we visited a park where the ice carving competition was held. All the top prize winners were from Russia, not a surprise at all. We finished off the day by going to Ice and Snow World. It was simply amazing. Thousands of ice lanterns, carvings and buildings were exhibited and paraded on huge floats through the area. It was a great experience and even the most cynical visitor couldn't fail to be impressed by the sheer size and scale of work that went into producing many of the sculptures. We took 9pm train from Harbin back to Dalian and arrived in Dalian on Monday morning at 6.30am. (1) Harbin Ice and Snow World: The Seventh Harbin Ice and Snow World is the greatest ice and snow show in the world, integrating the essence of snow and ice sculpture art.

Grahame, Tony and myself took T261 overnight train from Dalian to Harbin at 9.42pm on Friday night. As soon as we arrived in Harbin on Saturday morning, we knew we were in for a very different experience! Not only with the extreme temperature (minus 20s!!) experience, but also a chance to see the biggest ice and snow world was probably only once in a life time experience! We visited snow park and Church of St. Sophia, but had to take breaks after being outdoor for 1-2 hours simply because it was too cold!! An excellent day! (1) Harbin: capital of Heilongjiang, China's northernmost province. It is about 1200km north of Dalian. Also known as "Ice City", Harbin is most famous in China for its winter scenery and bitterly cold temperatures that accompany the freezing environment. The average winter temperature here is as low as minus 20 to minus 30 degrees C. (2) Flood Control Monument & Stalin Park: The Monument is the centerpiece of the popular Stalin Park, built in 1958 to commemorate the tremendous feat of the Harbin people in controlling the massive flood of 1957. The flood was the biggest flood ever recorded in Harbin until the summer 1998 disaster. (3) Church of St. Sophia: St. Sophia Orthodox Church is one of the most imposing architectures of Harbin. The 53m tall church is a perfect example of Byzantine architecture. Under the bright sun, the church, together with the square around it, reminds one of the Red Square in Moscow.

After living and working in Dalian China for 10 months, I finally had a chance to fly back to Melbourne. I originally planned to stay for 3 weeks but managed to extend my trip for another week. Even though out of the 4 weeks in Melbourne, I worked 3 weeks, but I still enjoyed my time in Melbourne with colleagues, family and friends. Going back home was such fantastic and I wish I could stay longer!! Will miss Melbourne, colleageus, family and friends heaps!!

As per last year, PBRA finance team had 2 games of ten pin bowling at Chadstone AMF before X'mas dinner at the Ross Town. It was a fantastic night with lots of fun and laughs. Many thanks to Frosty the Snowman (Brett) and the wonder X'mas elf (Eileen) for organising such a successful Finance X'mas dinner. Love you all!

As soon as I got on the Disneyland Resort train, I knew I was in for a magical day. HK Disneyland is the smallest in the world, but I had an awesome time there. It felt like I was back in my childhood, believed that when I wished upon a star, dreams would come true. Disney parade was excellent and I enjoyed Mickey's PhilharMagic the most. It was an awesome 3-D adventure starring Maestro Mickey Mouse and it's a show never to be missed for Disney visitors. I stood in the queue for at last 2 hours to take photos with almost all characters available on that day, but I have no regrets!! The fireworks at 8pm was another highlight. Well, it truely was a magical day at HK Disneyland!!

Finally, Dec 9 arrived! Although the flight delayed for 2 hours in Dalian, but I had no compliants because i knew I was on my way home! Arrived in hotel just before 8pm, but I couldn't wait to go to Santa's town for a wonder. Although I've been in HK many times, but it was the first time visiting HK during X'mas period. What a beautiful Santa's town!

Wow.... I got a real shock in the morning to see Dalian was covered with snow!! It is not unusual to see snow in Dalian, but it is unusual to see Dalian with heavy snow like this! It turned Dalian to be an amazing and beautiful city in one night.

A-Wen, our "photographer' of the Sichuan trip, took some amazing photos of Sichuan. This folder collects some of his work. He used the traditional camera and then asked the camera shop to convert the photos to digital. Each of the photo looks like a painting!! Simply amazing....... Certainly his photos really show how beautiful Sichuan is.

Left the hotel around 10am and went to Shanghai Market for a wonder. Again, Shanghai market was full of people and people were trying their hardest bargaining with the sellers. I bought myself a The North Face jacket which only cost me 130RMB when the original selling price was 480RMB! Had a walk around Shanghai for a while, I just wanted to experience the Shanghai busy Sunday afternoon before I went back to Dalian. Went back to Manhattan Hotel to have some afternoone tea and pick up the luggage. Took the Maglev Train to the airport and it was simply amazing!! The 30km trip only took 7 minutes! It rocketed to 300km per hour in 2 minutes and the speed went up to 430km/hour! Amazing!! Landed in Dalian at 7pm. An unforgettable 2-week trip........

It was drizzing again in the morning, kind of disappointed and wished it was a nice blue sky day. Left Jiashan and took the taxi to Zhouzhuang. Zhouzhuang was only 1 hour from Xitang. There were a lot more tourists in Zhouzhuang and more commerised compare to Xitang. However, being an ancient town on water, it was very similar to Xitang. Took the bus back to Shanghai mid afternoon, had steam boat for dinner and walk around The Bund and Nanjing Road. (1) Zhouzhuang: one of the most famous water townships in China. It is noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs. It is built on a series of rivers, not dissimilarly to Venice. It is noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs. With lakes on four sides, the beauty of Zhouzhuang is specially to be found along the waterside lanes and around a number of the stone bridges.

Left Shanghai at around 9am and took the bus to Jiashan. It took about 3 hours to get to Jiashan. Checked into the hotel and left for Xitang immediately which was only 10km away from Jiashan. Unfortunately it started drizzing soon after lunch, but that was the time when Xitang was the most beautiful. Well, for me personally, I still prefer a blue sky day! This picturesque town was like a traditional Chinese painting: simple and yet lots of delicacy. (1) The town of Xitang, at 110 km of Shanghai, is built on a plain crossed by nine rivers which divide Xitang into eight districts. It is an ancient town on water. It is also famous for its 104 bridges, dating all from Ming and Qing time, its alleys and its covered passages. Standing on one of these bridges and watching the boats through a round opening, one feels drawn into deep meditation on the past. The majority of the houses and the stores of Xitang are built on the banks of the rivers. Xitang knew its golden age under Yuans (1271 - 1368) and under the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368 - 1911), the city was famous in the Southern China for its commercial role and its craft industry. Xitang is also attractive because of the easygoing lifestyle that local residents have followed for thousands of years.

Visited again Wuhou Memorial Temple with Uncle Jack early in the morning before our flight to Shanghai. Flew Shanghai Airline FM9542 at 12.10, unfortunately there was a delay and we arrived in Shanghai just after 3pm. Ofey's (a friend who lives in Suzhou and is going to travel with me around Shanghai) flight from Hong Kong to Shanghai was delayed, too, so Uncle Jack and myself left the airport without waiting for him. It was again traffic jam from Pudong Airport to Shanghai, but glad I was in Uncle Jack's company vehicle which was nice and comfortable. Finally arrived in Manhattan Business Hotel after 6pm and said good bye to Uncle Jack who was heading back to Kunshan. Shanghai was hot compare to Sichuan and it felt so good to be back in a modern city! Took a hot shower and logged onto the internet for the first time in 2 weeks. A very nice and relaxed night.

We were up early in the morning to see the sun rise. The viewing spot was on top floor of the hotel we stayed so that was very convient. We were told that we should be able to see the sunshine on Mt Gongga which would turn Mt Gongga to be a "golden" mountain. Unfortunately we saw just a bit of it because it was a bit cloudy. We then took the first cable car to see the glacier. It was simply amazing! We enjoyed ourselves and had a snow flight when it was below zero degree in such a high altitude. It was fun. Uncle Jack, myself, Tobit and 貴藍 said goodbye to the rest of the group as we were heading back to Chengdu and they decided to stay for 1 more night. We proposely avoided to have hot pot for dinner and choose chicken, but guess what, it was still VERY spicy!! It was served in a bowl full of chilly oil and chillies! Walked around Wuhou Memorial Temple with Tobit after dinner and there were lots of local snacks! Should have had dinner there, but again, most of the food would be HOT, too! Glad to be back in a modern city after travelling in a primitive area for more than a week! (1) Mt. Gongga: is the highest mountain in Sichuan (7,556 m). It has dozen glaciers (see map). Hailougou Glacier is the largest one with the lowest altitude (2,850 m) of modern glaciers. Its terminus extends into première forest for 6,000 m. Its icefall ( 1,000 m height and 1,100 m width) is 10 times bigger than the world famous Huangguoshu Cataract . There are fantastic scenes of ice bridge, ice hall, ice mushroom, ice lake, ice river etc.

Woke up in the morning and glad to know that the bruises on my back, 小風's bruises and Uncle Jack's neck were all feeling a bit better. We all had some medicated sticking plaster stuck to our bruises and that really helped. At least we knew we probably didn't have any internal injuries and all injuries should only be external. Spent a bit of time in Xindu Bridge taking photos. It was so beautiful! No wonder people call it "the heaven for photographers". Then we passed another snow mountain which had really thick snow covered. As we approched Conch Gully, we were again back to Autumn scenery. It was amazing that the scenery was so different from one mountain to the other. The road to Conch Gully was only open after 5.30pm due to the road construction, so by the time we got to Conch Gully, it was well after 7pm. With the altitude of Conch Gully, we had the experience to see the stars without having to raise our heads! It was an amazing experience and it was a night when the sky was full of stars!!! We spent half an hour watching the stars after dinner in a freezing condition but it was worth it. (1) Xindu Bridge: people call it "the heaven for photographers" (2) Conch Gully: an unique glacier forest park and is 3,200-4,800 meters above sea level. The park boasts many geographic attractions, including ancient glaciers, grand glacier cascade, virgin forests, wild animals and hot springs. The Grand Glacier Cascade -- 1,000 meters in height and 1,000 meters in width -- is the only one in the world. Its 6 km glacier tongue penetrates into the virgin forest, forming a rare natural landscape with the blend of glacier and forest. Moreover, the glacier fall may collapse at any time, too. During spring and summer, the dynamic seasons for glaciers, over 1,000 avalanches may happen in a day. Another special attraction of the Conch Gully is its hot springs hidden either in virgin forests or under the cover of snow and ice. Water temperature at the mouth can reach as high as 90C.

I think today would have to be one of the most talked about days of the trip. We had a bad car accident today. We were on the way from Daocheng to Xindu Bridge and just as we were driving cross Mt Haizi, the road condition was icy and slippery and our van lost control, it slid and turned over........ Uncle Jack, myself and 小風 were the more injured ones, we hurt our neck, back, arm and had few cuts from the broken window. We were very fortunate that the accident happened in Mt Haizi (4,500m) which had a large quantities of big stones dispersed on the ground (due to glacier movement). If it happened in one of the other snow mountains where they had narrow mountain roads and valleys, the end results would be much worse. 2 vans drove us to Litang which was the closest town. 1 of the vans was large enough to fit all 8 of us and the driver was happy enough to drive us to Xindu Bridge and then Conch Gully the next day with a charge of RMB1,000 a day. The travel agent couldn't arrange another car from Litang, so that van became our new vehicle. We didn't want to interrupt our itinerary, so we were heading towards Xindu Bridge after we had a quick lunch in Litang. We crossed another 2 big mountains, both were about 4,600m above sea level. The van climbed through the narrow mountain roads up, up and up, then down, down and down in the dark and we finally arrived in Xindu Bridge after 8pm. It was probably the longest day of the trip and we were all happy that we all survived with only minor injuries. 淑媛 gave me a back massage which was covered with bruises after the car accident. I have to say - it's good to be alive.

After we had a rough night (dog was barking at 2am in the morning for almost 1 hour!), we woke up to a foggy and drizzing morning. The owner told us that it was likely that it would rain all day and it'd very cold and wet trying to go up to the three sacred Tibetan mountains and we wouldn't be able to see them with the misty condition. So we decided to head back to Daocheng and call Tobit and 貴藍 back who stayed in tent in Chonggu Temple of Yading Nature Reserve. While we were waiting for them, we had our morning with the Auntie who owned the wooden houses we stayed. It was disappointing that we didn't get to see full Yading Nature Reserve due to the bad weather, but again it gave us an excuse to come back and revist again next time! Once we were on the road, we soon forgot about not able to go up and see the three sacred Tibetan mountains because the scenery on the way was again amazing! We had Autumn to start with and then drove pass few snowy mountains and back to Autumn when we reached Daocheng. It was again drizzing in Daocheng and we had 2 hours shopping for Tibetan sourvenirs before we all had a hot spring! It was nice especially it was a cold night in Daocheng.

We reached the highlight of this Daocheng Yading travel journey - Yading nature reserve, home of three sacred Tibetan mountains - Chenresig (Avalokitesvara, 6032m), Jambeyang (Manjusri, 5958m), and Chanadorje (Vajrapani, 5958m). Tibetan Buddhists believe that making a kora (pilgrimage) around these mountains brings great merit, and that the three mountains represent compassion, wisdom and energy - attributes one must cultivate on the path to enlightenment. Yading is 110km from Daocheng, but it took us 3.5 hours to get there. I was told that before the new road was completed, it took about 12-16 hours for the 110km! At the Yading reserve entrance, there were a lot of horses standing around with their Tibetan owners. These people and animals provide transportation into the reserve. It was tough hiking considering the altitude we were in (over 4000m) and the amount of oxygen in the air. We had to walk slowly although the scenery was breathtaking. Yading is not yet as famous as such lofty mountains as Huangshan and Taishan, and it draws less attention than the elegant, picturesque Jiuzhaigou and Lijiang rivers in Guilin, however it has the fame of "the last Shangri-la". By the time we reached "Pearl Sea", we saw forests were suffused with rosy clouds and extended on the snow mountainsides. It was just amazing! Yading features distinct landforms and natural scenery and is known as the best-preserved ecosystem in China. We stayed in one of the wooden houses outside of valley while Tobit and 貴藍 decided to stay in Chonggu Temple. The condition in those wooden houses was not great, but at least we all had electric blankets to keep us warm at night!

Today we continued to explore the picturesque remote Tibetan area. We firstly passed 4,718m high Kazila mountain and then had lunch in Litang. It has beautiful scenery and spectacular local Tibetan customs. We also saw the spectacular Sichuan-Tibet Highway, snow mountain, plateau glacier and grassland. "The landscape may be beautiful, but this road is shit." I had to agree with Tobit. It was adventure travel. Those not prepared to endure some hardship may feel their spirit shaken loose by a track that is more rock fall than road. The roads wind through high cloudy mountain passes populated only by the occasional nomad or Tibetan town. In the recent past, tourists were either not allowed to take these roads or had to buy insurance so the government would not be liable for their deaths. Now, tunnels are being blasted through the most dangerous areas although it still took us close to 5 hours to cover 180km. Today we've experience 2 very different seasons in one day, winter in Kazila mountain and beautiful autumn in Litang. This was a very different experience. (1) Litang: at an altitude of 4010m, it is one of the highest towns in the world (Lhasa is 3700m). Situated high on a grassy plateau, Litang has the feel of a rough and tumble 'Wild West' town. (2) Daocheng: is considered another Shangri-la hidden within the mountains in southwest China. It is enveloped by waterfalls, thick forests, snow-capped mountains, made further unique by the Tibetan culture of the people. It is a county that has a rich soil & Tibetan culture.

Got up early at 6am, had to get myself ready in the dark and grab the torch to go to the toilet! What an experience to stay with a Tibetan family! 4 girls decided to go up to the top of the hill to view the village. The Tibetan style houses are so cute and colourful. The night was quite warm considering the altitude we were in (2700m). Took some photos on top of the roof and some photos of the house. Then guess what, I saw the mum carrying the basket with vegies! I've always wanted to give it a try and so I did. It WAS damn HEAVY!! Soon after we were on the road, an accident happened! Another van didn't see us driving straight and hit us!! It took us an extra 2 hours to get everything sorted!! Experienced a bit of Tibetan Buddihism in the afternoon and turned the prayer wheels. We arrived in Yajiang just after 7pm in a hotel with traiditional Tibetan style bed/furniture.

Left Jiuzhaigou Valley and took the bus back to Chengdu on 18th of Oct. My uncle and A-Wen were waiting for us in Chengdu. So we had the complete group by the time we 5 travellers were back in Chengdu. Had Hot Pot for dinner in Chengdu and that WAS hot!! But Sichuan is famous for hot and spicy food, so was a good experience. On 19th of Oct, we left Chengdu at 7am. It was a long trip day, over 400km travel on the day. The road condition wasn't good and so we had to leave early. Visited Panda base in the morning and pandas were soooo cute!! The van had a flat tyre in the afternoon, so we stopped for a while. Arrived in Danba just after 8pm. We stayed with a local family which was an excellent experience. The family has 3 daughters and one is pretty enough to be casted in movies! Their home has been nominated as one of the best Tibetan homes around the area and they have visitors staying with them every night! They taught us traditional Tibetan dance after dinner and it was a great fun!!! (1) Wolong Nature Reserve - a key nature preservation area designed primarily to protect and reproduce the grand panda. In 1982, it was admitted by the UNESCO to be part of "the International Reserve Net of Man and Biosphere." Lying on the complicated land formations of transition area from the Qinghai and Tibet Plateau to the Sichuan Basin, and with a cool climate, it's endowed with favorable conditions for the preservation and reproduction of a number of living beings. (2) Danba: is famous for its watchtowers. In addition to watchtowers, visitors can enjoy the Tibetan life-style and customs of the Danba people, including their distinctive costumes and ornaments and their songs and dances

Second day in Jiuzhaigou Valley. We originally planned to get to "Mirror Lake" at 7am, but Tobit didn't feel well with his knee, so myself and him decided to leave 1 hour later (I was still sleepy...!). Judy and others left at 6.30am in the morning. Tobit and I walked all the way from where we stayed to the medical center (Tobit wanted some ointment for his knee) and it was a nice walk because it was quiet and the scenery was simply stunning!! By the end of the day, Tobit's knee was getting worse and he had to walk slowly. We both were glad that it didn't happen on day 1 in Jiuzhaigou and we were still able to visit all places in Jiuzhaigou Valley before Tobit was struggling with his knee. We then joined Judy and others for dinner in a traditional Tibetan restaurant. Food was different but delicious!! The owner sang songs for us and gave each of us a scarf which symbolised good luck. Love Jiuzhaigou Valley and hope I can come back and visit one day again. (1) Jiuzhaigou - is a deep valley of stunning natural beauty, approximately 620 square kilometers (240 square miles) and is located in north Sichuan. It is a national park and has also been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The name Jiuzhaigou refers to the 9 Tibetan villages that are situated in the valley. The valley has a variety of natural scenery - lakes, waterfalls, snowy mountains and lush green forests. There are also more than 100 lakes of various sizes and shapes that sparkle with color in the flickering sunlight.

Judy+淑媛+小風 decided to visit Jiuzhaigou on their own and this left myself, Tobit and 貴藍 as one group. 貴藍 wasn't feeling too well, so she left us soon after we arrived in Jiuzhaigou. Again, Tobit was my travelling partner for the 4th day in a row..... Jiuzhaigou's beauty really surprised us and we managed to find some walking trails which had basically noone and we enjoyed seeing different side of Jiuzhaigou (not tour groups eveywhere!). We were going to have dinner in Jiuzhaigou's city center, but there were fireworks because of the Panda fesitival. So we ended up having lamb and local beer for dinner. A great day. (1) Jiuzhaigou - is a deep valley of stunning natural beauty, approximately 620 square kilometers (240 square miles) and is located in north Sichuan. It is a national park and has also been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The name Jiuzhaigou refers to the 9 Tibetan villages that are situated in the valley. The valley has a variety of natural scenery - lakes, waterfalls, snowy mountains and lush green forests. There are also more than 100 lakes of various sizes and shapes that sparkle with color in the flickering sunlight.

Morning's weather was cold and wet. Hotel people recommended us not to go to Huang Long but we still decided to go ahead. Taxi from Chuanzhu Temple Town to Huang Long was too expensive, so we decided to go to the airport which had the bus taking us to Huang Long and then to the Jiuzhaigou at the end of the day. By the time to got to the airport, we realised there was no bus because they delayed all the flights due to the heavy snow! Judy and the others also got stuck in Chengdu airport. So Tobit and I decided to grab the taxi and we both were glad we made it to Huang Long. It was simply beautiful!! Although walking from the altitude of 1000m all the way to 4000m in a snowy condition was a tough job! Tobit used his oxygen can for the first time and he wasn't the only one using. Made it to Jiuzhaigou and met July+all others at night. (1) Huang Long Valley - Huang Long Valley has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. In 1992 it entered "China World Cultural and Natural Heritage List". It covers an area of about 700 square kilometers. Huang Long has unique scenery, rich natural resources and a primeval forest. The majestic and unrivalled emerald lakes, layered waterfalls, colorful forests, snow peaks and Tibetan folk villages blend harmoniously into the mountains and sparkle like jewels. Huang Long is known as a "mountain fairyland."

Left Chengdu early in the morning and took the bus with Tobit to Chuanzhu Temple Town. It is a rising town of Songpan County. 104 km to its north is the Jiuzaigou Scenic Wonder. It was a 10 hour bus travel and I have to say what an experience that was. Not only it was a local bus which picked up and dropped off passengers along the way, but people's behaviour in the bus was the most unforgettable part of the trip. What an experience we had to see the real local Chinese and how they travel. Chuanzhu Temple town however surprised us a bit, not only things were cheap, but it was a clean, small and friendly town. People look and dress differently. Its altitude is close to 3,000m and Tobit already had a reaction to it! Glad to be in bed after a day of travelling.

Began my 2 weeks trip in Sichuan Province. Flew Sichuan Airline 3U8812 at 12.45pm and arrived just before 4pm. Waited for Tobit at the airport, he flew from Hong Kong, but his flight delayed for 1 hour. Walked around Chengdu city after dinner for a while and had the first impression of Chengdu. To me, it's an old city with lots of bicycles and is kind of populated. (1) Chengdu - With a history of more than 2000 years, Chengdu is full of cultural and historical remains. Being the capital city of China's most populated province, Sichuan, Chengdu is an interesting city with interesting people. Chengdu is also home to the Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base, one of the most important centers in the world for the captive conservation of the Giant Panda. (2) Sichuan Province - located in southwest China, is one of the largest and most inaccessible provinces in the nation. This province covers an area of 485,000 kilometers (187,000 miles) and boasts the largest population in China, with 87 million people. Sichuan is high in the west and low in the east in terms of topography. Generally speaking, the western part is plateaus and mountainous regions some 4,000 meters above sea level while the east features the basin and hilly land with an elevation between 1,000 and 3,000 meters.

Beautiful sunset view from my apartment

Day 2 of my weekend getaway - managed to get up without sore legs, thanks to the stretch and hot shower I took before going to bed. It was unfortunatly drizzling all day and I wish it was a beautiful blue sky day!! That would make the photos so much more beautiful. Flew back to Dalian at 10.30pm and glad I had a fantastic weekend trip in beautiful Qingdao! (1) Qingdao - a beautiful seaside city on the southern coast of the Shandong Peninsula bordering on the Yellow Sea and the Jiaozhou Bay. The city lies on undulating hills with luxuriantly green trees and buildings noted for their attractive architectural styles. The red colour of the tiled roves, green colour of the trees thills and blue of the sea contrast beautifully. All this along with its beautiful climate, make the city well-known as a summer and health resort (2) Zhan Bridge - Zhan Bridge (trestle in Chinese) is a Qingdao landmark. Zhan Bridge is 440-meter (1444-foot) long and 10-meter (33-foot) wide with giant granite supports. Lotus-shaped lamps provide illumination and decoration. At the south end of the bridge is a Chinese style octagon pavilion standing in contrast to European buildings in the background. (3) Ba Da Guan - With beautiful natural landscape, Ba Da Guan(The Eight Passes Area) is a well-known sanitorium quarter. The luxuriant flowers and trees make it a place of picturesque scenery

Flew to Qingdao on Friday night at 7.40pm. It was only a 35 mins flight from Dalian. Got up early on Sat morning, was planning to do city tour first, but then while I was enquiring about going to Laoshan over the counter in the hotel, another guy was asking the same thing at the time. So he asked whether I'd like to travel with him to Laoshan together. I thought since I'd be having troubles getting to Laoshan, I might as well travel with this guy together. It was a beautiful day, but came back to the hotel with sore legs after a day mountain climbing!! (1) Laoshan - With its highest peak rising 1,133 meters above sea level, Mount Laoshan is situated on the southeastern Shangdong peninsula. Facing the Yellow Sea, it is one of China's major scenic resorts and has long held the reputation as the No. 1 Famous Mountain on the Sea. It is a famous Taoist mountain boasting both mountainous and coastal scenery. Among all the well-known mountains across China, it is the only one on the coast. Mount Laoshan is known for its oddly shaped rocks, ancient trees, and crystal-clear springs.

Also known as 'Port Arthur', it occupies the west end of Dalian City and the south edge of the Liaodong Peninsula, surrounded by sea on three sides. It's 40km bus ride south of Dalian. In this advantaged geographical position, it is a beautiful tourist city zone with a long history. In 1894 during the Sino-Japanese War the Japanese army captured Lushun and massacred many of its people. The area suffered again in 1904 when it became a major battlefield during the Russo-Japanese War. Lushan then endured Japanese rule for more than 40 years following the surrender of the Russian forces. It was not until the Soviet Union disarmed them in 1945, that Lushun was returned to motherland once more. (1) Victory Tower - constructed in 1955, which was to celebrate the 10th anniversary for victory of Anti-Japanese War and Anti-Fascist War on the eve of withddrawal of former USSR Red Army from Lushun (2) Lushun Port - an excellent natural harbor the possession and control of which became one of the casus belli in both the first Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars in the period 1894 -1905

Had another weekend trip with Grahame to Dandong. But this time David Myles joined us and Bruce drove all of us there. They arrived in DZ at 7.20am and we were on the road straight away to Dandong. The freeway from Dalian to Dandong wasn't fully opened so we had to get off at Zhanghe and the road from Zhanghe to Dandong wasn't too smooth. But we managed to get there in 3.5hrs which was a very good effort. Came back to Dalian just after 9pm - again, another very good weekend. (1) Dandong - is on the border between China and North Korea, marked by the Yalu River. The two cities are connected by the Sino-Korea Friendship Bridge (also called the China-Korea Friendship Bridge) (2) Tiger Mountain (Hushan) Great Wall - marks the eastern end of the start of the Ming Dynasty's extension to the Great Wall of China Great Wall

A weekend away with Grahame North to Shenyang and Benxi. Stayed in Shenyang on Saturday and went to Benxi on Sunday. We originally planned to travel back to Dalian from Benxi, but it turned out that there was only a morning train from Benxi to Dalian! So we had to travel back to Shenyang and travel from Shenyang to Benxi. Shenyang was much better than we expected and Benxi was the opposite (a small industrial town). Was a good trip overall. (1) Shenyang - Capital city of Liaoning Province. It's a major industrial centre (2) Shenyang Imperial Palace - it is considered a miniature of the Forbidden City in Beijing (2) Benxi - is a large industrial city about 60 miles to the south-east of Shenyang (3) Benxi Water Cave - a limestone cave formed some five million years ago. Applauded as a "wonder of the world" this flooded cave, which was hollowed out 5 million years ago, allows visitors to enjoy spelunking and boating at the same time

Left DZ early in the morning and arrived at Dalian train station at 8am. Unfortunately with 8.11am train, no seats were left, but still decided to get on and hope that I was lucky enough to get a seat. Luckily, only had to stand for 1 hour and managed to get a seat all the way to Anshan! Spent day 1 afternoon in Jade Buddha and day 2 in Qianshan Mountain. I stayed in Global Hotel which was next to the train station (city center) and all the bus stops were next to the train station. So transportation wise, it was very convienent. It was a great weekend getaway. Although Arthur and Bruce were totally against me going to Anshan on my own (safety reasons), but I did it! (1) Anshan - capital of steel in China. 350km from Dalian. (2) Jade Buddha - World's largest Jade Buddha. It was carved from one piece of jade stone weighing 260.76 tons，which was found in Xiuyan County, the famous “Hometown of Jade”, on July 22, 1960. The jade stone is 7.95m high, 6.88m wide and 4.10m thick. The Jade was carved into a sakyamuni in front and an Avalokitesvara at the back (2) Qianshan National Park - Rising 898 meters above sea level in the southeast suburbs of Anshan, the numerous peaks of the mountains, often faintly visible in a sea of clouds, resemble thousands of blossoming lotus flowers. This led to its being called "Thousands Lotus Blossoms Mountains," later shortened to "Thousand Peaks Mountains" or Qianshan Mountains in Chinese.

We finally had our opening ceremony. Received a call from Bryan early in the morning wanting me to be on the stage to be his and John MacKenzie's translator. I immediately rejected his offer to be John's translator (due to my poor English-Chinese translation ability), but managed to agree to be his translator from Chinese to English. Well, I wasn't nervous and I think I did ok. Had lunch at Inn Fan Hotel, only a small group of PAT people attended together with customers and suppliers. Had quite a good day.

Quite an ugly day in the morning with the weather forecast of heavy rain and thunderstorm. Still decided to leave Dalian and head to Bingyu Valley. It turned out to be a beautiful day when I got to Bingyu Valley!! What a miracle.... Had a wonderful day in Bingyu Valley, a very beautiful place. Bingyu Valley - 240km north of Dalian, is located in the mountain near Zhuanghe. The 110 square kilometers (42 square miles) zone is reputed as Mini Guilin of northern Liaoning province, with towering peaks, hidden in clouds, and clean rivers which constitute picturesque scenery. Its beautiful scene reflects shadows of Guilin and Mt. Huangshan, however it is marked with its own features and characteristics. Bingyu Valley has special, ragged rocks and cliffs. There are many caves, in the largest one of which a temple had once been built. The uncontaminated valley reserves itself clean and clear waters, and nice vegetation. Many precious plants and animals thrive in the seldom-interrupted park.

Have been to Golden Pebble Beach so many times, but first time exploring this part of Golden Pebble Beach. It was a nice cool afternoon and it was pretty much empty. Quite a nice little beach to go to.

A beautiful Saturday morning. Decided to go to Golden Pebble Beach for a wonder. This time, I chose to go into the golf course which is a 36-hole golf course of international standard. Managed to sneak in without paying for the entrance fee! Haha... Anyway, was a good morning at Golden Pebble Beach.

Day 15 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - Woke up late, was a bit sick due to the cold. Managed to go for a walk at night thinking it was my last night in Shanghai. It has been an amazing 2 weeks holiday, really get to see the real China and appreciate the rich history China has. Thanks to Bill who flew all the way from Melbourne to visit me and travel with me. Thank you! *a big hug!

Day 13 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - woke up early in the morning to go and visit West Lake again. Came back to the hotel just before 12 to check out. Had lunch in the hotel and Uncle Jack didn't feel like going out due to the heat and humid weather. So we stayed in the restaurant until 3pm and went to this old Hangzhou street before we took the train back to Shanghai. A great weekend getaway with Uncle Jack! Love you!

Day 12 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - met Uncle Jack in Shanghai Meilong train station. Very excited to see Uncle Jack again. We haven't seen each other for 1 year and this was the first time we saw each other in China! Train from Shanghai to Hangzhou took 2 hours, but with train delay, we didn't get there until 2pm! Quickly had lunch in the hotel and went for a walk to West Lake which was 10 mins walk from the hotel. Hangzhou - With its famous natural beauty and cultural heritages, Hangzhou is one of China's most important tourist venues. The City, the southern terminus of the Grand Canal, is located on the lower reaches of the Qiantang River in southeast China, a superior position in the Yangtze Delta and only 180 kilometers from Shanghai. (1) West Lake - it is undoubtedly the most renowned feature of Hangzhou, noted for the scenic beauty that blends naturally with many famous historical and cultural sites. In this scenic area, Solitary Hill, the Mausoleum of General Yue Fei, the Six Harmonies Pagoda and the Ling Yin Temple are probably the most frequently visited attractions. The "Ten West Lake Prospects" have been specially selected to give the visitor outstanding views of the lake, mountains and monuments.

Day 11 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - went to The Bund in the morning (which is only 1 minute walk from the hotel) and glad the weather was much better. Bill wasn't feeling too well, so he stayed in the hotel in the afternoon and I went to the Shanghai Market myself. Then went up to Jinmao Building at night. (1) The Bund - Formerly a towpath, the Bund gets its name from the Anglo-Indian term for the embankments used to prevent flooding. To the Europeans, the Bund was Shanghai's Wall Street, a place of feverish trading and an unabashed playground for Western business sophisticates. The Bund remains the city's most impressive mile and is an eloquent reminder that Shanghai is a very foreign invention. Still a grand strip of hotels, shopping streets and nightclubs, it remains an intrinsic part of Shanghai's character. (2) The Oriental Pearl TV Tower - this 468 meters high (1,536 feet) tower is the world's third tallest TV and radio tower surpassed in height only by towers in Toronto and Moscow. However, even more alluring than its height is the tower's unique architectural design that makes the Oriental Pearl TV Tower one of the most attractive places anywhere. (3) Jin Mao Building - is the tallest building in China, the second tallest in Asia (the tallest is Taipei 101 in Taiwan), houses the tallest hotel ever built. The Jinmao is impressive from wherever you are in the city and when you are right next to it, other Shanghai skyscrapers look like lego blocks in comparison.

Day 10 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - took the train from Shanghai to Suzhou during lunchtime (1 hour from Shanghai). Train station was packed with people and we managed to get ourselves 2 tickets to Suzhou. Suzhou - talking about Suzhou, people would mention the old saying: 'Paradise in Heaven, Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth'. The natural scenery of hills and waters in Suzhou is as charming as a delicate beauty. Of the whole area, 10% is cultivated fields, 30% hills and the rest covered with water. (1) The Humble Administrator's Garden - China's gardens generally can be divided into two kinds: the royal garden, represent by Summer Palace in Beijing and Mountain Resort of Chengde, and the private garden, represent by private gardens in Suzhou.Humble Administrator's Garden, with a total area of 51,950 square miles, is the largest private garden in Suzhou, as well as one of the four most famous classic gardens in China (the others are: Summer Palace, Mountain Resort of Chengde and Garden for Lingering In in Suzhou). Around 1513, during the Ming Dynasty, the imperial inspector Wang Xianchen, returned to Suzhou after retiring from public life and built his garden. The name Humble Administrator's Garden was inspired by the essay "To cultivate my garden and sell my vegetable crop is the policy of humble man". The garden is representative of Chinese classical gardens in the Ming Dynasty, which are focused on a central pond with pavilions, terraces, chambers, and towers located nearby.

Day 9 of 2 my weeks holiday in China - a very windy and cloudy in Shanghai, wasn't sure whether to go ahead with today's schedule or not because of the typhoon. Went to The Bund to took some photos and decided still go ahead with out plan to go to Yuyuan. (1) Yuyuan Garden - Yuyuan Garden, a place of peace and comfort in the heart of bustling Shanghai, dates back to the fabled Ming Dynasty. Yuyuan began as a private garden created by Pan Yunduan, who spent almost 20 years - and all of his savings - to build a garden in order to please his parents in their old age. That is why he called this garden "Yuyuan" - because "yu" in Chinese means "peace and health". Yuyuan Garden is a representative of the classical architectural style and is acknowledged as an architectural miracle in the region southeast of the Yangtze River. (2) City God Temple - is a major yet relatively inactive, Taoist temple in Shanghai. During the Ming Dynasty, Zhangshouyue, the head of Shanghai County, dedicated a temple to the local city god. The City God's Temple and the enclosed Yuyuan Gardens are not only famous tourist sites but also popular shopping attractions. There are boutiques, shops selling local specialties, as well as large jewelry stores, department stores and fabulous local snack restaurants to be found there. (3) Shanghai Old Street - beyond the tourist theme parks of Yuyuan and the "Shanghai Old Street" lies a little known treasure trove of living history. The little back lanes of the Old City remain an intriguing anachronism of the way life was lived a century ago. (4) Xin Tian Di Plaza - Xin Tian Di will be your closest match to what Lan Kwai Fong is to Hong Kong. This ambitious area was build by Hong Kong's Shui On Group and contains stylish and expensive shops, pubs and restaurants.

Day 8 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - left Xian around lunch time and arrived in Shanghai just after lunch. We felt the difference immediately when I got to Shanghai - it's a BIG city!! The taxis are a lot better and drivers' standard is much higher. A very exciting day for me to be in Shanghai! (1) Nanjing Road - China's premier shopping street, 3.4-mile-long Nanjing Road, starts at the Bund in the east and ends in the west at the junction of Jingan Temple and Yan'an West Street. Today Nanjing Road is a must-see metropolitan destination attracting thousands of fashion-seeking shoppers from all over the world. Today over 600 businesses on Nanjing road offer countless famous brands, superior quality, and new fashions. KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and other world-famous food vendors line both sides of the street. Upscale stores include Tiffany, Mont Blanc, and Dunhill. In addition, approximately a hundred traditional stores and specialty shops still provide choice silk goods, jade, embroidery, wool, and clocks. A trackless sightseeing train provides a comfortable tour of the night-transformed pedestrian street. Flashing neon signs illuminate the magnificent buildings and spangle the night skyline of this lively city.

Day 7 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - a driver picked us up from the hotel at 8.30am in the morning to travel around, we paid 180RMB for a day. (1) Huaqing Hot Springs - this was the former resort of the Emperors and their concubines (221 B.C. until 907 A.D.) where the imperial couples bathed in the Nine Dragon Hot Spring and Guifei Hot Spring. (2) Terracotta Warriors - one of the most significant archaeological finds in the world, this 16,300-square-meter excavation reveals more than 7,000 life-size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations. It's the Eighth Wonder of the World.

Day 6 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - left Beijing in the morning. Landed in Xian just after lunch (1.5 hour flight). Xian - Xian has a long history. During Xian's 3,100 year development, 13 dynasties such as Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang placed their capitals here. So far, Xian enjoys equal fame with Athens, Cairo, and Rome as one of the four major ancient civilization capitals. It is an heaven of archaeological wonders. The Museum of Terracotta Warriors is praised as "the eighth major miracle of the world", Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is listed on the World Heritage List, and the City Wall of the Ming Dynasty is the largest and most intact Ming Dynasty castle in the world. An old saying in China tells the unique position of this legendary city: "If you want to see China of 100 years ago, visit Shanghai; China of 500 years ago, Beijing; China of 2000 years ago, Xi'an". Its historical relics and wonders top China's best. (1) The Bell Tower - it is situated in the center of the Xian City and it was built in 1384. It is a magnificent construction rich in national style of classic elegance and beauty. (2) The Drum Tower - it is on the northern side of the western street in the Xian City. It was built in 1380. It's named as the Drum Tower because of the big drum placed on the tower, which was hit at dusk everyday for giving the correct time. (3) The Xian City Wall - it is the best preserved, oldest and largest ancient city defence system in China. It is also one of the most important landmarks of the Xian city.

Day 5 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - joined a day tour organised by the hotel to visit Great Wall of China and Ming Tombs. Great Wall is amazing and is a must visit place for travellers!! I will come back to Great Wall again for sure!! (1) Badaling Great Wall of China - located 60km north of Beijing, Badaling, which means "giving access to every direction", is the best-preserved section of the Great Wall. First built in 1505 with an elevation of 600m, the wall average 7.5m high, 4m thick, 6.5m wide on the base and 5.8m at the top. Stretching out for 4,770m among the rolling mountains, Badaling section of Great Wall is dotted with 19 strategically located watchtowers, which were used to protect the capital against attack in ancient times, bringing Badaling the name of "key to the north gate." This section of the Great Wall, in 1987, was listed as the "World Cultural Heritage" by UN. (2) Ming Tombs (Dingling tomb) - the general name given to the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. Only the Changling and Dingling tombs are open to the public. Dingling tomb is underground and about 27m deep. It is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun, the thirteenth emperor who occupied the throne the longest during the Ming Dynasty, and his two empresses.

Day 4 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - took subway to Yonghe Gong in the morning and planned to visit Xiushui Street (a famous street for shopping), unfortunately all the shops have been reallocated to a centralised building and I couldn't find that building! Damn! Missed a shopping opportunity in Beijing. (1) Yonghe Gong - the biggest Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple in Beijing. It was builtin 1694 as a residence of the Qing Dynasty Prince Yong. In 1725 it was made a palace called Yonghe Gong (meaning harmony and peace palace in Chinese) by Emperor Yong Zheng. In 1744, Emperor Qian Long changed it into a lamasery.

Day 3 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - Took us 1 hour to get to The Summer Palace even though it's only 15km from central Beijing! Traffic jam was terrible that morning. (1) The Summer Palace - equally famous as the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace is called "Yiheyuan" (Garden of Nurtured Harmony) in Chinese. It is up to now the best preserved and the largest imperial gardens in China. It contains examples of the ancient arts, it also has graceful landscapes and magnificent constructions. The Summer Palace is the archetypal Chinese garden, and is ranked amongst the most noted and classical gardens of the world. In 1998, it was listed as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. (2) Peking Roasted Duck - along with the grand view of the Great Wall, Peking Roasted Duck is not to be missed for travellers to Beijing. The restaurant Quan Ju De is the most famous amongst all. It is first opened in 1860. Its duck is said to be the best in Beijing! (3) Wangfujing Street - Wangfujing is the central heart of Beijing and is a favorite shopping destination. At night, when Wangfujing street turns on its ever increasing number of neon advertising signs, even more crowds flock to soak up the atmosphere. The neons can now be compared to those of any major city in the world and are very popular with the tourists.

Day 2 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - was orignally planning to go to Temple of Heaven, but was told by the taxi driver that it was currently renovating for 2008 Olympics, so changed today's schedule. (1) Hu Tong - a traditional neighbourhood with narrow streets and courtyard homes. People ride a rickshaw to visit Hu Tong. (2) Chinese Acrobatics -acrobatics has been a popular folk art in China for thousands of years. It shows a skillful balance and flexibility. Performances include "Jumping Through Hoops", "Tightrope Walking", "Juggling with the feet", and "Plate Spinning". (3) Wangfujing Street - Wangfujing is the central heart of Beijing and is a favorite shopping destination. At night, when Wangfujing street turns on its ever increasing number of neon advertising signs, even more crowds flock to soak up the atmosphere. The neons can now be compared to those of any major city in the world and are very popular with the tourists.

Day 1 of my 2 weeks holiday in China - a very cloudy Beijing day. (1) Forbidden City - Lying at the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City, was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now known as the Palace Museum, it is to the north of Tiananmen Square. Rectangular in shape, it is the world's largest palace complex and covers 74 hectares. Surrounded by a six meter deep moat and a ten meter high wall are 9,999 buildings. The Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The southern section, or the Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The northern section, or the Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. Until 1924 when the last emperor of China was driven from the Inner Court, fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty and ten emperors of the Qing dynasty had reigned here. Having been the imperial palace for some five centuries, it houses numerous rare treasures and curiosities. (2) Tiananmen Square - translated from Chinese means "The Gate of Heavenly Peace". It is the original gate of the Forbidden City. Built and burned down a few times starting in 1417, its recent incarnation dates to 1651. Today it is a world recogniced symbol of where Mao Zedong declared the foundation the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949.

David Cole held a BBQ tonight in his apartment. Ray D'Silva and Neil Howard came over to my apartment early in the afternoon for a while and then we all went over to David's place together. It was supposed to have Tim Cooke and Gavin McEwan there with us (who were supposed to arrive this morning), but they missed their flight in Hong Kong, so couldn't make it to David's BBQ. It was quite a warm afternoon and the purpose of the BBQ was to look after visitors from Oz, Denis (Ian Chapman's wife) and Xanthia (Steve Dellis' wife). David, Ian x 2, Steve x 2, Ross, Helena, Sabrina, Jeff Wang, Jeff Bi x 3, Neil, Ray, Daniel and myself were there. I was so full after it and the amount of food left could surely let David to have another BBQ! Thanks David, great night!

Had a trip to a temple built on the cliff with Grahame in the morning. He knew about the temple from Steve Hubbard and wanted to visit it. Even though I have been to Big Black Mountain a few times, but I haven't been to this part of Big Black Mountain before. We walked lots of steps to reach to the top. My legs were a bit sore but Grahame was expecting lots more steps! Had lunch in a Japanese restaurant and then Grahame came over to my apartment in the afternoon for some TsingTao Beer. A great day after all.

Left my apartment at 7am on Saturday morning to go mountain climbing. I think I was out of my mind a bit to do this. But no regrets at all after I was on top of Big Black Mountain! I have been there quite a few times, but never had a chance to climb to the top. The view is absolutely magnificant on top. It was quite difficult to climb and we took routes where normally weren't allowed for normal visitors. So had to pay extra attention on safety. My legs were shaking so badly even before I came down from the top. And guess what I did the next day on Sunday? 4 hour shopping in the city - more walk!! Well, an excellent day!

Today, first time in Dalian in 3 months I have been here, I was able to wear short sleeved polo shirt outdoor! The top temperature was only about 20, but it felt really warm. Went up to Big Black Mountain for mountain climbing. Didn't climb all the way to the top due to time constraint but still managed to see the beauty of Big Black Mountain. I will be back very soon!

Little about Big Black Mountain -
Big Black Mountain, known as the first mountain in southern Liaoning province, is also called the Big Monk Mountain. It has been praised as “the wonder on the southeast corner of Liaoning” in China and is a huge tourist draw for hiking and camping. Besides its lush forest of more than 500 different plant species, this national park is also known for its ancient architecture. Xiangshui Temple, Zhaoyang Temple, Tang Wang Palace and the Sha City are all within its rugged, coastline boundaries.

Went to a fishing village after work on a cloudy Friday afternoon. First time being so close to a fishing village. People use the most traditional method to fish in the sea. However, I was told those village people are probably one of the richest groups of people in Dalian. It's difficult to imagine from their houses and the living standard. But I guess by doing a business in their way, the cost will be so low and if the selling price is good, they do make a good profit. A different side of Dalian I have seen today.

Day 2 of China's labour week holiday. Took mum and dad for a day trip in Dalian. Our last stop was East Sea Park. After getting out of Bin-Hai Road (which we were stuck in traffic for 3 hours), East Sea Park surprised mum and dad. They kept on saying it was so pretty and I think they never thought Dalian would be this pretty. Well, it surprised me as well. When I was there during winter, it wasn't so pretty, but spring time is probably the best time to visit Dalian, it's a pretty city. We went to Pancake King for dinner and I think mum and dad were pretty happy with what they saw of Dalian today.

Day 2 of China's labour week holiday. Took mum and dad for a day trip in Dalian. Our third destination was Bin-Hai Road - the most famous scenic drive along Dalian Coast. Normally it takes half an hour to complete the drive along the coast, today it took us 3 hours!! It was jam packed with cars and there was no other roads to get out once we were on Bin-Hai Road. My parents and I decided to walk in the end and take photos along the way and it was quicker than drive! Poor driver Bruce was stuck in the traffic and almost felt asleep because the cars simply were not moving at all! It was a beautiful and warm, so it was nice to walk instead of sitting in the car.

Day 2 of China's labour week holiday. Took mum and dad for a day trip in Dalian. Our second stop is Cowboy Hill in DZ (Development Zone). On the top of the hill is a coffee shop which can be seen from my apartment.

Day 2 of China's labour week holiday. Took mum and dad for a day trip in Dalian. First stop was Black Mountain in DZ area. It was full of people eveywhere! The first time I was there, it was so empty and today it was full of people!!

Took an afternoon off today (for not taking half a day off on International Women's Day) and took mum and dad to Olympic Park and Xing Hai Square. It was a bit windy and cloudy. Xing Hai Square surprised mum and dad and I think they loved the place. Also had dinner at Xing Hai square, a nice western meal and not too expensive compare to Australian Standard (but expensive in China). Only cost me RMB 300 for 3 people.

Attended Robert's wedding at 11am on April 24. It was raining in the morning, but according to Chinese calendar, it was a great day to get married. There were 2 wedding reception in the restaurant we went to, and another 3 in the restaurant next door! Ian was making a speech and the amount of food was on the table was amazing...Well, that was my first Chinese wedding experience.

Mum and Dad arrived in Dalian on 22nd of April and will be here for a week

I organised a house warming party at 2pm on Sunday 17th of April. It was great to have so many colleagues here with me, including Steve Dellis, Bruce Henshall, Ross Bowra, David Cole, Richard Waldron, Frank Sunderman, Ray D'Silva, Steve Hubbard, Arthur Tu, Sunny, Mary, Kathy, Jenny, Yoyo, Becky, Tina, Helena + Sabrina (Ross's family), Bryan, Bruce Xue, Mr Jiang, Jeff Bi and Frank Ai. It was a house warming + karaoke afternoon and I think everyone had fun. 4 boxes of TsingTao beer I bought (12 x 640ml x 4) had 1 1/2 boxes left and someone bought another box of TsingTao! So I started with lots of beer and food and I finished with lots of beer and food! People have brought food, gift, flowers and I couldn't have wished for a better afternoon. A special thank you to Bruce Xue, my big brother, and all the other finance girls. They were very helpful in the kitchen and I barely had to do anything but to entertain Aussies! Thank you all so much and today was one of my happiest days here in Dalian! It was great to get together like that and I can't wait to have the next party! Love you all!

Last day at the temporary office. Finance was the last group to move. I stayed until the final desk and chair were on the truck and locked the door. Goodbye to temporary office - a place I stayed for almost 2 months

Without central heating system at PAT Dalian plant, it's really cold even in the offices. Richard Waldron is here for 4 weeks and he is sitting next to me. Today we had 2 small heaters between us, but yet it was so cold that I could hardly concentrate. I put my hat on, scarf on and when the Aussies saw me, they all laughed but agreed it was blxxdy cold! Bruce Henshall took photos of me. Richard said it'd probably snow in the office in the next few days....

8.00am early in the morning, my mobile rang and it was Bruce. He insisted to take me to Black Mountain for a drive. It was a gorgeous day and black mountain was pretty. We ran out of time to go all the way to the top of the mountain, but he promised to take me there again when all the flowers blossom next month. I was very glad that I joined him for a drive! 一大清早8.00am就被電話吵醒, Bruce說要帶我去大黑山, 說今天的天氣特別好. 大連市金州區的大黑山比我想像中的還漂亮, 可惜的是花都還沒開, 不過等夏天到了再來一次!

A very foggy morning to start with. At 7.05am, it was so foggy that I could hardly see anything from my apartment window! Went out just before 9am. Was orignally going to Xing Hai Square, but since we got there too early, we decided to take the scenic drive to Ocean Park for a wonder. It was still very very foggy when we got to Ocean Park, but still managed to take a few photos. Was going to watch the famous dolphin show, but got there a bit too late and the ticket was 90RMB each! A bit pricy for a 20 min show. Head back to Xing Hai Square just before lunch. Had steak for lunch, a huge T-bone steak! Got back to DZ around 3pm and went back to the office hoping to upload some photos, but unfortunately the internet was extremely slow.... 一個霧很大的早上, 早上七點多從我住的地方看出去, 真的什麼都看不到, 霧茫茫的一片! 九點之前就出去晃, 本來要直接到星海公園, 可是去太早了吃中午也怪怪的, 所以就晃到老虎灘公園. 到了那裡霧還是很大, 大到相片拍出來都霧霧的. 本來要到有名的極地館看表演, 可是遲到了10分鐘, 而且門票要人民幣90元, 表演也才20多分鐘, 所以就算了. 後來回到星海公園吃牛排, 好大一塊牛排喔~~ 下午三點左右就回到開發區, 回到公司想上傳相片, 可是網路大塞車....

Golden Pebble Beach - a popular destination for tourist in Dalian. It's always empty during winter but packed with locals and tourists during summer. A very nice beach in Dalian DZ area. 大連經濟開發區的金石灘, 很有名的一個海邊. 到夏天天天都擠的水洩不通, 可是冬天太冷了都沒有人

Ya-Tai's apartment in Dalian. It's located in central Development Zone, 137 metre sqares, 2 bedrooms, 1 study room. Ocean View, on 15th floor. Brand new apartment, brand new furniture. 雅代在大連的房子, 在經濟開發區市中心, 位於15樓, 137平方公尺, 兩個房間一個書房, 可以看到海. 一棟全新的大樓, 全新的家具...

Falling on the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar Year, the Lantern Festival takes place under a full moon, and marks the end of Chinese New Year festivities. I orignally planned to go to bed at 8.30pm but guess what, from 7.30pm, the fireworks started everywhere and it went on for HOURS and I mean HOURS!! No joking!! 元宵節, 也就是春節的最後一天, 那天本來是計畫要早早睡覺的, 想說8.30就要上床睡覺, 結果7.30開始, 外面開始一直放鞭炮, 真的每個地方都在放, 而且一直放一直放, 放個不停, 連續好幾個小時, 真的不誇張....!!

2005 Feb 15, I was scheduled to land in Dalian at 9.05pm. It started snowing during lunch time and before dinner time, Dalian airport was closed due to heavy snow. I landed in Beijing instead of Dalian on that night.... 原本是要在大連機場降落的, 結果因為大連雪下太大了, 所以機場關閉, 飛機迫降在北京...這就是我到中國的第一個晚上...

In transit for 5 hours in Hong Kong on the way to Dalian from Kaohsiung. Took an express train from HK airport to HK city for a quick wonder. A very foggy day in Hong Kong! 從高雄到大連, 中間經過香港轉機, 要等5個小時, 所以就落地簽證出去香港晃了一圈, 那天香港起大霧

Took a wonder on 12 Feb 2005 around mum/dad's apartment. Nice evening for a walk.

2005 Feb 12 - Mum/Dad's apartment

Black Dragon organised a farewell party for me on Feb 4 at Fridays' in Doncaster

Took the ferry from Southgate in Melbourne to Williamstown with Bill for a day trip. A lovely summer day in Melbourne. Williamstown is a beautiful little town.

Photos taken from mid 2004 to early 2005 are kept in my Yahoo photo album. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yth1/my_photos