A few photos, a few diary excerpts. I am a rabid journaller, and making notes while on the road delights me no end. I am all about moleskines and thin-nibbed inky black pens.
“After the delights and dramas of Hangzhou, we headed back to Shanghai. It’s been confirmed I am able to do anything I want in this world, nothing is impossible.”
“Midnight. We finish watching a DVD, and wander into the night to find some cheap hot chocolate and eat street food.”
“It was delicious, cooked over hot coals. You could even have a whole fish on a stick. I had mushrooms rubbed with a dark spice, chives and a skewer of morsels best described as vegetable pancakes.”
“We danced until 2am, watching the varied crowd – locals and odd Europeans (no Australians this time), before collecting our belongings and heading home in one of the waiting cabs lined up in their tens outside. I watched the city zoom past; feeling tired, drunk and everything smelling like cheap cigarettes. Ugh… it made me wretch, repeatedly. Some smoke is good; like the charcoal smokes of the street vendors, fragrant with oils, or the sweet tea-like smell of incense. But the smoke emitting from a 5RMB packet of fags? No thanks. 12 hours later, my jacket was beyond saving and had to be packed wrapped in a damp towel to try and save my other clothes. We’ll see if they survive.”
There are more photos in my China Flickr set if you’re keen to check them out! That’s it from the southern cities for now, I arrived in Beijing (bei = north, jing = capital) yesterday. Let the northern wanderings begin… after a nap!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
You need to compile and publish your photos in a Shanghai coffee table book or something. Fo realz.
Holy shit. A good year for getting about so far, huh?
Sheena: Thank you, what a kind thought. I was actually pondering a mini-zine of some description. We’ll see.
PE: TER… Lucky me. Melbourne in May. You should get your travel on too, AKA come to Nouvelle-Zealande.
What an amazing opportunity! I’d love to visit China someday. Your photographs are amazing!
What an incredible post! Makes me envious of my China travels… bizarre feeling
sequincat.blogspot.com