October Adventure

Time is really starting to fly out here in China. We began this month by travelling to Xi’an (西安-Xi’an) during the mid-autumn festival (中秋节- Zhōngqiū jié). To get there we had to endure a 19 hour train journey which wasn't the most fun I've ever had but it went by faster than I expected. One thing about the train journey I never expected was that the lights never turned off so it was really difficult to get to sleep and get rest. After a sleepless night we got to watch the sunrise over 西安 which was beautiful and made being up at 5am worth it. The next few hours went quickly and soon enough we arrived in 西安 and finally got to step off the train.

When all eighteen of us arrived in 西安 we had managed to book 3 beds instead of 3 rooms. After discussing with our hostel they managed to find beds for everyone in a sister hostel nearby. After the initial shock, stress and worry we decided to go for a cycle round 西安 City Wall. This was one of my favourite things we did in 西安. We were lucky to get a warm, clear day so the views were breathtaking and it allowed us to get our first look at the city. It was peculiar getting back on a bike after neglecting my own for so many years. It was safe to say the bikes felt like they may fall apart any minute but never the less we were started racing each other down the walls, it must have looked somewhat like Mario cart. It took around 2 hours to complete the wall and at the end my legs were exhausted and ready for a rest. After handing our bikes back in we headed back to our hostel and treated ourselves to an ice cream on the way.

The next day we decided to explore the city, we found exotic food markets, temples, and a huge park, which was a good reminder of home. The food was heavenly and some of my favourite food I've had since being in China (中国-Zhōngguó) The food markets were very busy the with a very vibrant atmosphere. After getting lost a few times we found a park. We decided to take some time to lie in the grass, relax and breath in the clean (ish) air. It was very relaxing and a big contrast from our hectic morning in the markets. On our way home we managed to find Muslim Quarter Street, a famous food street in 西安. We ate even more food and got to see the Grand Mosque. The streets were filled with many different types of food like cold noodles (something  西安 known for), lots of different types of meat snacks and cake stalls. Some of the stalls were butchering in the street, which was difficult to see, but no one was phased by it. Being here opened my eyes to the culture and people of 西安 and the different ways people live.

Giant Mosque on Muslim Food Street

The next morning was an early start to get to the terracotta warriors. After an hour bus journey we got our tickets and started walking around the site. There were 3 main pits of different warriors and sculptures, each had a different story. This was amazing to see but it was so busy since it was a national holiday it made it difficult to see the warriors especially in the main pit. After walking around for a few hours and seeing all the sites we picked up some food and caught a bus back to our hostel. Transport is usually really cheap here and for the journey home which was an hour it only cost 7 yuan which is less than a pound!

For our last day me and Paul decided to explore 西安 so that we could get a better idea of what the city and the people were like. We set out to get ourselves lost so in hope that we might find some traditional back streets that were less influenced by tourism. We somehow managed to find our way back to our hostel four times. On the fifth attempt we successfully got lost and were pleased with ourselves until we remembered we were meant to meet up with other members of our group very shortly and had to try and find a subway. We successfully found the subway after some help from a map. We went and explored paradise park. It was scattered with water features and traditional buildings. The landscape of the area was grand and was really enjoyable to walk around. 

China has a great way of creating gardens in the middle of the city that make you feel like you’re a million miles away from city life. This makes the experience much more meaningful as it allows you to get away from the city life in a moment’s notice. To refuel after our busy day we found a nearby food market where we bought noodles and treated ourselves to ice cream and waffles. This was our final day in 西安 and was one of my favourite. In our hostel we were in bunkbeds and Paul was in the bed below me. During the night I moved and accidentally dropped my portable charger down the side of my bed. For a good 2 minutes I thought I may have killed Paul but after checking I had managed to miss his head and he was alive and sleeping. Thankfully. When I woke up it was time to pack our bags, confess to my relatively close murder and head to the train station and face another 19 hour train journey back to Tianjin. 西安 was an amazing city to visit and experience.

Unfortunately when we got home I realised I had caught a bug and became very ill. The most difficult part was getting the insurance set up, as I couldn't call the UK because I haven't paid for international calls. I had to call my mum on WeChat then she called the insurance and passed on my information. They had to get back to her so she could call me and tell me what to do. This was confusing but after an hour or so, we managed to work out what we needed to do. After 2 hospital visits, lots of different medicines and only being able to eat ritz crackers for 10 days the ordeal was over and I started to get better. Being so ill in a country so far away from home was very difficult because I just wanted a hug from my mum, a good cup of tea and free healthcare. I definitely have a newfound love for the NHS. Thankfully, I'm with great people who made sure I was okay and tried to help as much as they could which was very comforting. I also need to thank my mum for making sure I was okay every 2 minutes and having a team of people at home trying to help me find the right medicines.

October brought a lot of highs and lows but overall it was still a great month and I had an amazing time and made memories that I’ll remember forever. Were now approaching our midterm exams so we are having to study a lot as the final mark is worth 20% of our final grade. I'm excited for the upcoming month and seeing what it brings.

Jodie Murray