Guangzhou

It so transpires that the night before I landed in Guangzhuo I didn't get a wink of sleep. I tried to get some at the airport - failed. So there I was in a big, noisy, smelly brown city with half a day to spare before a flight to Guilin. And it started raining. Luckily in China, your needs are anticipated by the enterprising and I had an umbrella before the 10th raindrop hit. Shelter, tick. Food. Oh Shit. Negotiating my first non meat meal - sleep deprived.

First sign of food after 1.5 hours of tramping - outside displays of photographed dishes - I was in. "Come what may" I said. Kapow! Shazam! A VEGETARIAN restaurant! The waitress warned me sternly and I grinned from ear to ear.




The gods smiling on me and a body full of wholesome food, I set off to explore my first glimpse of China.

There's a lot of shopping to be done in Guangzhou. Whether you're a teenager checking out shops run by other teenagers with 'doof doof' music blaring, in the market for some dried seahorses and lizards for magic potions or jade pieces - Guangzhou is the place to be. I bought myself a watch so that I wouldn't miss planes and experience for the first time the Chinese habit of advising what's best for you. Despite the shop assistant thinking I need more mauve in my wardrobe, I walked away with a watch in black.



In my wandering I stumbled across a temple. A quiet place, sloping eaves, red lanterns, incense burning and a peaceful courtyard. It was at this point it hit me. Holy Fuck! I'm in China. Those tin tin comics have a lot to answer for.