Three Gorges Weekend
On the day we left, we headed to the Three Gorges Dam Project to visit. The place was really scenic and grand, with the mountains looming over us; the cliffs were steep and beautiful. I felt that it was really serene and peaceful up there were it not for the dam project.
The entire bus trip took 5 hours to reach, anyways, when we all went on board the cruise after dinner, everyone was geering up for the excitement to have fun over the night.
The cruise was huge and cosy. The rooms were clean and everything was great! I went to the KTV to sing songs and have a few drinks. When the ship set sail, I went on deck and took in the cold winds. It was already dark, but we could see the silhouette of mountains.
The next morning woke up for breakfast, after which we took a smaller ship to go sightseeing. A boating trip was included which was rowed by 4 men, and there was a part where we had to be pulled. I think that these countryside men are really working hard for their money because there was around 15 of us on the boat not including them. I feel that life is indeed quite hard.
Oh wells. When we went back to our cruise for lunch, we managed to get some rest and there was more sightseeing of the mountains on board ship. There was a rock that resembled a toad, one that looked like a rhinoceros. Cute huh? However my camera is damaged. Sigh.
After dinner, we had to get off to hike up this temple, there was a bus ride included as well. Up there, we saw old figures of history such as Liu Bei, and many ancient texts and scriptures. There was life size statues and pictures for us to admire. The steep climb up was tiring though, four hundred over steps to climb.
When we back to the ship, it was time for recreation. It was our last night on cruise so we all tried to stay awake. There were lots of good movies on TV, and everyone else went on deck to chit chat and to enjoy the cold night air.
After reaching hostel the next day, we all unpacked our things and went to have a late lunch at 3pm. After which, some of us rested, others went to play badminton. Evening time came, and Mr Wong bought mooncakes for us to enjoy and to celebrate the Mooncake Festival. We all took lots of photos, and some of us had a few drinks. The night was really fun to have so many friends beside me.
Monday
Today is a public holiday in China, we have no lessons, but no one slept in, because 13 of us went to the Zoo!! Wuhan zoo is really far away in Hanyang district. We took a bus there and back. At the zoo, we saw lots of animals, such as emu, ostrich, giraffe, horses, monkeys, and PANDAS! There were two of them, really cute, actually they were the reason why we went to the zoo in the first place.
Wuhan Zoo cant be compared with Singapore’s because they cage up all of their animals. The monkeys and dogs have very little space to move and exercise. The Chinese were behaving as if they went to see an animal freak show. I felt bad for those poor animals, there were no zookeepers in sight, and everything was dirty. Except for the panda enclosure. I think its cause they are National treasures. Oh wells.
After the zoo we went to Macdonalds, everyone was tired and hot due to the weather. We reached home and changed into our PE attire and went out to play badminton again. Mr Phua cooked porridge for us today, after which I went to play pool with the ECE pals.
Tuesday
This morning’s IS lesson went alright, the teacher is giving her usual lecture. After which, we went back to the dorm, had lunch, stayed in bunk, went out to play pool. And Had dinner.
Wednesday
After lesson today, we had to take a coach to Wuhan University’s New Campus to have social interactive Activities. The new campus is really huge, twice the size of the one I’m in, and its fully equipped with new basketball courts and stuff. Its really beautiful. We were all wondering why we couldn’t go there, but then, its really remote, so lucky we didn’t.
Thursday
Its Chinxiang’s birthday today, so the morning was filled with laughter and shouts from everyone and him. Haha. The guys managed to pin him down and shave his leg. Some parts of it. After class, we had lunch and slacked the day away. Had celebrations for chinxiang at 11pm, after which I went over to Teng kiat’s room and we played games and chit chatted. 9 of us, so fun!
Friday
Today we had no lessons, cause yesterday was the last, for the first time, I managed to sleep till 12pm. Decided to go check out Walmart and Shopping Mall, with Nicholas and friends. The walmart is really huge! Haha. We went around, bought stuff.. bought lots of tidbits, and we had dinner and drinks at this hotpot place. Really cool. After reaching hostel at 10.30pm, I went to hang out with Hanlin and gang, and we watched movies, talked rubbish, and tried to stay up till dawn. Haha. Life is so fun when you are in a hostel!
Wudang Shan Weekend
The weekend was spent with fun and laughter, the journey up to the mountain was tiring and long. on the first day, we visited, the mountain, and explored the temples and such, the 2nd day we went to the peak via cable care. The ride up at cooling and the scenery was engaging, everyone prayed, and some asked for their fortune to be told. I prayed for blessings, and simply loved the view. Everything was breathtaking, even the clouds swirling around the peak.
the trip overall was beautiful and serene, but the tour guides and bus driver were unpleasant and unprofessional. The first day, the tour guide rushed us, saying we were always late and everything, delaying their time, we haven't even complain about them not booking the hotel in advance, causing 20 of us to be separated form the 4 divisions of SOE. We even saw them quarreling amongst themselves, and the Driver sarcastically made remarks about singaporeans having a time difference in China. It wasnt our fault we got delayed byt the cable car, there was a 2 hour long queue, then when we went up the peak, we needed to hike a bit further up the steep stairs. The cable car ride down also need to queue, and we had to change two buses that took a total of 1 hour plus before reaching the Mountain's main lobby to our coach. Sigh. Are all china people like that? unethical, unprofessional, and rude.
While queueing for the cable car, there was a "no smoking" sign, but the chinese just continued smoking away. After they got impatient with queuing, they shouted at the staff for being so slow.
Suddenly, I think Singapore's Kiasu-ism is so minor compared to theirs. What with the milk problem now. China is really losing it.
