Author: Matthew McDonald

See you soon from Shanghai!

For our last and only day in Shanghai we started by visiting the Oriental Pearl Tower. The 360 degree view of Shanghai was truly breathtaking. From the tower we were able to see both new and old parts of the city of Shanghai, separated by the Huang Pu river. We were able to got a bird’s-eye view of many of the modern skyscrapers, including the Shanghai World Trade Centre and the still under construction Shanghai Tower. Within the Pearl Tower there was a museum that told of the story of how Shanghai had developed from a small fishing village to a huge city of over 27 million people in a very short period of time.

Our next destination was the Bund. This is the old colonial part of Shanghai, with many European style buildings that are over 100 years old, and was also the place where couples would go to meet for dates before the invention discos, karaoke and clubs. The weather while we were in Shanghai wasn’t quite as good as we were hoping, with scattered rain meaning that our outside events had to be made shorter. However, we still got to see a fantastic view of the Shanghai skyline from the edge of the Huang Pu river.

Our last and most awaited destination in Shanghai was the A.P. Shopping Mall, which sells lots of cheap copy items. We had all been waiting for the chance to have a bit of a haggle and find a bargain. The shopping mall had a wide variety of shops most of which were selling what appeared to be many of the same things that we get back home, just at different prices. For one and a half hours we had had fun making the most of our last opportunity to spend some money before leaving to come back to Australia.

Looking back on this wonderful trip to China, we have been able to visit many major tourist attractions, see many different cities and do many wonderful things, visiting amazing places which before this most of us only have seen in photos. It had been breathtaking to see and do these things for ourselves. We are very grateful for the opportunity to come to China and hope others who come to China in year 9 in the future will enjoy it as much as we have.

By Sasha Weichmann and Nicholas Carus.

Howdy from Yangshuo!

Our day started early with a healthy and scrumptious breakfast. We were given 15 minutes to walk around the market, where we had been given a tour yesterday. We bought fresh fruit that was bursting in flavour and colour. The prices were much cheaper compared to Australian fruit as we bought a whole bag of mandarines for the equivalent of $1. The strong smell of fish filled the markets as well as the different variety of fruits. With a crowd of people filling every corner of space available we hurriedly went back on the bus to make our way to Silver Cave.

Our journey to the Silver Cave let our eyes explore the magical scenery that surrounded the road on our bus trip. It was amazing to see all the pinnacles of rock stretching as high as skyscrapers, creating a jagged outline of the mountainside as it surrounded us on all sides. A view one would never get to experience in the countryside of Australia, let alone in the middle of a city.

As we finally arrived at the Silver Cave we were met with a 15 minute walk to the actual cave itself. Many stalls were set up, trying to take advantage of the popular tourist destination. As we walked through the entrance,we were greeted by many large limestone formations illuminated with multicoloured lights which made it clearer to see. It was 50m from the lowest point to the highest point of the cave and the trail we took through it was almost 3km long, with amazing rock formations down the entire snaking length. We were mesmerised by the vibrant lights on the rocks of every colour, contouring the rocks edges and the spectacular, natural shapes which they formed. The lights made it easier to see the rocks and made them even more alluring to our eyes. At the beginning the cave was quite cool and refreshing, but the higher we got within the cave the more humid it had become, causing a desperate need for water afterwards.

Perhaps one of the best sights we have seen was a large rock pillar formation in the centre of some shallow water. The water reflected the formation creating the illusion of deep clear water and creating a hypnotising sight for all to see as it seemed to be endless within the pool. It was properly the most memorising thing we’ve all seen throughout the trip.

Lunch soon came around as we left the Silver Cave and drove back to the West Street markets for lunch. We went to a local cafe to see how the Chinese cooks interpreted our own culture. We all warmly welcomed the presence of Western food and the soccer game which was being played on the nearby TV. There was a comforting aura around, that makes it so hard to believe that only a few weeks ago we were all strangers to each other. With the ending of lunch we went out for one last quick look around the markets, absorbing everything we could and stretching our legs before we got back on the bus and left for the trip back to Guilin airport.

With darkness taking over outside and us awaiting for the plane to Shanghai, we began to realise how far we had all come through the trip and reflect on everything that we’ve done and discovered in this country as we only have one more night left here. Here in China we have discovered that if you give a simple gift like a rubber, toy car or skipping rope, you’ll make a kid smile, while back home they would throw it away without a second. It is a country of extremes, from the immaculate cleanliness of Beijing to the dirty streets on the outskirts of Xi’an. Overall this has been an inspiring, at times jaw dropping, culturally insightful and mind-blowing journey through China, and when we return, we’ll come back with more knowledge of the world than before and hopefully be able to act upon it.

By Sophie Tegg and Peter Kouroulis.

Tally-ho and yippedy-doo-da-dee to all the relations back home!

Today, our first full day in Yangshuo, we took a small expedition to the local markets where we were fascinated by all the weird vegetables, fruits, and live animals, all things that would not be easily discovered in an Australian market. Live eels, turtles, roots of lotus, fish of every hue, pickled garlic stems and bamboo shoots were among the many things we saw here. This was the first time we had really had a chance to see the downtown of Yangshuo, and it was clear to us that this was quite unlike any other place we had been on this trip. We were all flabbergasted to hear that the population of Yangshuo was just about 300,000, yet last year alone it received circa 21 million tourists.

After this quick introduction to Chinese ingredients, we travelled to a small, rural area just outside of the bustling centre of Yangshuo to learn how to cook an authentic Chinese lunch. Arguably the nonpareil of all the food we’ve had the pleasure of eating thus far, we cooked a lunch of eggplant simmered in a sauce with black bean and chilli, stir-fried cauliflower, steamed chicken with berries and dates, and a spectacular stir-fry of pork and vegetables. We all thought it a fantastic experience to learn Chinese cooking techniques and recipes. The food itself was actually nothing like what we had eaten at local restaurants, as this genuine food would have been entirely traditional, and perhaps not tourist-oriented at all. The variety, quantity and nature of the spices and their flavours used could almost relate this slightly to South Asian cooking, and it was a joy to be able to work with such fresh ingredients. We all enjoyed the warm, traditional meals we produced very much.

We were all fascinated by this unique cuisine, certainly unlike Chinese food served in Australia, and as we said earlier, even from all the other food that we have been served in China itself. Some unique experiences that we enjoyed during this time were the odd techniques, such as smashing garlic, chopping, scooping and essentially cooking all with a meat-cleaver. This reminded us that the local people have had to make do with very little for a very long time, and thus, have developed a very efficient way of life.

After this spectacular experience, we went on a relaxing bamboo-raft cruise on the Dragon River. Vastly different compared to the crowded, littered streets, the water lay calm and clear like a green crystal sheet over the rocks. Once again, our breath was taken away by the immense mountains that covered the landscape around Guilin. It was a spectacular backdrop to sit back and admire as our local boatmen punted our rafts leisurely down the cool running waters of the Dragon River. A huge amount of photographers lined the river, incessantly photographing us all, along with innumerable newly married or to-be wed couples. We were even treated to a cormorant fishing demonstration courtesy of a traditional fisherman, whose well-trained birds penetrated the river’s shimmering surface to retrieved their scaly prize.

Our day ended with another dinner at a local restaurant, followed by another evening meandering down the bustling and crowded market stalls of Yangshou’s famous West Street, providing yet another opportunity to soak up the local life and flavour. Overall a fantastic day! Cheerio from Ashok, Ben and Daniel!

By Ashok Chandar, Ben Merganovski and Daniel Tesfai.

Greetings from Yangshuo!

We spent this morning cruising along the wondrous Li River, headed towards Yangshuo, to be our home for the next couple of days. The scenery along the Li River was absolutely spectacular, lined by steep, green hills with sheer cliffs of stone, receding into an ominous grey mist, in all sorts of unusual formations. We even saw the view used on the Chinese 20 Yuan notes for ourselves! The greenish aqua of the water, lined by rocky beaches, was host to a line of tourist boats, at times flanked by fleets of fishermen. The water was shockingly shallow at times, and we were amazed that boats holding so many people were still able to traverse the river (Fortunately ours was a lot less crowded!). Despite a lack of other western tourists for the majority of our trip, our boat was also host to a group of American tourists, recognisable by their distinctive accents. We had our lunch aboard the boat, which, although the food was not the greatest we have had, was made better by the views of those strange hills passing by our windows. There were also some brief birthday celebrations for Rob, which included a singing of Happy Birthday and a delectable chocolate cake.

Once we finally arrived at Yangshuo, a small county nestled amongst the awe-inspiring hills similar to the ones we had seen on the boat journey, we checked into the hotel, before heading out of the main city to engage in a fan-making activity. Fans often pass through multiple different producers, each doing a couple of the 180 steps to creating a finished fan, be it crafting the bamboo, folding the paper, or painting the designs. Sheets of paper must be glued together, and the bamboo frame must be inserted into the fan itself. Usually, people will only gain a few cents (in Australian dollars) for each fan, and the price of the finished fan will usually vary based on who painted it and the quality of the bamboo framework. As well as gaining an insight into the painstaking task of creating the fans, we also attempted to paint our own. Some people used a base branch system and just painted flowers onto it, while the more adventurous among us painted fans from scratch. We all enjoyed this activity a lot, and it was most certainly an interesting cultural experience, as fans are always recognised as an integral part of Chinese culture and history.

To wrap up the day, we did some shopping along West Street in Yangshou. This bustling street was one of the busier places we have visited, and was filled with a variety of wares. Rather unusual instruments, flying drones, and even some honeycomb are just a few examples of what was for sale.

By Simon Rodgers and Liam Baker.

Good evening from Guilin!

Today began with a small sleep in, following our last night in Longsheng. However, soon enough, we were eating another scrumptious breakfast, consisting of delicious fruit and savoury pancakes. After that, we did a last trek through the picturesque rice fields in the mountains, before once again jumping on a bus to travel back to the lovely city of Guilin. While it was sad to say goodbye to our mountain village, we were also very excited to see what this new city had in store for us.

Shortly after arriving at our destination, we dropped our luggage into our hotel and set off to a tea plantation located nearby. We first donned the traditional framers’ hats, and looked at the tea trees and bushes, before going inside to experience a tea ceremony. While at first some of us were unsure, we all ended up thoroughly enjoying ourselves. The tea master explained to us about the six different types of tea: white, black, yellow, green, Oolong and compressed. The making of the tea ensued. Everyone was taught how to make tea using tea leaves and clay pots, as well as how to correctly hold their cups to drink it. When we learned that it is polite to slurp your drink, the room suddenly became very noisy indeed! The tea itself was delicious, and students and teachers alike purchased tea to bring home. Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Proceeding the tea plantation visit, we went to Main Street to have dinner and some free time. Once again, dinner was a hit with everyone, as we devoured both the Chinese and Western cuisine with ease. On the back of the exciting afternoon, we set out around the main streets of the city to have some fun. In small groups we were allowed to roam around the pedestrian mall with its many shops and stalls in the middle of the city of Guilin. From looking in shops and finding bargains, to kicking around the soccer ball, there really was something for everyone.

Today was a delightful day, filled with lots of fun activities. While at first we were quite sad to say goodbye to Longsheng, by the end of the day enough had happened that we definitely did not regret leaving. From fantastic food to super shopping, it has been a day to remember.

By Matt Percival and Liam McLeod.