G'day! I'm Chris. I left my home in rural Australia back in 2007 to pursue a life less ordinary.
I specialize in ambitious travel - bucket list worthy journeys such as the Great US Road Trip, the ultimate African safari, and following the length of the Silk Road.
Okay, so I learned my lesson last time around. Do not record direct to YouTube from your webcam!
A lot of you have emailed or Tweeted me to tell me that the video stops actually playing picture after a few seconds and you’re left with only sound. So, in possession of a perfectly serviceable HD video camera – I enlisted my friend’s Jenny and Kara to record today’s edition of ‘Test Drive’ where I’ll be trying out some Japanese style rice cakes with mysterious contents inside their doughy exterior.
Mystery abounds!
Unfamiliar with the segment? Each week I’ll sink my teeth (literally) into a new and unusual food here in China. I’ll give my live (and completely unscripted review).
Now, I realise that doesn’t sound interesting – but bear in mind that I’m a funny bastard and I’ve been entertaining live crowds since I was a five year old. This is my jam, yo.
I double over in pain for the second time that hour and perhaps the twenty fifth time that day. I’m starting to think that my co-worker’s assertion this was ‘just a hangover’ was somewhat off base.
I mean, it’s been over 48 hours since I had my last sip of beer…
A drunken Friday night of smokey bars, dismal football results streamed on my laptop, and fighting the urge to slug the next person to jostle me without so much as an apologetic nod seems a distant memory early on Monday morning as I writhe in agony midst my tangled and sweat soaked sheets.
I haven’t eaten anything since forcing down a bowl of oatmeal on Saturday morning.
My floor is littered with Powerade bottles that Jenny and Kara were kind enough to fetch for me.
I don’t think I’ve been in this much pain since I bruised my kidneys in 2004.
Are You OK?
I write this entry feeling as far removed from my three days of nausea inducing agony and head-spins as possible. Whether it was simply time or some miracle of Chinese medicine that chased off whatever bug took me hostage and wasted my entire weekend; I don’t know; but you won’t hear me complaining about the sudden turn for the better.
After waking up for the third straight day in pain, I was beginning to think there was something a little more wrong than just a stomach bug.
I’ve had stomach bugs before. I’ve eaten dodgy street food and spent the better part of a day perched on porcelain shedding water weight.
Hell, this time last year I spent five days sick in South Korea with a gastroenteritis bug that doubled as a very effective weight loss technique as well. And while that one did have a little bit of light-headedness, it was a far tamer beast than whatever had me so thoroughly unmanned over the weekend.
What caused it?
I can’t figure that out. I didn’t eat any dodgy street food, that’s for sure. My late night delight was the always over-cooked McDonalds.
Formaldehyde in the beer? One of my co-workers swears that the embalming agent is used in the Tiger brewing process, but beer expert and reader, Luke P, had this to say:
“It is a stupid urban myth. The likely reason is they are using some shitty chemicals in the lagering process so they can pump the beer out quicker. They do it with all major industrial lagers. Lagering can take between 4-6 weeks (sometimes longer). Most industrial groups don’t want to sit on beer that long, so they throw HEAPS of chemicals into it, so it is conditioned in a matter of days. It is why I always say, drink craft beer, because it is not made with shitty high fructose syrups, and doesn’t have shitty chemicals in it.”
Luke’s certainly a man after my own heart. My Portland Brewery Tour seems like one he’d have enjoyed the hell out of.
So, it wasn’t the beer. And I’ve had more than enough hangovers to know that it wasn’t just a bit of mixing of the grain and the hard spirits. Hell, it wasn’t even a big night by Aussie on the Road standards.
A dodgy quesadilla? Doubtful. Food poisoning isn’t really a three day ordeal. Plus, y’know, no vomiting…
So, the how of it remains a mystery. It could have been dodgy water in an ice cube at the bar. It could have been a bug I picked up from one of the students. Truth be told, I don’t much care. Just as long as it doesn’t happen again.
Visiting Chinese Hospital
It was late on Sunday night – fully 36 hours into my fun little adventure – that I decided I needed to do more than just drink fluids and watch every movie I could get my hands on.
Incidentally, I’d recommended The Abyss and the Korean film, Doll Master to anybody with a bit of free time…
I made the call to our ‘foreign teacher liason’ and she advised me she’d have an intern run me over to the hospital in the morning. It wasn’t exactly the urgency I was hoping for, but it’d have to do.
But had I known how violently disgusting Chinese hospital would be – I think I’d have been perfectly okay with any amount of waiting…
It might look like a deli, but we're lining up to see a doctor...
Now, in China’s defense I should point out that (much like South Korea) the hospital plays the role of both hospital and general practitioner, so the place is always going to be crowded.
But having to shove your way through a sea of foul-smelling, couching humanity isn’t exactly what you feel like doing when you’re running a fever. The stink of smoke, unbrushed teeth, cigarettes, and stale piss fairly reek as we clamber up the stairs rather than wait for the over-crowded elevators.
Those in wheelchairs or on stretchers have no choice but to wait in the sea of impatient and ill.
We queue in one line for ten minutes to get a form that says we can queue in a line to see a doctor. I draw #202. We arrive in time to see #100 tick over. It’s going to be a long wait…
As I wait I am horrified to see not one – but several – elderly people punctuating their hacking coughs by spitting great wads of phlegm onto the floor. A quick survey shows the floor is dotted with these throat-born treasures.
I dread to think what would happen should a major epidemic ever strike China again. Hygiene doesn’t seem to be a priority in their hospitals.
A standard prescription in China? Actually, smaller than most I saw.
When my number is finally up, it’s time to be examined while six or seven other (im)patients hover overhead and try to thrust their paperwork in my doctor’s eyeline. To her credit, she calmly advises me I need to go for a blood test.
Another queue and I’m clutching my arm and waiting thirty minutes for a result.
Then it’s back to the queue to see the doctor who informs me that nothing is wrong with my blood and I should come back for an endoscopy. In the meantime she has me queue in another line so I can pre-pay my prescriptions before it’s time for one last queue to collect them.
And then I’m back to my apartment with two boxes of different pills and something I’m supposed to dissolve in hot water and drink. I dutifully do all of these things and – medical miracle or happenstance – I’m feeling better by 6pm.
I declined the offer of having a tube shoved down my throat to find the root cause of my illness. I’ll take ‘no longer in agony’ and be happy with that.
So there’s my health scare. It wasn’t life threatening or even particularly terrifying, but it’ll do me. Have you ever been sick while on the road? What’s your most scary or gory health story from the road?
I can’t claim credit for this concept. It’s one I stole from the now defunct Bongdam: South Korea blog. I liked the idea of ‘test driving’ strange snacks and drinks so much that I just had to take it for myself.
Since I’m in a country full of weird and wonderful foods and I’ve got some friends who insist on making me buy strange things, I thought I’d treat you to a glimpse inside the world of Chinese snack culture.
Enough from me, though. I’ll let the video talk for itself!
While the bulk of tourists to China no doubt clamber for the history of the Great Wall or the natural beauty of the panda sanctuaries, there’s more to China than the conventional. I already highlighted a few of these spots in my previous post on the subject, but Monkey Island rates a mention too.
Brenda takes her life into her hands and gets up close and personal with a local. Photo by Tracey Long.
It’s not just the island’s population of gibbering, poo slinging monkeys (Macaques, specifically), either. The scenic chair lift ride from Hainan’s mainland to the island is a breath-taking treat all of its own, providing spectacular views of daily Chinese life as you soar over fishing villages, floating restaurants, and farms still being worked as if they weren’t a part of the world’s largest economy.
A visit to Monkey Island won’t be at the top of any Chinese itinerary, but if your travels are going to take you to the island known affectionately as ‘China’s Hawaii’, it’s worth a look.
Return to Hainan
I’ve timed my arrival in China pretty bloody well. While I did miss the month off that accompanies the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), I arrived in time for a four day holiday in celebration of Tomb Sweeping and an upcoming week off for what I can only figure out is ‘Golden Week’.
I’m still not sure what that celebrates, but I won’t complain.
My original plan was to tag along with my friends Jenny and Kara for their planned rail trip along the Qinghai-Tibet line from Shanghai all the way to Lhasa in Tibet. But those plans were dashed when we were advised that the Chinese government is currently charging upwards of 1000 RMB (around $150) just to get into the country. Couple that with 1200 RMB for the train ride, God knows how much for a flight back from Lhasa, and more on top of that for food and accommodation.
It was August of 2008 and my friends and I were in dire need of an escape from crowded Korean life. Much like I do today – I maintained a circle of friends populated almost exclusively by women.
So it was that myself, Brenda, Rebecca, and Tracey headed off for a week of sun and surf in tropical Hainan province in the south of China. And while I did touch on my week there in a previous entry about China’s tropical paradise, I perhaps didn’t do justice to the weird little corner of China known as ‘Monkey Island’.
While the bulk of our days were spent sipping poorly made cocktails on white sandy beaches, we did find a day or two to get out and see a bit of what Hainan had to offer.
Beautiful Sanya Beach. Photo by Tracey Long.
A Monkey Island adventure starts with a ride on China’s longest trans-oceanic ropeway. That’s right you cross the ocean in something called a ropeway.
Don’t be too alarmed, though. The ropeway is a bit of a misnomer – as you’re reading a modern chair lift akin to those you’d find at your local ski slope.
The 2.1km ride moves along at a brisk pace and whisks you away from the more built up mainland towards Nanwan Island. Below you the land sprawls out in a charming tapestry of farmland, shanty villages huddled along the coast, fishing boats out in search of their catch, and – finally – the lush tropical vegetation that borders the monkey sanctuary.
One of many quaint fishing villages along the Hainan coast as viewed from the ropeway to Moneky IslandThe ropeway descends towards Monkey IslandThe monkeys have taken over! Turn back! Turn baaaaack!
It’s not quite ‘Welcome to Jurassic Park’, but the hooting and hollering of the resident monkeys still sends a bit of a primal chill up your spine as you descend from the canopy and down towards the sanctuary proper.
The skyway ride weighs in at a cheap 60 RMB return (around $10 Australian) and is a bit of fun on its own. Entry to the park is a further 68 RMB, which still scrapes in under $11. In essence, it’s dirt cheap to visit Monkey Island.
Welcome to Monkey Island
If your visit is anything like mine, you’ll need to fight your way through a press of Korean tourists before you can see the local wildlife. But once you’re out in the sanctuary’s gardens and grottos, there’s no shortage of ‘friendly’ locals to interact with.
A curious little fella steadfastly ignoring my requests to 'say cheese'
Signs around the park warn visitors not to approach the monkeys too closely or corner them, but the more inquisitive take the decision out of your hands as they come within a few feet to see what these strange new visitors might be. The majority are mostly curious, but my poor friend Tracey got a bit of a fright when one of them decided to scream in her general direction.
The monkeys are free to roam the park as they desire, so it’s not uncommon to come across one on the path or not notice one until it’s standing at shoulder level and leering out at your from the trees.
A cheeky macaque eyes us from the trees. Photo by Tracey Long.The mislabeled 'Darwen' statue at Monkey Island
For those wanting a more up close and personal experience, there are regular live shows in which trained monkeys wow the audience with their intelligence before they patiently pose with tourists brave enough to have a smelly primate perched on their shoulders or lap. Me? I’m right at home with all things hairy, so I ambled up and posed with a pixieish pair who were quite enamored of my hairy arms.
I make a few new friends on Monkey Island
The treatment of the monkeys isn’t quite as bad as you might expect if you’ve been to a Chinese (or Korean, for that matter) nature reserve concerning animals. The monkeys are mostly left to their own devices, although the performing ones are chained up and that might be a bit jarring for some.
Oh, and fair warning: don’t leave anything unattended! The monkeys are not shy at all, and I lost a bottle of Coke to one of them. I dread to think what might have happened had I set my camera down.
A Bite to Eat
Had I known it at the time, I’d have stuck around the island for a bit of post exploration seafood. Hainan is famed for its seafood and the island boasts a fishing village on the coast where you can eat seafood fresh from the ocean.
Fantastic fresh seafood! Photo by Tracey Long
While I didn’t have the pleasure during my 2008 visit, I can definitely vouch for the quality of Hainan seafood. Fresh lobster, crab, fish, and squid are not only readily available – but far cheaper than you’ll find back in the West. A feast can be had for the price of fish & chips back in Australia.
Making Monkey Island happen for you
Most hotels and resorts in tourist friendly Sanya will offer tours to the island, but these typically come with a bit of a mark-up.
Grab a cab and have them wait for you while you’re on the island and you’re looking at around 250 RMB for the return trip. Most taxi drivers typically speak more English than I’ve found here on the mainland, and the hotel staff will be able to write down where you need to go in Chinese if you’re not comfortable with the language.
If you’ve got a holiday rental apartment or something of the like, the fall-back is the old ‘point at your Lonely Planet and pray’ technique. Most cabbies should know the place though.
Monkey Island definitely isn’t a full day trip, so go early and explore in the morning before having lunch at the village and heading back to catch the afternoon sun and a few cocktails on the beach.
TripAdvisor ranks Monkey Island as Sanya’s #1 attraction, and I’d say it’s a pretty fair assessment. I certainly enjoyed my laid back days on the beach more, but Monkey Island still sticks with me even (close to) four years on.
I know I’ve been a bit slow on the update front over the past few weeks, but I’ve got an excuse! Life in China has been very good to me so far, but it’s also been mile-a-minute as I settle into a new job, a new city, and a new social scene. Rest assured, I’ve got some exciting travel plans on the horizon as well as some great pieces about my life, travels, and experiences here in China.
This one’s more personal than informative, so I apologise for that, but I’ll be sure to put up a few helpful articles (and a long awaited Recommended Reads) real soon.
Now that I’ve had a shade over two weeks in China, I thought I’d weigh in with the five factors that are contributing to my newfound love of life since hitting the scene.
#5 – The School
I’ve really lucked out when it comes to my work environment. Far from the 40 hour weeks I was working in Sydney, or even the 30 hour ones I worked during my time in Korea, a relatively cushy 20 hour working week means I’ve got ample time to focus on my life outside of work.
In fact, three days a week I’m finished with my classroom responsibilities by noon – giving me plenty of time to go for a run, explore my city, or just take a sorely needed nap after my draining four hour day. That’s sarcasm, folks. Feel free to hate me.
My classes so far have been good. Made up of 22-25 students who are new to the school, they’re still sufficiently intimidated to be behaved and they aren’t yet disillusioned by English study. My challenge is to keep them interested without losing control of them.
My kids hard at work on a practice exam
While I’m certainly not pulling in the kind of cash I did in Australia or South Korea, I’m still making well above what the average Chinese worker makes. While 8000 RMB doesn’t sound like it would stretch very far, it’s possible to live something like a king and still put some money aside. Some of my co-workers here drink most nights and eat all of their meals out and still manage to put fully half of their pay check into savings.
And did I mention the free apartment on-site?
My spacious living room here in China. I never had one in Korea!
Another big perk of my job is eight weeks paid vacation as well as having the ability to take unpaid leave should I need it. You’ll be seeing entries from Tibet, Mongolia, and the United States as a result of this free time. I’m also aiming to spend the next Chinese New Year in either Thailand or the Philippines.
I’m only a week into my teaching here, but I can’t imagine getting to a point where 20 hours a week proves too much for me. I’m lazy , but I’m not that lazy.
#4 – Location, Location, Location!
Not knowing anything much about Nanjing before I got here, I was really surprised to find that my school lay right at the heart of the foreigner ‘square’ in the city of 8,000,000. Situated right by two prominent Chinese universities that take foreign exchange students as well as being by a Chinese wing of Johns Hopkins means there’s no shortage of foreigner bars, foreigner friendly restaurants, and friendly faces in my neighborhood.
The Bars
My school lies right next to Another Jimmy’s – a small second store based off of a popular sports bar in town. Boasting a good selection of imported beer and pizza for delivery, I’ve already availed myself of Jimmy’s once or twice.
Photo from eChina Cities' Best Bars in Nanjing
Then there’s the ever popular Talking franchise – which has Talking #1, Talking #2, and Talking #3 all on the same stretch near the university. My school cricket team just so happens to be sponsored by Talking #2 – so I’ve had a few drunken nights there already. With a bloody impressive list of imported beers (including Erdinger, Franziskaner, and a number of Belgians) and a big menu of food and cocktails, it’s fast becoming my foreigner haunt of choice.
Just up the road is the mysteriously titled 1931. With nightly drinks promos and a menu that includes banana splits, hot dogs, and Cajun chicken wings – it’s a place I’m eager to try out real soon.
I’m a ten minute walk from Blue Sky Australian Bar & Grill. By far the largest of the foreigner bars I’ve stepped in so far, Blue Sky has live sport on the TV most of the day and pool tables to entertain. Catering to an older expat crowd, the place does provide Aussie meat pies and has the space for a big function.
A short taxi or bus ride takes me to Nanjing’s 1912night-life district. It’s littered with night clubs and expensive whiskey bars, so I wouldn’t have thought it my kind of scene – but I did enjoy a wild night of table dancing underneath chandeliers at Little Scarlet and drinking free cognac at Racer – where groups of four or more foreigners are greeted with a free bottle of spirits.
The Restaurants
As if the food on offer at the above bars wasn’t enough, there’s a score of foreigner friendly spots nearby. From the arbitrary McDonalds, KFC, Subway, and even (Korea’s own) Paris Baguette to the local cuisine, I’ve had no trouble finding delicious treats when the mood strikes.
KFC and McDonalds also deliver. Be afraid.
Across the alley from Another Jimmy’s is Istanbul Turkish Food. While their kebabs aren’t quite what I’ve become accustomed to in Australia, there’s still a good mix and the promise of baclava in a few weeks once the place gets on its feet.
Directly across the road from my school is Skyways Bakery and Deli – offering custom made sandwiches, baked goods, and gelato for hungry foreigners. If the crowd of white faces out front on sunny days is any indication, it’s a damned popular meeting point for the local foreigner scene.
Photo from eChina Cities' How to Satisfy a Western Food Craving in Nanjing
When I’m not feeling like Western food, it’s easy to find something local. Old Friends lies between Talking #2 and my school and has a great range of traditional Chinese cuisine and (most importantly) an English menu. A few hole-in-the-wall style eateries nearby provide similar fare, and a personal favorite of mine is a Dong Bei place boasting some bloody fantastic sweet and sour pork for those able to navigate there way through a maze of back alleys to find it.
Nearby Korea street means I’ll not be missing my South Korean cuisine. I daresay galbi and soju lie in my immediate future…
Shopping
Much like Korea, Nanjing has a slew of convenience stores providing essentials. I’ve become particularly familiar with Suguo – a chain somewhere between a 7-11 and a fully fledged grocery store. There are four within walking distance of my apartment.
Nanjing also has several Walmart department stores as well as the popular Carrefour, a French chain boasting cheaper prices that my friends swear by.
Another short walk from my apartment takes me to Times Grocery. Where in South Korea I’d need to trek all the way to Seoul for cereal, pop tarts, or snacks from home – ten minutes has me with all of the kettle corn, pudding snack pack, and Canadian Club I could ever desire.
I got really lucky when I landed a job in Nanjing. Knowing only one person who lives in China, I somehow managed to end up in the same city as that person. David and his girlfriend, Shannon, were a part of my first night out in Nanjing and I’ve caught up with them a few times since. They’ve certainly made settling in a whole lot easier.
Then there’s my co-workers. I’ve quickly fallen in with a pair of north American girls who are regularly asking me out to grab dinner or just take a wander around the area. Kara, Jenny, and myself have ironically dubbed ourselves the Menstruation Nation. That sounds like an all female pro-wrestling stable…
Jenny and Kara - two members of the 'Menstruation Nation'
There’s also a big group of older (30+) guys here at the school who are regularly keen to talk fantasy football, watch the game over at Talking #2, or head down to the nearby university field for a hit of cricket. I spent a bright and sunny Monday out taking wickets and being bowled for ducks with a likely group of local lads.
I’m only two weeks in, so my social circle isn’t massive just yet, but I’m finding being so close to the university district and having some wing-women so early in my time here is a big improvement on my relatively lonely early existences in Gwangju and in Busan.
Hell, I’m more social here than I was in Sydney!
#2 – The Food
I waxed lyrical about the food situation earlier, so let me just leave you with some pictures of some of the delicious local food I’ve had since touching down.
A mix of braised meats, vegetables, and coriander/cilantro served in pocket bread. Delicious!Street food outside Xuanwu Lake ParkFried mushrooms at a traditional Dong Bei restaurantQiezi (literally fish fragrant eggplant) is ridiculously good (and does not contain fish)
And special mention to my school cafeteria – providing me with a buffet lunch of local food for less than 80 cents a day.
#1 – The Culture
While I’ve certainly noticed similarities between South Korea and China, there’s enough differences to keep me on my toes. Whether it’s dodging electric bikes in the special bike only lanes on the highway or being temporarily gagged by the smell of stinky tofu cooking by the road, I’ve definitely found my first 14 days here to be an adventure.
Zifeng Tower is Nanjing's tallest building. Subway is in the basement!
More than the cities I visited in South Korea, I’ve found a greater appreciation for the outdoors here in Nanjing. While it’s true that hiking is something of a national pastime on the peninsula, South Korea just didn’t have the space for vast parks in the heart of their cities.
A short walk from my apartment takes me to stunning Xuanwu Lake Park. Here I can walk idyllic, tree lined paths through beautiful parkland scattered across several islands at the heart of a large lake. By day the water is alive with boats and snack vendors do brisk business with families enjoying the sun, but by night the place comes alive with some vivid light displays.
The sun sets over Zifeng Tower as I watch from Xuanwu LakeCherry blossoms and families on the shore of Lake XuanwuClosed for the day, a snack shop still manages to draw the eye by Xuanu LakeThe walk back to Nanjing proper is lit beautifully as I leave Xuanwu Lake Park
With spring upon us here in China, cherry blossoms are also out in bloom. With the falling petals have come crowds of locals eager to snap photos with the iconic pink and white blossoms. It makes for a festival atmosphere as I weave through crowds and catch a whiff of cotton candy or toffee apple being sold from the back of a motorbike nearby.
Cherry blossoms partially obscure Rooster Crow Temple near Xuanwu Lake Park, NanjingA cotton candy vendor does brisk business on a spring day in Nanjing
I’ve barely touched the tip of the iceberg, though. Nanjing has a number of famous sites including Rooster Crow Temple, the Nanjing Massacre Memorial, and the Nanjing Confucius Temple that I still need to visit. Then there’s Purple Mountain – a large park area renowned for its quiet shrines, arduous hikes, and beautiful lakes.
And that’s just in my back-yard!
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As I spend more time here, I find that most foreigners tend to be what we call ‘lifers’. The majority of the people at my school have been living in Nanjing for 3-5 years now, and while ‘the girls’ are in their first years here – they’ve both told me that they find Nanjing to be their favorite city in China.
It’s early days yet, but I’ve definitely found a lot to love about Nanjing and my life here. Here’s hoping it keeps on in that vein.
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