I bet I was the only person on the bus who had spent a day with a family of North Koreans and chatted freely to them. There is a softening of relations between North and South Kora but sitll there’s distrust and hostility. That’s what the guide said anyway – Qiang – nice girl but… Read More »
Having had an accommodation disaster in Seoul I decided to head out into the countryside and chose Chuncheon as my destintion. I had read some good things about it online. The journey on the train was beautiful and very cheap but took around two hours. Mind you, I wouldn’t have minded if it had taken… Read More »
I had booked a hotel in Seoul for four nights – I’m not crazy enough to turn up in a capital city late on Saturday night without having a room booked. I turned up at the hotel and this arrogant little shit said he wanted the cash up front before doing anything. I said I… Read More »
It was a sunny Saturday and I had no work do to. After a slow start I decided I hould make the most of the day and explore the end of the new Metro line 17. To get there you have to go to Hongqiao Station at the end of line 10 or line 2… Read More »
It was a bright sunny afternoon and I wasn’t particularly busy and I thought I’d down Fangbang Lu – one of my favourite cycle rides. My friend and I called in at the flower and bird market first and then in a small electronics market and then parted ways. There is a community I really… Read More »
The Best of British Show came back to Shanghai again in October and fortunately I have plenty of people who will give me free tickets to stuff like this (when did I last pay for a ticket to any show?). My four day trade pass meant that I was in on the first day –… Read More »
It was advertised as a yoga retreat. I fancied a bit of peace and quiet but I didn’t fancy the yoga bit so I explained I would come and pay the full price if I wasn’t forced to do the yoga. They said it was fine. A spell in the Jiangsu countryside was just the… Read More »
I was trying to make my way slowly and carefully from central Shanghai to Yangpu district on my bike when I found myself at the International Cruise Terminal metro station. There, I saw a really interesting derelict building and took a detour to cycle around it to see if I could get in for a… Read More »
I had hoped to get to a Premiership game but when I look at which games were going on at the weekend I found it was only international games. But my luck was in when i could see England was due to play Spain at Wembley. Wembley – the beating heart of English football. I… Read More »
As soon as I landed back in Shanghai my phone started beeping with incoming Wechat messages. Did I remember Dave Williams? Of course I remember him? I know him, not remember him. That’s the sort of language you use when someone has died. What was up with Dave? Oh didn’t you know, he’s a murderer.… Read More »