Suzhou

This morning I woke up along with the rest of the coach crew. Two daughters, two boys and the fathers friend. The father came to the coach shortly after and took us out for breakfast at a nearby hotel. During breakfast he began to tell us (in Chinese, which was then translated by his daughter Xu Jing) that he wanted to be our friends forever and if we ever visit China again, he would like us to stay with the family in his house. I wanted to pay for breakfast as a thank you for letting us sleep in the coach but he insisted that it was a gift. Once we got back to the coach, he and his daughter helped us figure out our onward journey to Suzhou and he even paid his fiend to take us to the train station. Most Chinese people we've met have been incredibly friendly but this family have been so unbelievably generous. I tried to give him some money but he refused and I think might have even took offense.

His friend drove us up to the train station entrance and pointed to the large queue that was the ticket office. Luckily I had Xu Jing write down what we wanted in Chinese so that the sales person could issue the right tickets. We stood in line and anticipated a long wait. Less than a minute later, an official came up to me and asked a question in Mandarin. I showed him the piece of paper and then watched him make his way to the front of the counter and back again. He continued to speak to us in Chinese even though I tried to indicate that we didn't understand. After a few minutes of frustration and confusion I eventually figure out that he is trying to tell me the departure time. "13:15" apparently is when the train leaves for Suzhou. We nod our heads in agreement then follow him past the long queue to the front of the counter where we quickly purchased our tickets. Yet another very nice man. Whatever your name is - thank you!!!

With three hours to kill, we set up camp at a nearby raised plaza and started playing backgammon. I was amazed at how many people stopped to watch us play. I think they were all baffled at the unfamiliar board and tried to figure out how the game works. Once I beat Ali a few more times, I got bored and we both started writing. Again, people stopped and starred at us. One person even came up to me and asked if I could write something on a piece of paper he found in his pocket.

We got out of the train station in Suzhou and were welcomed by the overwhelming smell of flowers. One of the main attractions to this small city was the abundance of gardens and canals. A nice change from polluted, over-populated big cities. Even though we stupidly declined the many offers of a taxi to our hotel and had to walk 4k with our giant bags, I still enjoyed the beautiful fresh clean air. I liked what I saw. Suzhou seems like the perfect place for me to recover from a week of upset stomach, cold symptoms and severe lack of energy. We found accommodation at Dongwu Fandian in one of the cheapest rooms available - a double room with shared bath for Y100. At almost 4 pounds per night, this is the most expensive accommodation we've had in China so far. The room and bathing areas are clean and I have a suspicion that this building (one of 7 numbered blocks behind the actual hotel) doubles as dormitories for students. We are perfectly located in the southern part of the city on a cosy tree lined street. Judging by the amount of bars and restaurants that cater to westerners here, I'm pretty sure this must be a popular spot with travelers. Beers and backgammon tonight I think!