Hey Hey and a Big G'Day Toya

As you've already read on the opening page, this one will take you through my life teaching in China. Why in the world was I crazy enough to choose China? The answer to that isn't hard at all. After travelling through Asia five years ago the one country that dug deep and has stayed with me from then until now is China.

It is the hardest country I have travelled and from talking to many people on the circuit China is also one of the hardest countries in the world to travel.

I always thought countries such as India would be much harder to travel but after talking to many people whom have been to both India and China, China seems to be the winner on nearly all occasions. I believe that after 200 years of trying to keep us 'Westerners' out, it is finally opening its arms in a rather wide manner to us. Communication seems to be have been and still is one of the greatest barriers. Where India and friends share much English, China has very little English speakers and text to help you through your journey.

It can be frustrating, confusing and full of contradictions. Last time I was here, there was so much I couldn't understand. So this time I left Australia wishing and longing to stay a lot longer. I guess I wanted to and still want to comprehend what it is all about.

From research prior to leaving and after leaving Australia, china has the world's fastest growing economy. Not so bad for a country so recently opened. It population is so huge I believe around a third of the worlds people live within its borders. Though so many people live in China much of its land is free of people. In one city you can live in complete luxury whilst others continue to live in ancient times. Though it has the world's fastest growing economy, uncountable millions still live on dirt floors, farm with a hand hoe and live well below the world's poverty line. It is a country that, unlike Australia, is doing it's best to save its Minority peoples.

New and exciting places/areas are being opened up to fellow tourists each year.

I'm sure that my visit over the next however many years will see a lot of changes. From the day I first stepped foot into Yangshuo there were so many noticeable changes from the year 2000. I barely recognised the place. There is much more English or at least a couple of million more Chinese actually learning English whom do like to practice on any unsuspecting Western person that walks by. Over the past five years tourism has also skyrocketed like a Chinese New Year.

Tourism has woken the government from its big sleep and all things touristy have either been restored or tripled in price waiting to be restored.

To make it simple, along with the above, mate the culture is four thousand years old, some say five thousand. How could I choose any other! Once China and its people are 'inside you' they will never leave, nor would you want them to.

Beers N Noodles to you all...shane