Hey Hey and a Big G'Day to you

After watching 'The Land Down Under' fade from my window and crossing the big blue we finally entered asian air space.

My first stop was the Hong Kong airport where thankfully I had under an hours wait for my Dragon Air flight to Guilin. Um, Dragon Air, who is Dragon Air? Anyone heard of Dragon Air?

Can I change to some one I know! Please! Even the name sounds unsafe!

Here I met two other new recruits for Buckland's China. A fellow Aussie and a Canadian. We boarded our Dragon Air flight and once I heard the soothing sound of the Australian Pilots harsh Aussie accent I knew I was safe!

I did wonder what he had actually done wrong to end up flying for Chinas Dragon Air.

Two hours later we touched down in Guilin and were met my James from Buckland's who drove us to Yangshuo. I finally got to meet Owen and Jennifer in person over the next few days. I met Jennifer first. I had liaised with her on numerous occasions throughout the process of choosing a recruiter in China.

Guilin and Yangshuo were, how to say it...they were bloody cold! I had gone from the humidity in Queensland to the dry heat of a Melbourne summer to a Chinese Winter. Thankfully in the south and heaven forbids the thought of a Northern Winter!

Once we arrived at Buckland's I quickly ran to my room to don the thermals.

For those who want to know or are trying to choose a recruiter to come to China, Buckland's are a more than a great choice. I'd had been looking at their website for several years as I heard about them five years prior whilst in Yangshuo. I was offered room and food for several hours teaching per day and if that went well, a job somewhere in China. I still had many countries before me then so I chose to continue on my merry way.

They are very legit and as you read further into my travelogue you'll see they will do their utmost to help you in anyway possible.

For following near week I spent the days with fellow 'new recruits' from all over the world. During the day Betts, Owen and Jennifer would inform us of China and its happy, confusing and masterful ways of life. They helped several new teachers through a bout of Culture Shock and managed to settle most people into a present comfort zone. I've found that Yangshuo has the ability to do that no matter how false it really is to the rest of China.

I was amongst the very few people whom had actually travelled Asia prior and had had the chance to venture from Yangshuos motherly walls.

On my free days I would grab a bike and head out into the fields, climb a mountain or two or sit and relax in a warm café. Nights, well, my nights are pretty much the same no matter where I am. I would head to where ever the food was hot; the beer was cold and the conversation flowing into the early hours of the morning.

Finally the evening came where we were to choose our destination. Luckily I had been liaising with Jennifer and Owen for some time and they pretty much knew where to send me. The only real question was, how small and dusty do you want your town. The smaller, the dustier, the better and as long as it doesn't snow I will be happy. When my time came to visit Jennifer in the room with the big map I was welcomed with 'hey, how does a pool in the school sound'.

I was sold and leaving the following morning.

Beers N Noodles Toya....shane