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Not even the pouring rain and disappointing
crowd attendance at the MotoGP could dampen our
spirits. We had awesome seats at the end of the
straight on the first corner. All the action
happened in front of us, including 7 Accidents.
Rossi getting off his bike after finishing 1st,
taking a seat on the barrier across the track
from us. Yolanda Eben, the Casey Stoner crowd,
had the guts to take side bets with the rest of
us, the Rossi crowd. Deal was that losers must
eat snake that night. Needless to say what
happened. We did however help them eat it. Never
again. We left Shanghai with mixed
feelings. Half the group stayed behind on an
extended trip. This time the stopover in Hong
Kong weren't that brief. Almost 12 hours. We
weren't very keen on spending all that time
inside the terminal building. After some
negotiations with customs, we left the airport
with temporary visas. Off to the Po Lin
Monastery to see the Tian Tan Buddha, one of the
biggest Buddha statues in the world. We took to
the 5.6km cable car trip like exiting scholars
on a field trip. Then all of a sudden you see
this 10m high breathtaking statue in the
distance. We spend the rest of the day at the
monastery, walking the wisdom path, drinking
Starbucks coffee and spending the last of our
foreign currency on gifts. Then it was a
scary downhill race on the local buss service to
Hong Kong airport, at last on our way home.
The 2007 lucky draw prize winners, Michelle
Branco, Eben McCue, Renier Uytenbogaardt
Natalia Danilowicz,were joined by some family
members, husbands and boyfriends on our
unforgettable trip to the Far East. Didn't know
that it was that fcking far east. Even though
we were flying in style on Cathay Pacific,
nothing can prepare you for the long flight.
While trying to cope with the time difference
and numerous breakfast servings, your feet
double in size. We touched down briefly in Hong
Kong to change flights. Then off to Shanghai on
the mysterious mainland China. Land of flied
lice, noodles, Plada, Lossi no 46 and no
counterfeit laws. We couldn't wait to unpack
and start exploring this fascinating place. One
shouldn't believe everything you see on TV. I was
expecting to see a poor, over populated communist
country. Not at all. Shanghai is a massive city
with ultra modern facilities and a bustling
economy. Cheap, clean tourist friendly. There
is however a definite market for translators in
their signage departments. None of us had seen so
many bicycles and poegies in our life. Cheapest
ice cream in the world. King Cone and Magnum at
every street corner for R3.00. I'm sure they've
got a flea market agent for every tourist in
Shanghai. Wherever we walked, they would appear
from nowhere stuffing a business card in your
hand, shouting Plada PLada, cheap cheap.
They don't sell fakes! No Sir. It is Chinese
originals.
One such agent, Lilly, just stuck with us the
entire time, doubling as our guide. We gladly
accepted the offer, Her English was velly good
and she showed us all the nice spots. Even
negotiated a few bargains for us. Yeah
right. You could easily mistake thier
restaurants for pet shops. Downstairs there are
fish tanks containers filled with baby turtles
and other funny stuff and cages filled with
snakes. You make your pick and while you
take your seat upstairs, they prepare your very
fresh meal.
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