This was written 22.5.2007 in the morning at around 7-9 o’clock after almost sleepless night.

Leaving Hong Kong or actually the people behind was really a hard thing. Yesterday was one of the worst days in my life, and I’ve had some pretty nasty ones… Tears were shed in rivers, but the promises made to meet in the future gives some comfort, promises that I at least intend to keep. The friendship with especially the closest travel mates has grown deep, since there is nothing to teach you more about the people around you than travelling in different cultures and experiencing the inevitable difficulties of backpacking. Leaving from exchange is an experience that one must go through to know of, it feels like really leaving something permanently behind, a bit like saying the last goodbyes to loved ones in memorial service.

But that chapter of my life is now behind and have to push through towards new experiences. Right now I’m sitting in the hostel room in Beijing. We booked a hostel through Hostelbookers the last night before leaving, after midnight, without too much bothering to check for the location or anything. The hostel had a pretty good reputation though. The surprise was big, the hostel is really an excellent one. One of the best I’ve been to. It is very new, perfectly clean, facilities are well up to western standards with clean showers with hot water, free internet connection, supermarket, bar, billiard, travel services and the staff speaks perfect English?! We are in China, what has happened?! Furthermore, we went for a brief walk in the night and another surprise, the place is right next to our hotel of the previous trip to Beijing, so we already know the hoods =) The name of the place is Beijing City Central International Youth Hostel ([email protected]). It is located right next to the main railway station, and it is very easy to get here by the airport shuttle bus number 3 (costs 16yuans), the last stop of which is 150m before the place. Night costs 60rmb:s/person in private twin with shared bathroom, which is perfectly clean and ok. I think with the excellent location the place is extremely well worth the money. Though private room with own bathroom is quite expensive ~300/room, who needs it anyway...

Oh, and I can really recommend also flying through Shenzhen. There is minibus going from Luohu railway station which costs 20yuans and takes a bit over an hour, easy to find from both, leaves from Luohu from the bus station underneath the shopping mall and from airport in front of hall B. Our nicely priced (460yuans including taxes) Hainan airline’s flight was very nice and even the meal included was very eatable and the staff even spoke quite good English. Everything so far has gone so well and easy that I’m a bit afraid shit might hit the fan soon, hope not =)