One week later and we're in Yunnan province, South Western China. What a week it has been! It's Sunday afternoon here in this little town and we're following the Sunday routine - late breakfast....washing smelly clothes....drinking local coffee and listening to Van Morrison - Lazing on a Sunday afternoon! There's nothing like it, is there?

Back to Shanghai - the whore of the Orient? The land of beggars, thieves and opium addicts?? Brothels, prostitutes and rich business tycoons?

Where do I begin? I suppose O'Malleys pub would be as good as anywhere!! Opened only recently, it was packed with German businessmen and wealthy Chinese when we pushed our way in. A Kildare accent greeted us. We felt right at home! The menu looked tempting until we checked the prices, reverted back to dollars and realised that Smoked Salmon and Brown homemade bread would see us hungry for a few days later on in the week. The prices are normal but when you have a budget of $30.00 dollars a day, you have to make choices. Expensive Beer or Expensive Food???

After a year of Kimchi and rice, I threw budgeting theories out the window and went mad. End result?? Disappointment! The Salmon was too salty and the Bread was tasteless!! It's like having a pint of Guinness anywhere in the World - It's not the same! Mary McCormack and her friend, David provided the trad music. In Shanghai only a few weeks, they were still suffering from culture shock. After an hour of Bodhran banging and enlightening ex-pats to the finer details of the Walls of Limerick, we were on our way to Shanghai Sallys. A Reggae Band were strutting their stuff when we arrived. With young children, grandfather types and drunken Uncle figures, I thought we had gatecrashed someone's wedding! Disgusted with sleazy men wrapped around young girls, we moved on to our next watering hole and so the night continued. Around four in the morning, myself and an English friend departed for the Bund - an area near the Waterfront in Shanghai. Walking up and down the area was an eye opener. Families were sleeping on benches. Beggars found refuge near the rubbish Bins. Later on, they'd resume their search for plastic bottles- recycling is big here and is a way of earning a few yuan. A jump and a hop from the Bund and you land in one of Shanghai's most expensive hotels - The Peace Hotel. The Irony of it all. We had an horrendous experience on our first day there. We decided to check out the famous Jade Buddha Temple near Louise's apartment. We turned a corner and nearly died with shock. Four or Five beggars ran to us all shouting for money. One had no arms, another had no feet, another had no legs. A little childlike figure was pushed towards us by a father. He came towards us squeaking for money. We pushed our way through them and shakily grabbed our tickets. It was horrific. We were totally unprepared. We sat in that temple for ages recovering. We would think twice again before using the term 'cretin'.

Confusion is one word that I will always associate with China! What's the story? Communism??? Where are you??? "One country - two systems!!" an ex-pat muttered as he slurped back a Fosters. I just don't get it!!!! A trip to the Supermarket makes you realise that anything can be bought here! From Hob Nob Buscuits to Uncle Bens sauces....they have everything you could possibly crave for! Louise told me about her trip to a Mongolian supermarket and her great find of a packet of PPPPPenguins!!! In Mongolia???????????

Shanghai is the City of extremes---wealth and poverty live together, for better or worse. For some bizarre reason, Shanghai continues to attract all sorts. Now an economic powerbase, slowly building itself in line with Hong Kong, Shanghai has a huge foreign business community, all grappling for wealth in this Asian City. Sunday Morning bright and early, our flirtation with Shanghai came to an end and we embarked on the next part of our journey - a 48 hour journey across China in a Hard Sleeper section of an express Train. Kunming was our destination. Our plans had changed. The Yangtze river trip was abandoned. Money was running out and we wanted to get into the countryside ASAP. The train journey was quite the adventure. Six bunks in a section, men congregated around our area. Westerners are a novelty and western women even more so. People compare watching westerners to watching a TV soap. The Chinese find us terribly interesting. 48 hours of staring sleazy men, scrabble games and trips to the hole in the ground (toilet) finally came to an end when we stepped off the train in Kunming,the provincial capital of Yunnan.

Ita

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