Zaijian Zhongguo, xiexie

It's time for me so say Zaijian to China and head off. I've had an amazing 6 and a half weeks, it's really out passed all my expectations. But if i really am honest, what expectations did i have? I asked one of the people on my tour was Beijing as they expected, he answered that he didn't know what to expect. I think I'm the same. All I do know is that whatever it was I expected , this was totally and completely different than that. Does this make me sound crazy? For example:
I knew that there was going to be poverty, but the extent of that poverty made me crazy,
I knew that there was going to be wealth but the extent of that wealth and the speed of "advancement" came totally unexpected.
I knew that there were going to be crowds but the throngs of people the overwhelming mass of people totally caught me off guard.
I knew that there was going to be confusion, but i never expected there to be so much English.
I knew that i was going to stick out like a soar thumb, but i never expected to be welcomed so warmly and openly by everyone.
I knew that the food would be weird and strange, Id heard that in China they will eat anything that walks with it's back to the sun; and they do, i never expected to have so many beautiful meals.
I knew about the spitting and pushing, I never expected the unintentional rudeness of the people. I been told that the Chinese were rude cynical and evasive, instead i met a people where smiling is the norm, where good humour is the norm and where everyone is laughing and joking all the time.
I thought that i would find the Chinese feeling downtrodden and pessimistic, helpless, instead they are so optimistic and so proud of the nations achievements but the are not arrogant.
I knew about the squat toilets, and yes they need to do something about that.
I knew it would be surreal, but i never thought i would be awoken each morning in Hangzhou by a pan piper playing We wish you a merry Christmas,
I knew it would be life changing, but i never ever expected to be privileged enough to hold a Panda in my arms. http://wwf.org/
Over all it's been amazing, totally brilliant. Beyond my wildest dreams. I feel lucky beyond words for being able to do what i have just done. I'm going to miss China, not the spitting, the smoking, not the Internet censorship and the squats, but the people, I'm going to miss the Chinese.
Best experience - the panda.
Worst experience - those god dam steps
Most hilarious moment - that chicken head dinner
Biggest disappointment - the oriental in Hong Kong
Biggest ? - the TerraCotta warriors
memory to remember - People/Pandas
memory to forget - the spitting.