Yes. Hello.
So. The brother that went, has unwented. The brothers that didn't went, have been grafting very hard, to compensate for the wenting brother -
We have a nice little (actually quite big) article in Appetite Magazine this month, distributed amongst delis and cafes and other places where one goes to sate appetites. If you find a copy, then read it. It's nice; a lovely first spread. Hopefully the first of many, because we are going to be media whores. Classy media whores. Ones that have to be wined and dined first, and have to have a certificate to prove that there are no diseases.
Our work with the farm is going very well. So well that our pigs are going to be housed as from the end of this monthish. And until they are ready to be slaughtered and consumed, the farm has many a rare breed that we can sample and use in the tea house. They are simply delightful people, and we will tell you all about them, and what they do, when we are ready, and they say we can.
We have 2 hives all made n that, and we are waiting for our local lovely bee keeper to have surplus bees. Rather annoyingly, for the first time in 12 years we had a wild swarm visit our house. They ignored our hives, and decided that a hole in the wall would suit them better. So we now have a colony living in our wall. They give off a low hum. We like them. But are a little bitter.
The blogging of CHINA TRIP Y2K12. First, here it is in numbers-
Days in China - 19
Kinds of tea tried - 47
Kilometres travelled in China - 4394
Bowls of noodles - 27
Times a disgrace was made of myself - Hard to say. Many.
Kilos of MSG consumed - 12.5
Kilos of tea purchased - 12
Tea cups ordered - 2000
Times I knew exactly what was being eaten - 2
Day 0 Newcastle - London
So. The brother that went, has unwented. The brothers that didn't went, have been grafting very hard, to compensate for the wenting brother -
We have a nice little (actually quite big) article in Appetite Magazine this month, distributed amongst delis and cafes and other places where one goes to sate appetites. If you find a copy, then read it. It's nice; a lovely first spread. Hopefully the first of many, because we are going to be media whores. Classy media whores. Ones that have to be wined and dined first, and have to have a certificate to prove that there are no diseases.
Our work with the farm is going very well. So well that our pigs are going to be housed as from the end of this monthish. And until they are ready to be slaughtered and consumed, the farm has many a rare breed that we can sample and use in the tea house. They are simply delightful people, and we will tell you all about them, and what they do, when we are ready, and they say we can.
We have 2 hives all made n that, and we are waiting for our local lovely bee keeper to have surplus bees. Rather annoyingly, for the first time in 12 years we had a wild swarm visit our house. They ignored our hives, and decided that a hole in the wall would suit them better. So we now have a colony living in our wall. They give off a low hum. We like them. But are a little bitter.
The blogging of CHINA TRIP Y2K12. First, here it is in numbers-
Days in China - 19
Kinds of tea tried - 47
Kilometres travelled in China - 4394
Bowls of noodles - 27
Times a disgrace was made of myself - Hard to say. Many.
Kilos of MSG consumed - 12.5
Kilos of tea purchased - 12
Tea cups ordered - 2000
Times I knew exactly what was being eaten - 2
Day 0 Newcastle - London
Tea Experience of the day - My morning cup of Quilliam Brothers Breakfast Blend of course!!!
With a good friend a meal was had. And then we saw the loveable Dara O'Briain at the city hall. We laughed, and the fact that i was leaving to China left my head. We went to Weatherspoons and had 2 jagerbombs for a fiver, and the fact that i was leaving to China left my head a little bit more. We parted ways and then i got on the Megabus. It was multi racial, and quite pleasant. I woke up in London, then got a 'tube' to somewhere, where i got an Easybus to an airport. Then i got on a plane.
I like leaving England. It always fills me with much joy. Though Newcastle is frustratingly crap at having flights to anywhere other than Benidorm and Scallios, the added nuisance of getting to another UK city makes the travel a little bit more like travel. It makes you appreciate the distance a little bit more. Makes the journey that little bit more epic. I like the infamous midnight Newcastle - London Megabus. Sailing through the muted orange glow of a drizzly Northern England, head tilted window-wards, ears plugged with music, safe in the knowledge that you are ON YOUR WAY, makes me buzzy with excite. I like waking intermittently, as the sleeping head lollops, taking stock, seeing the silhouettes of wizened humans, sleeping how they never were meant, remembering where you are, before nodding off again, warmed and comforted by the motion of the coach. I like it. Even if bits of the body ache and you sit next to the pungently offensive.
And then, we stopped at Woolley Edge.
And then, the sun began to rise. The dull orange of the North replaced with an exciting new orange, glowing over green green rolling hills and crap suburbs.
And then, London Victoria.
It was then that i realised i had forgotten my Oyster card! I was livid, and considered leaving the flipping capital there and then! But, after angrily bashing my shoulders into many commuters full of hurry, i felt the anger depart, and i soldiered on. A trooper to the end.
Not really; i just paid full price, and that was absolutely fine.
Easybus service was excellent. Lovely enthusiastic bus driver, and bang on schedule. Who would win in a busfight? Mega or Easy? Easy - nimble and efficient. Mega - lumbering and determined.
I had pre ordered my Renminbi for collection at Heathwick, and the woman serving was just so delightful in her confabulation. The sort of playful but intense enquiry into your trip that seems completely sincere. Like she gleans vicarious pleasure from the description of your upcoming travel. I hope she does, and every day visits the world from behind her desk.
With a good friend a meal was had. And then we saw the loveable Dara O'Briain at the city hall. We laughed, and the fact that i was leaving to China left my head. We went to Weatherspoons and had 2 jagerbombs for a fiver, and the fact that i was leaving to China left my head a little bit more. We parted ways and then i got on the Megabus. It was multi racial, and quite pleasant. I woke up in London, then got a 'tube' to somewhere, where i got an Easybus to an airport. Then i got on a plane.
I like leaving England. It always fills me with much joy. Though Newcastle is frustratingly crap at having flights to anywhere other than Benidorm and Scallios, the added nuisance of getting to another UK city makes the travel a little bit more like travel. It makes you appreciate the distance a little bit more. Makes the journey that little bit more epic. I like the infamous midnight Newcastle - London Megabus. Sailing through the muted orange glow of a drizzly Northern England, head tilted window-wards, ears plugged with music, safe in the knowledge that you are ON YOUR WAY, makes me buzzy with excite. I like waking intermittently, as the sleeping head lollops, taking stock, seeing the silhouettes of wizened humans, sleeping how they never were meant, remembering where you are, before nodding off again, warmed and comforted by the motion of the coach. I like it. Even if bits of the body ache and you sit next to the pungently offensive.
And then, we stopped at Woolley Edge.
And then, the sun began to rise. The dull orange of the North replaced with an exciting new orange, glowing over green green rolling hills and crap suburbs.
And then, London Victoria.
It was then that i realised i had forgotten my Oyster card! I was livid, and considered leaving the flipping capital there and then! But, after angrily bashing my shoulders into many commuters full of hurry, i felt the anger depart, and i soldiered on. A trooper to the end.
Not really; i just paid full price, and that was absolutely fine.
Easybus service was excellent. Lovely enthusiastic bus driver, and bang on schedule. Who would win in a busfight? Mega or Easy? Easy - nimble and efficient. Mega - lumbering and determined.
I had pre ordered my Renminbi for collection at Heathwick, and the woman serving was just so delightful in her confabulation. The sort of playful but intense enquiry into your trip that seems completely sincere. Like she gleans vicarious pleasure from the description of your upcoming travel. I hope she does, and every day visits the world from behind her desk.
Also my check in fella was great. From SriLanka, he visits South China often, and he suggested a few places to visit upon arrival whilst simultaneously skiving from checking in the next 4 people in line. I didn't look round to see their grumpy faces.
Then i got on the plane. Though not immediately. I obediently perused the goods on offer at the departure lounge, did some rubiks cube graft, and then fell asleep to this, before waking for boarding. Disoriented. AND READY FOR SOME KILLER PLANE MOVIES!
NO PHOTOS THIS TIME AS THEY WOULD ALL HAVE BEEN BORING.
xxx
NO PHOTOS THIS TIME AS THEY WOULD ALL HAVE BEEN BORING.
xxx
