words from the world

It's time to assess this beautiful loop in China. A wonderful trip I can't summarize in a few words. Not everything was easy during this trip and some topics leave us wondering less than one year before the Olympic Games. The tourist who wishes to travel on his own will bump into several problems. The language barrier is the main one. At the restaurant, at the hotel or to move around despite the very good rail and road networks. Except the main cities and touristy spots, it's very hard to find someone who speaks the Shakespeare's language. I also point out : don't expect to find English signs in the bus or train stations. Another misunderstanding must be credited to some hotels which don't accept foreigners. Another difficulty turns out to be the cash withdrawal in all the cities but Shanghai, Beijing and the touristy spots. The ATM don't accept international credit cards (except for the Bank of China, although not always). And the counter clerks will stay puzzled while they stare at your card.
On the other hand, the remote hinterlands offer some genuine Chinese lures and a unique opportunity to live the country in its "original version". Learning basic Chinese and speaking in a so different language brings as much pleasure as discovering the natural gems of the country, its sacred mountains, the temples and its traditions. And these small worries look insignificant in comparison with the whirlpool of sensations the country brings.
Leaving Beijing, I have a change of scenery and head towards Nepal. A welcome change after one month spent with my family in the Mao's country. A part of the trip ends and a new one remains to be written onto the Himalayan heights. The transition goes off smoothly since my connection flight in Hong Kong leaves me enough time to visit the former British colony. The United Kingdom handed over the control of the protectorate to the Chinese government, 10 years ago. From this rich past and from its thriving present converges a subtle blend of Londoner trams, American fast-foods and Asian souls. In fact, Hong Kong is an island and a small part of the Hong Kong province that enjoys a relative autonomy. Chinese visa is not necessary to come here. Opposite the island, about a few hundreds meter away, there's the Kowloon district we can reach by boat or by metro. The town is definitely cosmopolitan, more in term of represented nationalities than type of workers, mainly tuxedo-clad businessmen.
The northern part of the Hong Kong island harbours a concentration of the tallest towers in the world. Down the towers, roads looks like tiny alleyways in comparison with giant-size skyscrapers. My urban walk is short but this city deserves to be known and remains a urban paradise for a lot of people wishing a renew in their professional career.








I take again the shuttle train and head for the airport before taking a plane to Delhi, then a new connection flight to Kathmandu after sleeping several hours at the transit area of the Delhi airport.