A standard Friday for me - checking into the airport express prior to work (on Friday 28 April 2017). Chengdu, China here I come!!
I leave work at 4.30pm with Lauren and Monica, they are heading to Seoul for the weekend. Nice to have people to chat to on the airport express.
On arrival at the Qantas lounge I ask what gate I'm departing from - the lady advises as me my flight has been delayed (bloody hell) and that a gate isn't mentioned yet. At the moment it's a 30 minute delay, fingers crossed it's not more! For now I sit back watching the sun setting over the busy airport with an Aperol Spritz. Life is good!
We are leaving from the satellite terminal so I decide to leave the lounge before my flight announces its boarding. Definitely not a quick process! But thankfully painless.
We finally start boarding 8 minutes before our new departure time - yeah there is NO way we'll be departing on time! The pilot announces the reason we are delayed is due to the plane being delayed from Shanghai....not what I was expecting.
I had downloaded a few episodes on Netflix so after settling in get myself sorted only to discover I can no longer watch online. Well that's annoying given there are no TV's on this flight! What a pain.
We land 1.5 hours later than planned, then to add to the fun it’s a long taxi to the gate. Finally I’m off and back onto China soil.
Of course there are long lines at immigration….this evening just keeps getting better!! Unfortunately it doesn’t look like there is a line for foreigners. I then notice an APEC line woo hoo, things are looking up. A nice worker looks at my APEC card and passport then takes me to the desk. I stand there feeling a little concerned he has my things and is walking away from me. That didn't last long as he ushers me through too. Hmmm this is strange. We are through immigration but I have no stamp in my passport, I don't even have a passport!! We wander down a couple of booths then I'm told to "wait here". He takes my things to an officer who processes me without even looking at me!! Unbelievable! Or perhaps in China maybe not. I hand my friendly helper my arrival card and a few seconds later he is back with my stamped passport and APEC card. Chengdu here I come!!!
Soooo many people when I exit the passenger only area - it's definitely not cold (nor hot) which is lovely! The taxi line is nice and short and taxis are a constant stream.
First thing I notice when we drive out of the airport grounds is how orderly everyone is driving, how many trees there are and how big the footpaths are. All lovely sights in China. Ooh its exciting being in a new city!
I’m surprised at the amount of traffic though, especially so late at night. People definitely drive slower here than in Shanghai….such a shame! All of the sudden my driver decides the outside "lane" is a lane and we're off.
I finally climb into bed at 12.30am - alarm going off in 5.5 hours. These pandas better be worth it :)
I'm woken from the dead at 6am on Saturday 29 April - I feel like I've just got to sleep! And thinking my alarm has been going off for ages. Yeah sorry Pandas but you are going to need to wait to tomorrow, more sleep is needed!!
I manage to get about two more hours sleep, waking up feeling worse than hungover isn't nice at all!
I don't have the energy to face the masses at breakfast so elect to have it in the club lounge where it's nice and relaxed!! Today was supposed to be all about the Pandas so it's time to do some research on what today will be all about.
I leave the hotel just before 10.30am after asking the concierge for some directions. He was very surprised I wanted to walk and kept saying it would be about an hour - no issue with me at all!!
On leaving the hotel I notice again how orderly the roads are and how green it is. Wonderful to see in such a large city.
Tianfu Square is a few minutes’ walk from the hotel is a huge open square, with grass, that’s is closed off to all traffic. In one website I’d read prior to coming to Chengdu it said if you fail to come here during your time in Chengdu then you haven’t been to Chengdu. Interesting.
When I cross the road to enter the first thing I notice is the police and military presence. I'm immediately questioning where I am and if there is something going on that I'm not aware of. Nothing going on other than people looking at the flower displays, water features and the square is a statute of Mao Zedong. 
I continue to wander down Ren Min Zhong Road, I've already missed my turnoff to one of the places I wanted to visit so will do that on the return journey. The pavements are sooo wide - it's great! Even better there is a separate lane for motorbikes and pushbikes so not weaving in and out of them is required!
The closer I get to Jinli Ancient Streets the number of tourists, on bikes and foot, increase tenfold. A group of 4 guys bike towards me, two go past first and say hello. I reply with hello and they laugh. Ok. The next two go by and one says hello, I reply with Ni Hao. He immediately replies with Ni Hao.
I had noticed earlier there is a river in Chengdu so make a beeline for that and wander along; it’s so nice and peaceful. 
I see a sign, which is in Chinese, but without looking know I have arrived at Jinli Ancient Streets – there are SO many people!! Right now I’m definitely still the only western foreigner. I just can’t get over how many people there are here.
I wander around looking at all the stalls – primarily food and nik naks. Some of the smells are far from nice; thankfully I wasn’t hungry as some of the choices weren’t for a “plain” eating white women! 
I have a couple of hours back at the holiday relaxing and enjoying a western lunch….I know, not very adventurous but hey ho!
I’m feeling all over the place from lack of sleep and could easily go to sleep but that won’t help for when I try to sleep tonight so
decide to head out mid-afternoon to Wenshu Monastery.
Wenshu Monastery is a Buddhist temple which was initially built WAY back in 618….one of two years ago! 
I had booked a room on the club floor so have a couple of hours relaxing there over cocktail hour.
Sunday 30 April I wake before my alarm - it's still very early, 6.05am. Today I'm off to the Pandas, very excited! Eating breakfast so early is a struggle; I'd read the food options at the Panda center are limited so force myself to eat.
Concierge get me a taxi, and after what seems like forever we are off. Absolutely NO idea what they were talking about. We drive around the corner then my driver pulls over. Ummm this isn't good. He is trying to communicate to me, nice but we speak two different languages. Please just drive. We end up passing the hotel, hmmm I hope he isn't taking me on a wild goose chase. I get a nudge to look at his phone; he had written something into it and it translated to English. No thanks I don't want a full day tour with you today. Pandas only. A bit down the road I'm nudged again and see he's telling me it will be RMB 100 - I say meter, he says something else. Ok I smile, thinking I'll be paying RMB 100. Please just drive!!
We finally arrive, 15 minutes later than I had planned but hey ho. I give him RMB 100, he doesn't seem pleased. Be rest assured I won't be paying more! He gets out his wallet and shows me he has 2 RMB 5 notes. Aah ok he has no change for me. Right oh, not what I was expecting. I give him RMB 70 (the fare is 63) and jump out. I have Pandas to see!
There is no line at the ticket counter nor to enter (result!), although there are locals lining up for the golf cart already. Thanks but I'm sticking to my feet.
The first enclosure I come too has a panda - my heart rate increases. Here they are!!! I could stand here all day but want to go exploring the other pandas.
At every enclosure I see pandas eating, napping or playing. They are amazing creatures; I feel so lucky to be here. At one there are 5 pandas, 1 is eating with the other 4 playing. I have a front row seat (standing space to be exact) which is priceless. 
The number of people has increased by the thousands - it's now unpleasant and difficult to walk around. In my three hours here I've definitely seen my fair share of pandas. So glad I came so early in the morning - it was lovely being here with only a few visitors around.
I recall the instructions to get to the train was to take bus 198, I ask for instructions and am off! Wow the lines to enter are crazy long! As I get closer to the bus stop there is a 198 bus there - yes thanks I'll get on.....just! The door closes and we are away. The traffic is crazy! Again so happy I'm not arriving now.
I'm thinking it's the first day on the job for the driver as he is a tad erratic. We had been going for a bit when I decide to ask the lady next to me if the station (which I have written down) is close. She monitors it's around the corner; then the guy behind me asks in English where I'm going.
Buying the ticket is easy when you know what line you are on....whoops! Anyway I get there in the end and only have a 3 minute wait to the train. As it pulls up I notice there are spare seats, yes thanks I'll be having one! It's a quick journey back to the hotel - switching lines is nice and easy!
Feeling normal again after a break from the masses I head out to Kuan Zhai Ancient Street. Concierge tells me I need to get a taxi, thanks but no thanks. I walked further yesterday :) this will be aok!
Kuan Zhai Ancient Street is swarming with people! Not surprising given its Sunday afternoon. Once I get into the lanes the human traffic moves, in parts not the quickest but hey ho! I enjoy looking at the buildings and doors. Like yesterday I come upon groups of people having their ears cleaned. Ummm ok. Others enjoy the many drinks and snack options around. 
People's Park is close by so I head off there. It's a beautiful hot sunny day so a piece of grass to lie down on for a while would be heaven! I'm clearly not the only person who is thinking the same thing - thankfully half of Africa is visiting the Pandas otherwise this place would be packed!
I decide to sit by the lake to enjoy the view of the boats, some motor others paddling - reminds me of Central Park in New York.....with a small difference being I have LOUD Chinese people all around me. So much for tranquility in the park.
The noisy group moves on :) then a young boy asks in English if he can sit next to me, sure. We chit chat in English for a bit. He is studying to be a doctor and like me is visiting Chengdu.
As I wander around, in the direction of the exit, I come across people waltzing to music. Similar to the groups I saw in Shanghai two weeks ago.
Close to the exit is groups of people playing cards while drinking tea. 
I walk back to the hotel via Mao Zedong statue - I'm like a local now knowing my way! A dose of a/c and a shower is needed.
I decide to head to the happy hour slightly earlier tonight given I now know it finishes at 7.30pm not 8pm. One needs to make good use of the happy hour on the club lounge; well that's what I think.
Monday 1 May, how on earth can we be in May??!, I wake without an alarm. A lovely feeling. I had wanted to run outside this morning but the weather app is telling me "unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups" so I decide the treadmill it is. Looking out the window it looks like fog, if only.
Following breakfast it's time to shower and pack. Even though I have exercised already I decide to head out for a walk before I go to the airport. Having a 1.55pm flight doesn't leave much time to do much on the last day other than walking the streets. I had originally booked a 7pm flight back but Cathay Pacific decided to change their schedule. I do a similar route to Saturday when I visited the monastery, this time walking further to the river then along for a bit. Even though today is a public holiday in China I'm surprised with the number of people around - to me it seems like a normal working day.
It's a bit of a mad dash throwing the last minute things into my bag then checking out. Concierge had told me yesterday I should be getting in a taxi at 11.30am - whoops 11.40am will have to work!
We arrive at the airport just after 12noon, I'm now glad I didn't arrive any earlier. Checking in is nice and easy. I follow the signs for APEC at Immigration and again say goodbye to my passport and APEC card. An officer then walks me through a separate line and tells me to wait. Interesting that the officer reviewing my documents doesn't need to see me! I'm then ushered through a separate line for security; by the look of the security staff not many people come by here! All and all it takes me about 20 minutes from arriving at the airport to being in the lounge. Pretty darn good!!
I have to leave the lounge early, it's soooo hot in here! They clearly have never heard of a/c. I entertain myself looking in duty free, wow something's are expensive!, before joining the line to board.
Boarding of course starts late but we somehow manage to all get onboard in 15 minutes, with 10 minutes to spare before take-off time. Now let's hit that time!
Thankfully this plane has TV's, something I know we have all become so use too but when we don't have it it's not fun.
During my time in Chengdu the things I have noticed is its a big green city! There are yellow and blue hire bikes everywhere. Like Shanghai you can turn right on a red light, most important to remember this when you are walking!!! The pavements are nice and big. Getting around by metro is easy and cheap. The pandas are amazing! And so worth the trip here to see them. Goodbye China - not sure when I'll return. For now it's back to HK for about a month :)
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