Wuzhou (pronounced WoohJoe)

So a few hours North West of ZhaoXing is Wuzhou. The only reason that I wanted to visit the place was due to a snake farm(Sorry Ciara!) that I read about in the Rough Guide.

I arrived at the bus station and got the typical laowai welcome but I knew where I was going. This town doesn't get many foreigners and I got lots of looks which you just have to smile to and say Nee How (Hello). Also a guy came and started to chat to me saying that he was head of a language school... I didnt think too much about it.

I found my hotel and started to sort out a room... no bargaining was possible which was a little annoying but as I started to book the room another Chinese guy came in and said hello and started helping me out. Seemed like a nice chap, owned an English school across the way and wanted to have a drink. I was famished so I suggested food ... went up to his english club first and had a chat.

Anyway he asked if I could help him delivery some leaflets .. I thought "why not?". Anyway I told him about the snake farm and so we mixed the advertising and snake farm. So got some food and then jumped into this rickshaw which Su Chi Tian had hired. It was funny as we sat in the back of the rickshaw and said Nee How to everyone, we were able to get quite a crowd all interested in what this laowai was giving out.

I was getting quite excited about the snake farm and as we got dropped off and walked up through the entrance, it was looking rather dead... actually the buildings were looking a bit worse for wear. This women came over and told us that the central government had closed the farm, I was gutted but to be fair the reasoning was pretty cool. The government said that if the farm could generate its own snakes rather than taking from natural then the farm could re-open.... bit of forward thinking .. fairplay... though no snakes. (Bet your happy about that Ciara!).

On the way back to the rickshaw, I suggested that it would be funny if I could drive the rickshaw... after nearly crashing about 4 times the driver showed me where the breaks were and I got myself more comfortable. We handed out a shedload of leaflets and after the driver told me that I wasnt skillful I took the rickshaw fast through a load of traffic which sh*t him up and he took it back. ;)

It seemed that word had got round that an english bod was in town and Chi Tian stared getting a few calls and he asked me if I didnt mind speaking at an english class. I said why not ... I didnt have anything else to do...

So that night we got a taxi to a school, I thought there would be say 10-20 people and it would be a night class type affair. Anyway I arrived and was met by Linda and plonked infront of 20-30 giggling schoolgirls. It was great fun - they tried to get me to sing but I couldn't think of any songs.

What amazed me was how good their english was, we had a few moments where they didnt get me or I didnt get them but generally I was very impressed. Hello Linda and the girls!

Anyway it was a long day and after buying a painting from the local artist, who I have to say was amazing it was time for bed.

Next the trip to YangShao....