Last days in Nanning, Oct Trip 09.......

The Lanterns in Nanning last October were amazing............................

........hundreds of bright red lanterns swinging from the trees lining all the main roads

   celebrating China's National Day on October 1st......

It was lovely just to be there and enjoy........

As always,the view from The Majestic window, looking down on the busy junction below is fascinating, watching the people rush by....buse, bikes, cars, people all in a seemingly chaotic jumble. However there are seldom accidents and somehow people seem to know how to cross :-)

It was even more scary to be ON that road, IN one of the taxis on a bike, weaving in and out of the buses, people and cars !!!!!!

Glad to have survived the ride home in this taxi, it was sad to see the the driver would not take us to the front door of the Majestic, preferring to drop us at the car park.

Think she was actually as amused as us by the crazy journey!

Actually we were not at the Majestic as often as usual - just popping in for some food, and a quick slide on the famous ramps :-)

On this budget trip it was much more interesting to live as real Nanningers in a friend's flat

As we were busy travelling and working we often ate out, but we did have fun sharing with friends at home, making the traditional dumplings.

I was just so happy that mine didn't disintegrate in the wok

It was good just to be "at home", sharing fellowship with friends in China and "belonging"

No longer tourists and visitors, but part of the family :-)

Last few days are  always a hectic rush to fit in the SHOPPING!!!!!!!

This has been my favourite stall for years at the Old Market......where we go through all the usual bartering before coming to a mutually happy price.

This lovely lady smiles  when she sees me coming, now recognising me as a regular visitor, knowing that I will leave with bags of her goods!!!!!!

I love the fun you can have without language :-)

.....and the satisfaction when I come home with my large bag of Chinese knots to sell to raise funds to continue our work, helping the children.

However, even more fun lay ahead.....we finally, after all the years we had been visiting Nanning, had time to go to the Wholesale market. Thanks Sharon, for nagging me to make sure I got all the stuff we needed for our Hope4China stall :-)

I was bamboozled by the rows, and rows of goods.....butof course  didn't take long to spring into action

We quickly got a good system going .....I rushed ahead with Matthew, did some bartering for our supplies, trying to decide what would sell best back home, Matthew passed the details to Iain who paid and collected the goods, while he and I rushed on to the next stall. Our good friend Mickey kept the children safe as we shopped.( These men are good!!!!!!!)

In a very short time we had spent lots of money and had lots of bags with knots, flags, bunting, lanterns, bags, toys,wall hangings etc......

Lollipops to keep the girls going.....

Good Teamwork once again :-)

And of course supplies which have raised lots of money over this year to help so many more children!

Chinese drums.......

amazing lion heads...it took a while to get his man to agree to our price!!!!!!

so we did some dressing up while we bartered ;-)

across the river for some fun people watching....

this lady was having her excess facial hair removed....fascinating!!!!!

and this was definitely a new way to have a smoke :-)

It was fun on one of our last nights to go to a posh restaurant ( we always do buget!!!) with Matthew and his lovely family

mind you...these girls could have been anywhere.......:-)

....finishing off an amazing time in Nanning with some amazing views over the city at night

It was soon time to be heading to another province......leaving Nanning and so many wonderful experiences..........til the next time :-)...when new adventures will begin.........

                                            Can't wait to be back this October 2010 !!!!!!!!