Makara 10 Goes to China : Day 1

So yeah, just because i can and cos i don't ever wanna forget, i'll put up the accounts of the China trip. (unless otherwise stated, photos are all taken by me~hehe)
In short:
10 students, 1 accompanying lecturer, 13 days of travelling (30th May 2009- 11 June 2009), travelled through Beijing - Dunhuang - Xi'an - Shanghai - Suzhou- Zhouzhuang - Shanghai, new experiences, and most importantly ...life-long bonds!

Day 1 : 30th May 2009

pic courtesy of au mei ting

Us boarding the flight to Beijing at midnight. In fear of the H1N1 outbreak. we were all advised by faculty staff to wear face masks starting from the departure hall. i like to disregard people's advice, don't you know me by now?

Our first official meal of the trip. Plane food. plain. need i say more? :D

Oh forms. after some time, you get used to filling this kinda things.

The reading lights were faulty so the flight attendant gave us something to aid us sleep. Never thought these things really worked. There's a first time for everything eh...

Landed in Beijing at 8 am ! Colder than expected.

The first thing we did after checkin-in. BREAKFAST! my first of many food-sharing moments in China. Bland food. but laughter gives everything a unique taste~


We walked all the way to Ritan Park...to be greeted by this sign. Sure put a smile on my face!

pic courtesy of megat

Our 10 + 1. It's a long story why we came up with a group name. 'why makara?' we're basically blessed. it's that simple!

Yay to our first subway ride! After some time, we kinda lost track who paid for whose ticket
Who knew Beijing would be so windy?!?! Besides dust being blown into our eyes and mouth, efa got her cap blown onto the street...and off she went chasing after it onto the street. talk bout dangerous! I walked down the street of Wangfujing looking like a terrorist ( what do you expect when you put on a cap, a face mask AND sunglasses...hahaha)

pic courtesy of wong lye ching

HA HA. What did i tell you? scared yet? i'm gonna shoot ya~

At the National Grand Theatre. Before we met with the USC Students..we were very much the 'tourists-on-foreign-land'. Definitely didn't mind attracting attention, jumping here and there~! huho.

pic courtesy of Megat

Day 1 in China : Beijing was a free-style thing. We did what we wanted. At our own time. Glad we decided to take that earlier flight after all...

pic courtesy of Megat

Just doing our thang. hanging out at Tian'anmen square, watched the changing of the guards under the hot sun. Quite a productive first day in Beijing if i might say so myself. Everyone was so tired that some of them din evet wake up to get dinner. Thank god for McDonald's!

That's it for Day 1. a walk out at night after the late dinner was indeed refreshing. At that point, we were already planning what to do for the next day.