Shiver me timbers...

Another early start (6:30), well it was actually later than that as today i realised that since i had began my trip my watch has been 10 mins slow... god knows how i haven't missed a train so far. On arrival in Yichang i got myself straight to the port to try and find a boat...

In my very pigeon chinese (slightly harsh on a pigeon), i had booked myself a boat to Chongqing, 3rd class, 1 day and 2 nights accomodation... 20 euro's! god knows what i was letting myself in for!

Arrived at the vessel at about 4pm after an hours bus journey to the 3 Gorges Dam (it's bloody huge) and jumped aboard!

No to my amazment i was the only westerner on this public vessel and no one spoke english so i was back to using my phrase book to emplain everything and hoping no one was gonna ask me to give them anymore money for anything!

I got some food straight off with two chinese guys and they looked on in amazement at my chopstick skills, they were quiet completmentary actually! (they did give me a few extra tips on how to hold them though!). The food was good but ended with a bit of a cruch as i found a small stone in my bowl (ouch!)

Realised today that in general chinese folk don't actually ever finish their bowls like the english do... the rice is used as a filler and is generally never cleared up... the chinese pair looked on in at amusement as i nailed the whole bowl (finding the stone!). They said it was good luck?!

In the evening i sat and nailed a bottle of Great Wall Dry Red Wine as no none would take me up on an offer of a glass... the chinese pair once again looked on in amazement as i necked the whole lot! Everyone else watched Chinese Comedy... i didn't understand a thing!

Random... but good first night on the boat!