Let's see what I can recount from my short-spanned, sieve-like memory.
Day One
Woke up REALLY early to get to the airport. Slept for less than 4 hours, so I felt so drained and wasted. Did the usual airport crap, check-in, chatting with the rest (this particular action repeats itself throughout the entire trip.) and group photos here and there.
The plane trip was uneventful, Yong and Teo were sickly because of air pressure. I felt a bit nauseous too but that was due to lack of sleep and the fact that I can't stand plane smells. They gag me. Anyway, the fact that she had a massive toothache apparently didn't stop Yong from cam-whoring. I don't know how many pics we took on the plane, but Teo didn't want to take anymore and since she sat in the middle, some pictures came out funny. Haha.
Shopping at WangFuJin Street! BARGAIN, BARGAIN, BARGAIN! "No, you must count the percentage!" Deannie's line that became a classic. And the run from the man who threatened Shu and pulled on her scarf! Kris's VERY ex chopsticks and my 3 sets for 50yuan. And SCREAMING for our lives when stall-holders waved LIVE scorpions at us. Haha! Poor Deannie!
That night, we met in my room where we had the nightly briefing, and then it was BRIDGE TIME. I played little though, because Claire and I had to finish the script for the next day. But apparently, Kris got addicted because they taught her. BRIDGE ROCKS. Sha slept in my room that night because Shu and Dhwani got tired and knocked out early. "So, how's band?" One example question Sha would ask me that would awake me when I had one foot in dreamland.
Day Two
GREAT WALL DAY. It was surprisingly more chilly below than on the top. And climbing it, as usual for me, was HELL. Did a bit of our segment on top though. Only managed one flight, but Yong did 4 or 5 (i think), ended up being late (miscommunication, we discussed.) and got great pics! My SUPER loose pants FELL in front of Mr. Zahari!! But before it could totally fall, I grabbed it and pulled it up. My GOSH, that was SUPER EMBARRASING. Of course, Claire was there. She always is. Before that, we went to a Jade factory, and i THINK the guide was quite hot! Bought some stamp thingy for a souvenir which ended in a mild quarrell with the Cashier. Claire. Just one word. Claire. Lunch was at some copper place. After which we could freely go around and get stuff. Which we didn't because it was super ex there and not worth getting. I was complaining to Shu about Pao which Mr Z understood somehow although I SWEAR, I tried to whisper.
Ming Tomb was not really that commendable. We had to do filming there and I kept screwing up because I can't do that sort of thing. I'm a impromtu person, and making me memorise things SUCKED. I apologise to Claire anyway. But seriously, the ming tomb isn't that great. Where we are allowed to go to isn't very wow. Apparently, the 'guards' weren't there.. and neither were the statues of officials and animals. Or maybe in our haste, we missed them. Anyway, I think Mr. Z was a little flustered because we were taking SUPER long. Sorry Mr Z!
After that, we went for a acrobatic show which was SOO nice. You could really see the sweat of the people as they struggled to maintain focus. Kudos! A few performers even looked really young, like 13 or 14 at most. And I liked it when 10+ girls balanced on one bike. SO cool!
Dinner I couldn't really remember.. I think that was the night we got sucky food and equally suckish service. Post-Briefing was held in Mr Z's room and Yong and I finished our half-way played game of bridge there. We asked Mr Z to play with us but he didn't know Bridge (how i miss those days.) so we played Daidi. Which we won. Twice. His excuse? "A strategic approach to boost [our] complacency." Anyway, we went back to wash up and met in Yong n Teo's room for more bridge. This time, Claire was taught and SHE got addicted.
Day Three
Bridge players are split up into two groups, according to me and Deannie. High-level, and the rest. Dean, Sha and I are part of the High-level. The rest, are well, the rest. They can also be splited into a few groups. An example would be Yong who can play High-level but not long-term. But that's not important. So the split was pretty set. That was, until today. However, I'll get to that later on. Today was the CNA training. We headed for the office somewhere around (we never know where for certain we are bascially) and cam-whored in the ground floor of the building. The office was alright, I guess. Little cramped, but it was fine. Played Daidi on the bus with Mr Z. He lost a few times, again. Used the same excuse, again.
Went to the UCCA (Ullens Contemporary Centre for Art (?) ) to do the Piece-to-Camera. Was fine lah, but I was SURE it could've came out better.
Forbidden city and Tian An Men Square was great! But I shan't waste time describing it.
For Dinner, we ended up laughing alot, alot. So much till even Mr. Z laughed a little. I swear, we laughed at the stupidest things. From Kris and Yong's slow reactions to Teo's 'Piang Eh!' (The trip's main phrase.) The briefing was in Mr. Z's room again, and this time we invited him to play cards with us. And that was the day Mr Z learnt bridge. His strategy is weird but easy to figure out. If his cards suck, he bids really, really super high for some reason. To end the game quick, or to ring in a challenge or something like that. If his cards are good, he also bids really super high. So, in other words, he bids high. Every single time. And for the first few times, he screwed up here and there, but that's fine, cuz all of us screw sometime or another. But slowly, he learned. Like, REALLY fast.
And that's what made the boundaries of our bridge level shaky.
Day Four
It was quite a relaxing day for us. None of us filmed with an exception. Went to CCTV station for a tour. Actually seeing how stations like Mediacorp work similarly was quite an eye-opener. The guide (International PR) was really helpful as well. The China Millenium Monument was also pretty cool. Especially the Hall. Kris and I toured it together and gave names to certain parts of the wall. When a guy was trying to make fire, we called it 'Man making fire'. There was this part where a guy was carrying a ledge which had another guy standing on it with another ledge. It was named 'Man carrying brick carrying man carrying brick.' By me, of course. It was soo funny. We went trishaw-riding and then to visit a typical chinese family home which was awesome. Really, it was. Dinner was spent gossiping about TKG. Briefing that day was at the Rachels'. After talking about the day's events, we quickly dived into games of bridge. I was practically screaming when Dhwani made a wrong move, but that was because I hate it when people do that to me. Anyway, I went to sleep early and Dhwani ended up sleeping with the Rachels. Not because I kicked her out, but because they were playing till1 and Dhwani forgot her key. Oh yes, Dhwani actually said her name wrongly in front of the Camera. So for the rest of the trip, she was known as Dhwaning. (:
Day Five
The places of attraction were the Summer Palace and the Beijing Olympic Stadium, although we didn't stop at the latter because it was still under construction. But before seeing those places, we went to a local school. That was super fantastic! I tried out the diabolo, some game I have no idea how to describe. And art class was fun! We were supposed to paint fishes (Teo's ones were damn nice lah.) and the boy beside me couldn't paint for nuts! Like I couldn't! He painted a pregnant fish and a fat fish and other weird things! He was soo cute! And he likes the F1 guy. Michael something. I gave him my chocolates. At least I hope it went to him, because I gave it to someone else to give to him. The summer palace was also gorgeous, with Mr Z acting like a little kid because he somehow figured out static. That night, we were supposed to drink 56%, the beer we snuck back to the hotel. We named it such because it had 56% of alcohol. However, in the end, we chickened out because there was shopping to do the next day. Bought the cake for Lisa before going up and begged Mr Z to be allowed to go outside to see stuff. In the end, we bought KFC for the lot. I went to play late because I had to pack while Dhwani went up to Mr Z's. That night, we played till 2. Bridge, bridge, bridge, bridge, bridge! Still remember when Shu bid for 'Ace'. And she didn't even realise it which made us laugh. The late night players were Teo, Dhwani, Mr. Z and I. This time, Teo pulled a crazy wrong move and earned my glare. Also, Mr Z kept annoying me with his disturbances of the nice songs that were on channel V. So, I turned to him with a glare and said "Eh, I will sit on you okay!" I really forgot what happened after that, but Yong laughed so much and said she'd put that as her msn nick.
Day Six (the Last Day.)
Lisa, our local guide, is the best. She is the best because she is super fantastic. On the way to shopping, she told us that although we should bargain for the best prices, the prices are not very ex for us because we're rich. When there was no response, she smiled and said "I just make joke." To which we burst out laughing. The day before, we joked that the other guide was her husband, and that day, we asked if the cameraman from CNA was her friend. When she heard that she looked bewildered. "What? Yesterday, husband, today, friend." Over lunch we then asked if the bus driver was her brother, to which she replied candidly. "Next time I tell Agency to get all lady staff for girls' school. So you will not say everyone is my relative." Gosh, she is soo cute!
SHOPPING AND SHOPPING AND BARGAINING AND BARGAINING. And the Act Cute faces that I almost fell for. That was the life. Bought some many things, and I feel so satisfied!
At the Airport, we went to repack our stuff into the check-in luggage. Mr Z took a while, so Shu called out impatiently, "Mr. Z! Hurry!" To which she burst out laughing. When asked why, she grinned "Don't you get it? Z. hurry. Z hurry!" Well, say it fast and you might get it as well. So we stared at her for a bit before laughing ourselves. Esther sat with me on the plane. And she was being so BLUR.
Esther: What's in the UK?
Me: Britain, North Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Esther: What do marine creatures have to do with the UK?
(Esther writes down 'New Zealand' in places she would like to visit)
Me: (looking over.) What's in New Zealand?
Esther: (looking at me with a 'duh' face.) Cows?
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Here are the things I already miss.
- Rachel's 'Havoc' and the hand thing.
- Shu's 'Hamburger Slap!'
- Claire's constant laughing AT me. Like Arra, really. And somehow, she's ALWAYS there when I do something stupid.
- Kris's cute faces she does.
- Teo's 'piang eh' and Deannie's recording of it.
- Deannie's qian bian face.
-Sha's proclaimation of the great C.R.
-Dhwani's good-naturedness of her 'Dhwaning' Alter-ego
- Mr Z's laugh and ability to remind me of my BROTHER or all people.
-ZOOOOOOOOOOM (:
I LOVE THEM ALL! AND BEIJING! ((:
From left: Nanba Minami, Ashiya Mizuki, Sano Izumi, Nakatsu Shuichi. 
I think Ikuta Toma (guy who plays Nakatsu) is very cute! 
Oh mann... I forgot the guy who plays Sano! But he's also in Hana Yuri Dango..
Pretty nice show (:
The Ah-lian poses of Group A. And Mr. Z. The constipated-looking one.
Mr. Z looking smug because he has figured out the 'magic' of static electricity. Esther thinks he acts like a little boy sometimes. No one disagrees.
