Where in the world is Ashley Churchill?

Hey everyone, I just arrived in Beijing last night.
Ok, so I print the directions to my hostel. Basically, they tell me to take a shuttle bus to a specific station and then take a taxi to the hostel's address. One problem, NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THE FREAKIN' HOSTEL IS. A group of taxi drivers and pedistrians croud around and start yelling over my directions for about an hour. Then some guy comes along and says that its right accross the street from his building, a few blocks away. I figure its my best bet unless I want to spend the night on the street and wait until its light out to wander aimlessly around the city. I'm always a little weary of locals that seem eager to help. I guess I've just seem too many episodes of W5 of tourist ending up decapitated in a river somewhere. So very cautiously, I follow him for a few blocks. I see the Hostelling International insignia from about a block away, say 'thank you' and haul ass to the hostel. I haven't done too much today. I'm a little aprehensive about taking a bus. It might take me to the city centre, but it might take me to freakin' Mongolia. How would I know? So I walk and take the Metro. It takes forever, but I figure its the safest bet.
I booked a tour of the Great Wall of China and Ming tombs.
I'll let you know how that goes.

Still alive.

AC