Where in the world is Ashley Churchill?

I absolutely loved Tokyo. I got to do just about everything I wanted to do there. I have mixed feelings about Beijing. It does have some of the worlds most treasured historical landmarks, but the city is nothing special. Mostly just highways and people that spit. Dodging oncoming cars is a full time job. And not only do they drive on the sidewalks, but honk at the the pedistrians infront of them! I am more the willing to put money where my mouth is and state that come the 2008 Olympics, we'll be hearing more about tourist and spectators being run over by cars then about the games themselves. One thing I'm looking forward to is regular food. When I was in college, one of my classmates brother went to China and contracted dysentery! So I've maintained a strict diet of crackers and bottled water. Well, I've never heard of a digestive catastrophe resulting from ritz and evian. I'll also enjoy my old mattress, its much thicker than 5cm.

Anyway, as a promise to my favorite (but clearly delusional) Belgian, I'm posting some pics of myself in Asia.

At some temple in Tokyo

At the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

At the Great Wall of China.

Pounding back some tea in Beijing.

This is at the 'Old Summer Palace'. Its not so much of a palace as it is an enormous park. And its a good thing that know what the characters for 'exit' are. I got really lost and if I couldn't ask someone how to get out, I probably would have ended up camping out there.

Anyways, next time you hear from me, it will be from the Great White North! (that means Canada, you nitwits!)

AC

In 24 hours, I'll be off to the airport to bring my second overseas adventure to a close. Once again, its a bittersweet feeling to go home. On one hand, I'll have all the comforts of home again. But I also miss the feeling of adventure and uncertainty (but good uncertainty) from being on the road. Since being in China, I have gone to the Great Wall of China (duh! like I would really miss that), the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. Today, I'm checking out the Summer Palace. I can't upload any pics here. So you'll all have to wait until I am back home to see them. Despite the historical treasures that China posseses, I'm kind of glad that I'm leaving. Respect for others is a trait that is pretty rare here. And dodging oncoming cars is pretty much a full time job. I LOVED Japan though. It was everything I was hoping it would be and more. The only thing that I didn't do was visit and Onsen (sorry 'A', I know how much you were looking forward to that!). Deffinately a place that I reccomend. And as for NZ, I spent two weeks there and deffinately wasn't enough to experience everything the country has to offer. Everyone knows how I feel about Australia. And they certainly haven't seen the last of me!

As I said earlier, I will be on my way back to Toronto tomorrow. In honor of the city that raised the crazy Canuck that I am, I'm posting a 'You know you're from Toronto when' list. Hopefully, it will inspire certain Europeans (Who shall remain nameless, but you know who you are) to trek to my neck of the woods someday.

You know you're from Toronto when.....

You know not to swim in Lake Ontario

You know what phone numbers like 967-1111 mean

It will ALWAYS be the Skydome to you

A gay guy on Church St. asked to give you head when you were coming home from the Gardens

You've eaten at‘Hooker Harveys’

You know Harold and Kumar was filmed there

Acronyms like "T-Dot" puzzle our friends across the border and in other Provinces

You've had a 13 year old squigee your car

You know Duff's has the best wings in the city (besides Wheat Sheaf)

You know Sneaky Dee's has the best egg's benny

You know it's spelt MATS Sundin NOT Matt Sundin and worry about his health more then your own

You know where the Condom Shack is

Oliver Jeweler PAYS COLD HARD CASH for you're gold and diamonds

You only trust taxi drivers of "East Indian" decent

Shoveling snow was a daily ritual growing up

You have seen many radio stations come and go, but only 103.5, after 3 name changes, still remains

You've been to the ROM and the Toronto Zoo for school field trips

You pass up on an overpriced $5 coffee from Starbucks for a box of Timbits and a double-double from Tiimmy Ho's

You hate the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens to death

You were sad the day McDonalds announced it would stop serving Pizza (they only did it in Toronto)

You know Yonge St. is the longest street in the world

You know the CN tower is the tallest free standing structure in the world

The TTC is your main method of transportation, depsite the fact that you LOATHE it.

You bank at TD

You had a seasons pass to Wonderland every summer as a kid

You get‘crunk' to Kardinal Offishall

Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark are still your heroes, even though they left for better teams

Vince Carter comes back to town and you boo the shit out of him, even though you still love the guy

You're proud great actors like Jim Carey, Mike Myers and John Candy are from your hometown

You'd rather shop at the Bay and Zellers over Walmart and Sears

You remember the Eaton's Company

You have no idea who any of today's Blue Jays are, except Vernon Wells, but can name the whole '92 and '93 MLB World Series Champs roster and put emphasis on Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar

You were devastated in 2000 when the Big E wasn't traded to the Leafs, but when he finally was in 2005 you couldn't wait to see him go

American's have no idea what you said when you told them you're going to the "rink" to play "shinny"

The Buffalo Bills are your favorite NFL team only because they're the only team you've ever seen play a live game

Rogers is your choice for TV over Shaw

You went to get your first cell phone and thought they were giving you a Barrie number when the area code was 647, NOT 416

The LCBO and Beer Store are 85% of your credit card charges, with the remainder going towards purchases at the Friendly Stranger

Your beach of choice is in Wasaga, but you still despise it cause there are so many Gino's

You've skied at Blue Mountain (Yes, there is a 'Blue Mountain' in Canada, too.)

The teacher's strikes of 1997 and 2000 were the best times of your life

YTV was your favorite TV station growing up

Mr. Lube and Speedy change your oil

You call everything north of Eglinton, west of Keele, and east of Kennedy "The Boonies".

You know where Scarberia is, and only go there when you intend to be unconscious.

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