Today's Saturday and I miss one day of my blog. I was suppose to do my blog yesterday but I have forgotten. I ask for your forgiveness and I will write yesterdays event today. Okay I will use a time machine to warp myself and yourselves to yesterdays event. Okay here we go. 3... 2... 1... ....

27 March 2009, Friday

Today is a bit of a good day and at least today's tour around the optical fiber factory is not boring. Oh, I have forgotten to tell you that today we have a visit to this factory. Okay I will tell you today's event.

I wake up at 8 am to get ready to go to the bus that will take us to the factory. The bus will depart at 9 am but when we arrive at the main entrance guess what no bus. Yeah...... No bus, how are we going to the factory? Have no fear because the bus arrive a bit late. Once we arrive at the factory I am very impress with the cleanliness of the factory. It was a surprise that the factory is clean and area outside the factory is not clean. Okay, we all gather inside the factory and there are one person waiting there. He will explain all the tour and some stuff at the entrance of the factory. He told us some share holder and a brief explanation of the production of the optical fiber. Oh yeah he also tell us to keep our voice down as to not to disturb other people that are working in the factory. He take to our first stop in the tour. We are not allow to take photograph but have no fear I will explain it. Okay first stop and it was how they transport the raw material to the other station. He also give us show that explain the process on that spot. I was amaze by how high tech the factory was. On the second stop, it was how they make all the raw material into a rod for later process. He also show us the show. On the third stop, It was how they make the big rod into a small thin fiber. On the forth stop, he tell us that how they check and to make sure that the fiber is strong enough. It was a quality checking. On the fifth stop we are back to the place where we started. This place he allow us to take pictures so We all didn't hold back and it was fun. After that we got onto our bus to take us back.



The day is not over yet. We told the drive that we, LSCT student, wanted to see the cherry blossom. Why we wanted to see is because that the bus is on the same road. What I mean is that the bus is going back to WUST but it will pass by Wuhan University. Wuhan University is the only place to view the cherry blossom Also we all wanted to got to a shopping mall later. The bus drop us near Wuhan University and we had our lunch. We enter the university from the back door. They say that it will be about 10 minutes of walking time and we paid 10 yuan. We walk about 10 to 20 minutes and theystop at a place with a statue to take picture. I also took it and I go on ahead first to look for the place. No sooner, a few second of walk, I arrive not at the actual place but at a small park that also have the cherry blossom. It was spectacular view and I can't explane it. I run back to tell my other friends and Mr. Chong. They floow me to that place and we took a lot of picture. We later go to the actual place of viewing the cherry blossom. It was a surpirse because it was not that beautiful anymore. Some green leaf have grown out. So we spend a bit of time there and we all go back to the first place.



After the cherry blossom viewing, we go to the shopping mall. Guess what the shopping mall is call shopping mall. 14 of us took bus and another 4 take taksi. I took the bus. We miss the bustop and it too us across the Yangtze river. So, we took another bus back and when we arrive there I go to play pool with my friends that took the taksi. After that our day end.

Coordinate 6739583... 3.... 2.... 1..... .......

We are back. Nice ride isn't it. hope to see you soon.

Today we have a presentation. This presentation is for the local student to know more about Singapore. I present with Jeremy, Ian and Jin Quan title Foods & Fruits. My other friends also have to present . So, my group is the third group to present. I was not nervous at first but when my group was presenting I was very nervous. This didn't stop me because when you continue to present it will just flow naturally.

Today I had my lesson at 10.30 am. It was quite hard to wake up at 9 am because I sleep at 1 am yesterday. Today Mr. Chong teach us waste water management. Later he let us see a movie call Red Cliff. This story actually really happen in the Hubei province. So, he wanted to show us this movie because we are in Hubei and he say it will be a waste not to know the story happen here in Hubei. After I eat dinner, I go do a project with Jeremy, Ian, and Jin Quan. This project is for the student in China to know how Singapore are like. We don't actually get any point in this project but I know it will help me to built some confidents for myself. This project is very important because Mr. Chong say that tomorrow many high rank people will come to see us and how we present. It will be a blow to do a mistake in this presentation. I hope I will do as little mistake as I can.

I'm writing for yesterday's event which is 23 of March. On this day the whole day not much event happen except that I am thinking. The event happen on 22 of March and the dagger I'm thinking how to dealt with it. So basically, today I'm thinking. I have ask my parents and they gave me some advice and the experience that their friends gone through. This lead me to that I will throw away the dagger. At least it will not burden anyone else especially Mr. Chong. Oh yeah I forgot one thing. Tonight we went to a high class restaurant to eat dinner. It was much cheaper that the restaurant we eat at the first night in Wuhan. It was good and the environment is so good. You see we got private room because all 18 of us are eating together. Inside the room have 2 sofa and a television. It was like in a house with a big family.

I never thought that I will be going to a mountain again. It has been a long time since I been to a mountain. The mountain that we will be going is call Wudang Shan (武当山). So, we started this trip as the same as always. Wake up at 6 am, gather at bus at 7 am and start another journey but this time it is 6 hours long. We arrive at the base of Wudang Shan at about 1 pm and ate lunch there. After lunch our journey to the mountain continue. It was a short ride from the restaurant to the entrance to the mountain. When we arrive there, there are a lot of shops that sell swords.



Why the swords? Well this place is like a kungfu and taoism place. So, the shops sell a lot of this kind of stuff. Back to the journey, we all go up to the mountain using buses. It was a pretty scary ride for me. This is because the place I seat is a tourist guide's seat. I have a front view and a side view near the door of the bus. It was so scary until I feel that I was on the edge of a cliff. This Wudang Shan has a lot of spot to stop. So, the first stop is call The Prince Temple.



It is a temple so don't expect a lot. We are not allow to take photos of the gods in all the temple. So, we all don't have pictures of inside the temple. I don't have a lot to say when in The Prince Temple but I know that the scenery around the temple is great.



Okay the next stop is 12kkm away from here and it is the Purple Heaven Palace. I thought it will be in purple in colour but it was not purple in colour.


Nevermind that when we go in to the temple, I think that is a temple, we saw a group of people practicing some moves. It was my first time seeing it in person and it was exciting. Other than that this temple is much more grand than The Prince Temple. We later got a chance to take a picture with the master teaching his student at the temple.


Then the next stop is the final stop. I don't know the place of this place but we go visit a temple that the ancient people built at a cliff. Of all the temple I visited, this is the most colourful temple I have been. There are not much things to say here.


After this last stop we go back to eat dinner and go to our hotel. Let me say this, the hotel's room is much much much better than the room of the cruise last week. Alright, we had our first LSCT Wuhan Annual General Meeting 2009. We discuss if who wanted to clim up the Wudang Shan or take a cable car up. We discuss with Mr. Chong and our final decision is that I am the only one that will take the cable car up.


The next day 22 of March, we all woke up at 6 am and ate breakfast. We arrive at the same place again to start the begining of the last day at Wudang Shan. I split with the rest of my friends and join the other 3 MDE students that will take the cable car. I arrive at the cable car station and it was a long que.



It took us 2 hours of waiting time to get into a cable car. When I was waiting at the que something happen. Then peopl there are really good at cutting que and I mean good, I mean good. I have never scene that kind of strategy before and it was a good one. You see this is how they do it. First, they take their child and put into a que with open space. Second, they bwalk away. Third, after some time they came back to check the que. Forth, untill the child is near the entrance they climb in and say they are at there first. Fifth, this is how their tactic is. It was so perfectly plan. If anyone compalane they will say they go to toilet or something clever. This is what happen when I was waiting at the que. Oh, one more thing. When waiting the que my camera is not working. It was a blow to me because this mean I can't take any pictures. Okay back to the story, when I arrive at the peak guess what? All my friends that climb up has arrive up there 1 hour early than me. I was so surprice that they took 1 hour to climb up. Even so, I still go up to the peak with the other 3 MDE student. Mr. Chong help me to take some picture at the peak of Wudang Shan. "THANK YOU MR. CHONG." Then later I rejoin with my other friends and go down buy cable car. After that nothing much happen except a few IMPORTANT event take place. This is a bit personal but I will still express it. When going down the mountain, in the bus, I have a new friends with the MDE student and she bought a small dagger to give to her friends as a gift. I ask her how she is going to bring back and she said by mail. She want to send it back to Malaysia so I thought I have a change to buy a small dagger back. I have ask many people about buying a dagger for display at my house but many say it is impossible to get it back. Even Mr. Chong and my parents say so but at the base of Wudang Shan I bought a small dagger. It was a mistake to buy that dagger. In my opinion, I think Mr. Chong was angry and worried at the same time. So, during the bus ride I rethink what I have done. I never think about other people that I will affect. First, is Mr. Chong. It affect him buy making him worry and this cause me thinking further. This lead to when crossing the imigration. I will be stop and cause a lot more problem. Not only this I will even make Mr. Chong more stress, he also have to take care for the other student. He is a good guy, I think I'm a litle bit similer to him. A kind-hearted person. So, this is why I'm feeling guilty now. Second, is my parents. My parents say not o buy this thing as it won't cross the imigration. I also will make them worry. Third, is my friends. It will afect them by making them worry about me. This is because, I know I will ask for them help and make them more stress. They also have other things to dealt with. Like financial problem in Wuhan, souvenir to buy for their parents and friends and other little problems. So I'm going to think through this the next day and find help from my parents. Back to the story. We arrive at Wuhan at about 8.30 pm and at the dorm about 9 pm. I ate some dinner and that is it.

Okay I'm back on my trip to Wudang Shan. Don't worry I didn't forget anything and I have some pictures to guide me. Today is Friday and I thought that today we will be going to Wudang Shan but I was wrong. So this means that today, the whole day is free and easy. If we want to go where we can go but with the permission of Mr. Chong. We decided to go to a place in Wuhan call Han Kou (汉口). How we go there? We go there by bus. It cost 2 yuan and takes about 30-45 minutes. Inside the bus is very crowded just like when I go back from Singapore to Malaysia using 170 at peak hour but IT was much more worst. You see even the bus is very full the bus driver keep on telling some people to come in the bus.











After we got down the bus we go to a shopping mall to walk around. They say that there is a restaurant that sell Singapore food so I when there with Mr. Chong, Hadi, Yongqi and Jasper. We went inside this lift and something out of the ordinary is in the lift. Inside this lift there is a air conditioner. I find it strange as why there is a air-con in a lift.



After we had our lunch we go find the other people shopping. It was quite boring at this shopping comploex because I don't have anything to buy. We go back to WUST at about 5 something to celebrate a local student's birthday. His name is Kidd. On the way back we will go through a bridge call 武汉长江二桥. It was a famous bridge and we always cross the Yangtze river using that bridge. Back to the story, on the bridge all I see is fog. I don't know why but I think it was either the air is dirty or too cold.



We arrive at WUST at 6.30 pm just in time for the party. Well not just in time but 30 minutes early. So, Mr. Chong, Yongqi, Jasper, Hadi and I went back to rest for a while. The rest of my friends go to buy shoe to go to Wudang Shan and some go get the cake. Everything is ready about 7.30 pm. When the birthday boy arrive I think he was surprise at the size of the cake. This small cake is a fake one because it was to smack into his face. We wanted to smash into his face but it hit his jacket. Poor thing.


This is the actual cake that we will be using to celebrate his birthday. After the wishes it was party time. We sang song, dance around and some picture taken.

Today is a some what sad and fun day. The sad thing is that today is our last day of our IS. This mean that we won't have to attend Xiao Ling Lao Shi's class anymore. Although we won't have to attend her class anymore, we, at least have our memories and some picture with her to remember. Of course we have some gift for her. Hope she like it. Later that day I, Mei Yi and Yi Sheng decided not to go shopping but the rest of tthe class went shopping. So, it is just the 3 of us that stay in the dorm. We meet Journey and Walter in Mei Yi's room. So the 5 of us go to eat dinner together. Journey say that she has a lesson she wanted to attend so she take away her food. That left me, Mei Yi, Yi Sheng and Walter to eat dinner. We eat at a small stall that sell mix rice. It was so small that the only take away the food but we eat there and the table and chair they provide is very short. Even that stall is small the food there is very good. Oh one more thing is that Walter treat us a type of tea. It was so good and it was cheap, only 1.50 yuan.

I have return to my room. Such a good feeling. It was fun and good experience to go to 3 Gorges but when I got there I got sick again. Why? This is because I ate something to make my stomach not feeling good and there goes my holiday. Even I am a bit sick it is not going to stop me to enjoy myself.

We woke up at 6 am to get ready to go to the bus that will take us to 3 Gorges. We will spend 3 days for the cruize at the Yangtze River. The bus start to depart at 7.15 am. It will take about 4 to 4 1/2 hours to reach a town call 宜昌(Yi Chang). On the road to Yi Chang there are some beautiful scenery that I have taken. I have never seen such a beautiful scene by traveling on a highway before.


We arrive at Yi Chang about 12 pm and we had lunch there. The restaurant name is Yansha Da Jiudian. It was good but with my stomach not feeling well it was no helping. Nevertheless I ate some and it was somehow good but one vegetable are too salty.



After the meal we are on our way to the 3 Gorges Dam. Also on the way there are some more beautiful scenery.



There is one mountain they call Mao Tong San, which they say that Mao Zedong is lying on the mountain.


When we arrive on the dam the scenery is so spetecular. At the dam there are 3 spot. The first one over look the dam and the area around it. It was so beautiful.



The second spot is much lower and we can look directly at the dam.


The third and last spot is a Memorial Park. The memorial park is also beautiful and it was a scene that look straight into the front of the dam.


We finish the 3 Gorges Dam tour at about 6 pm and the days is not over. We need to rush to dinner to board a ship for our cruise along the Yangtze River. I hope the captain of the ship is not mad at us because we are late by 1 hour. The lecturer say that the bedroom are very small and I mean small it was very very small. Not that only that the toilet was very low or I was too tall.

Oh, and did I mention that I and Yi Sheng sleep on the second floor. What good is that about is that there is a boucany on the second floor. This mean that I and my friends can go out the and have a look. That is why we go out there on that night and it was amazing and all of us are hyper. There is a catch, it was night time. This mean that no picture can be taken. So sad but there is this one bridge at night that I have taken so hope you all like it.


On that night I sleep the earliest because I'm not feeling well. Then at about 10 pm I woke up and I find it strange why the ship is not moving. The reason is that we are crossing a 'lock'. This lock is not the lock that we all use to keep stuff. It was a lock that enable a ship or boat to go up or down a small hill. It takes about 1 hour for the ship to clear the lock. I did not take any picture because I was tire and sleepy. So back to sleep.

Mr. Chong say that we have to wake up at 6 am. but it was later change to 7 am. This cause me my sleep because I woke up at 5.30 am. and just to find out that nobody's waking up. Then I sleep again and woke up at 6 something. Not a good experience. I had a bit of breakfast only and then later at 8 something got to sleep again. Why? I don't know. Even I sleep again I woke up at 9 something and just in time to got our first tour to go to Shen Niong Xi. We got off our cruise ship to a smaller ship and when we are at Shen Niong Xi we got to a even smaller boat.


What there is so great about that place is nothing is great. A normal place with amazing scenery and a good experience of the small boat that we took. What is so great about the boat look at the picture I don't know how to descript it.


It seems that that is how the people there pull the small boat when go to a shallow place. I thought I will be cool but it was HOT. Oh the sun, the river, not a good combination but a good experience to gain.





We got back to our cruise ship at about 2 pm and ate lunch at 2.30 pm. After that lunch we got a full day to waste. Yeah........ so boring, help me. Have no fear because we go to the observation deck to enjoy the cruise and take some more photos. Oh yeah they, I mean the tourist guide, say that we can encounter the 3 Gorges and nothing happen. It was well I miss it. What I mean is that I don't understand it and I miss it. Well don't worry I save the best for the last. The last 3 Gorges is so beautiful that it was on the 10 yuan note. Here is a comparission of the real and the 10 yuan note.




Seeing is believing. Soooo beautiful and no words can descript it. You just have to go there and experience it yourselve. It was a good wait because the last one is 2 hours away from the other 2 gorges. And we arrive to our last destination on this cruise. On this place we visited like a temple. It was tiring to go to this temple because it was situated on a hill. So tired until my first sweat came out. This mean I have not sweat ever scene I came to China on the first day. Back to the story, this temple looks like a normal temple but it has some suspended coffin. A special coffin and the other time is just going around the temple and explore it.











Suspended coffin drawing Real coffin







I regret something I came to this temple. I did not buy a comb here for my sister. But I think I will have other chance. After that we ate our dinner at 9 pm. It was a long day and I was tired and sleep at 10 pm.

Third day on the cruise and the last day which is 15 March(Sunday). The morning is cool and beautiful and we have arrive at Yi Chang already. It really puzzle me that how they got back to Yi Chang so quickly. So it was a good day and I'm feeling better and it was time to go back to Wuhan. We arrive at WUST at about 3 something.

Hi I'm Jonathan Tiong and this is my journal for my trip in Wuhan, China.


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*Yi Sheng* @Velverie@ #Yongqi# $Jasper$ %Kumaran% ^Xin Hui^ &Alan& *Ian* @Felicia@ #Mei Yi# $Hardy$ %Jeremy% ^Li Ying^ &Shan Mei& *Jin Quan*


March 2009
April 2009


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