I swear I'm trying here.

Really. I'm in Beijing, and I thought I'd have my internet situation sorted days ago. Theoretically, by the end of this week I should have reliable internet access at home, so I can start making real posts again. For now, I'll let you know that Mandarin is really difficult, China is quite interesting, and I'm pleased to be taking a break from travelling to a new city every 3-5 days. Knowing that I'll be coming back to the same room for the next week is a welcome break - I'm able to unpack my bag and not pack it up again for a month and a half!