A Romantic Candlelit Dinner for One
A year or so before I met the wife, I briefly dated a girl called Anna Wei Yi. Though things were still in the early stages, all the signs […]
Andy Smart’s Friendly Little List of Travel Tips Part One: First Time Travellers, Afore Ye Go!
Welcome to the first part of Andy’s friendly little list of travelling tips. If you think of any suggestions or additions then by all means comment at the bottom […]
The Beginning of Winter, Beijing 2015: Knickers in the Wind
One of the good things about going it alone is that you can stop and make notes in your own time. These are observations that have been sitting in my […]
5,4,3,2,1: Countdown to Chinese New Year. Guonian Hao Everyone!
It’s all happening here in China at the moment, so I’d like to wish all of my amazing readers the best of luck for 2016. I’m making some great friends […]
Chinese Medicine: Donkey skin, red dates and sesame!
Some parts have been translated. Round the corner, the local ‘yaodian’ is far more than any old pharmacy. It provides traditional Chinese medicine as well as modern drugs, consultations and […]
Oddments & Unusual Observations on the Beijing Subway
The subway is a fascinating place. A concentrated microcosm of Beijing. The amount of information your senses experience on a single subway journey across Beijing can send you into overload […]
Rubbish & Recycling: China’s attitude to litter throwing: Xiamen, Fujian Province, SE China
It’s the first day of my holiday in Xiamen. Set on the East Coast of the Fujian Province, this coastal city is a well-known holiday resort having a steady influx […]
TOURISM & PHOTOGRAPHY: ARE YOU A TWAF ?
Definition: /twæf/ Noun (countable): abbr ‘taking without asking first’. A twaf, some twafs: meaning someone who takes photos of another without asking for permission or consent. Normally used as a […]
Don’t Stand Next to the River-Side Tower: Nantong, Jiangsu Province, SE China
In June, now going up the wall for something interesting to do or for going somewhere, I hit the road again to the city of Nantong in the Jiangsu province. […]
A Hard Graft for Mr Ding & Mr Huang
Fruit & Veg in Beijing: January 2013 Some text has been translated. Although there are plenty of supermarkets in the big cities in China, most people still buy their groceries […]
Chinglish
Hello and welcome to the amazing world of Chinglish; the laughably bad Chinese – English translations you find all over China. There are also many examples in neighbouring countries but […]
Living in the Shadows of Beijing
After years having the countryside on my doorstep in the UK I can’t believe the level of feeling I have for this place now but I do. I feel utterly […]
Looking for Furniture with Officer Zhang: Yangshuo: Guangxi Autonomous Region, S China
10am and the phone rings “Andy, its Jason. I am outside and we have a bed for you. Are you still asleep?” Mercy! I mean I hit the sack in […]
Chinese Hospitality
One of the first things you notice when setting foot on Chinese soil for the first time is the incredible hospitality that you will be shown from the word go. […]
An Interview with Professor Su: Memories of Mao & Hardship
One of the great things about teaching in China is that your students can be so interesting. If you are based in one of the big cities you’ll find that […]
Just Turn Left 
You must be logged in to post a comment.