Stepping into China

First year student from Reading Univeristy~Scholarship to study at Peking Univeristy, Beijing 

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The End-结束

So that’s it....I’m home in England, back in the comfort of familiarity. 

Yesterday was the final step. We got a taxi to the airport and after navigating our way through countless security checks, stepped on board to the last journey. The flight was very comfortable; it consisted of food, TV, more food, movies and more food (so I wasn’t complaining!)  6 modes of transport and 24 hours later I was back home. 

Reflections: Wow. What an experience. I have had THE most amazing month. I have met incredible people and heard inspiring stories whilst eating strange, delicious food. Seen temples, palaces and city walls. Strolled along the Great Wall. Cheered in a football stadium, learnt Tai Chi and said hi to some Panda’s. Walked through towering sky scrapers and jaw-dropping mountains. Been in high speed trains and packed buses. Experienced scorching heat, floods and thunderstorms. And through it all I was able to emerge myself in the culture and learn about the country; all taught by the most prestigious university. So yes, a pretty good month! 

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to some people. Thank you to everyone who has made this happen; the University of Reading as a whole- (I am very proud to be a student here) but particularly the Vice Chancellor who so generously funded this trip-it has changed my life so I cannot express my gratitude enough! Thank you for everyone who worked behind the scenes to organise the trip; particularly Daniel Mitchell! Also, thank you to my family for all your support and to my friends. I appreciate everyone who has been praying for me; it really meant a lot. And you reader; whomever you are-thanks for reading and following my trip to China. 

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Day 28- The Last Day-

So sadly, this is my last full day in Beijing. This morning was spent packing up and preparing myself to come home-its so strange we are leaving tomorrow! After lunch, we collected our certificates for the completion of our summer school program. 

It was then off to my last lesson ever here at PKU (very emotional...) It was so much fun as per usual! Our professor organised a ‘party’ quite literally! Each team in our class (we have 4 teams) had to prepare some food. My team was in charge of the cake, others had the job of making sandwiches, decorating and cooking pizza and prepping a fruit salad plus we got to make dumplings! It was a lot of fun but what was even better was eating it all...there was so much food! We also tasted the wine we made in our first class (which was pretty horrible!) We sat round, eating good food, drinking beers, chatting and saying goodbye. We then did some Karaoke which was good fun although different groups sang in their own language so us Brits couldn’t join in them all! 

It was then time for the speeches-everyone has enjoyed this course so much so there was a lot of praise for our professor and his two teaching assistants. It was quite sad to say goodbye-we did make some good friends in this course and its strange that they’ll be back in their corners of the world soon. 

Goodbye PKU! 

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Day 27- (Sorry for the lack of photo’s...)

Today was my last ‘Understanding China lesson’ (I have one Friday but have to miss it as I will be on a plane-Ahh!) It was very interesting again; we looked into the Beijing Olympics and how the media from that affected the state image. We then looked into ‘happiness’; what this is, how can it be achieved and what China sees this as. It was strange to say goodbye to classmates as I probably will never see them again-they’ll be back in Hong Kong, Brazil, the Netherlands and Taiwan soon whilst I’m in England. I have absolutely loved meeting so many people from diverse backgrounds-hearing their stories and comparing cultures.

This afternoon we went to some markets. I love these places; Stalls are thrown together where bundles of items are sold by terrifyingly persuasive women. I do think I got some good deals as well and managed to stand firm with my final offer! We were planning to go out this evening; however, although when we walked into the restaurant it was bright sunshine and clear sky (for a change) plus scorching heat; when we walked out rain was lashing down whilst thunder rumbled around us. This was the first time I have seen such clear lightning as well-it was like a picture-white daggers split the black sky in two-I wish I could have captured a picture but I’m afraid I’m not that great at photography! Anyway, it was too wet (and noisy!) to go out (plus Amelia got a bit scared of being electrocuted...) so we decided to watch a movie with snacks in my room instead (a pretty chilled, fun alternative!)

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Day 26- Keeping healthy-

This morning it was off to the hospital. Don't worry, I and everyone else are quite well-it was a visit with one of my classes. We went to a traditional Chinese hospital and to my surprise-it really was traditional! Although very modern, when we walked in, the smell of herbs filled the room which were coming from the busy pharmacy. When we went upstairs, we walked passed doors labelled 'cupping room, moxibustion room and  acupuncture room'. Yes-very different than the hospitals in the UK! After seeing a few of these methods in action on patients, we went into meeting room to hear a presentation about these unique methods. We then got a chance to try out these methods ourselves! I had acupuncture on my hand-it was very strange having a needle sticking out of me but it didn't hurt (although one guy did faint..) A few of us then went to the markets for a spot of shopping and enjoy the afternoon buzz of the markets. This evening we went to a football match! No, I am not an avid football fan but my professor got us all free tickets and it was a good experience! We got to meet the Vice President of the workers stadium (I think it was a big deal..) and then found our seats looking out over the mass of green fans (we supported Beijing with the majority). The game was a good one but unfortunately, we lost 2-1. Everyone seemed a lot more polite and friendly than in the matches I've been to in England-players helped the opposite team players up and checked they were ok and the crowd although excited, weren't rowdy and always clapped politely (which I found quite funny!) It was a fantastic atmosphere and a fun experience. Another great day!

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Day 25-

So this morning it was back to lessons! I had my Chinese diet/health class. Today we were learning about the different symbols of pictography in Chinese characters. Our guest lecturer taught us how to do Tai Chi calligraphy (tai chi but moving in the pattern of the symbol you choose). It was very relaxing and calming. 

We then got a go at writing these symbols using the traditional brush and ink. It was a lot of fun-like delicate painting. We were also told how to write our Chinese names which I had a go at! 

This evening we went out for a meal in a nearby shopping/food complex. Well...it was meant to be near...we caught the bus (as its still a 40min walk in the heat!) and all was going well until we missed our stop. Of course, normally, you would just get off at the next stop and walk the extra 2 minutes. However, the bus stops aren’t close at all...its a good 40min walk between each stop! When we eventually got off we sprinted across the road and jumped on the same bus the other side (as it had just pulled up!) I hate to think what the locals thought on the bus...I’m sure the were all rolling around laughing at our comical stunt. 

Anyway, after eventually arriving we had a delicious meal. Whilst walking back to the bus stop, we passed a fountain in the central square of the complex area. Lots of children were playing in this whilst people sat around relaxing and chatting. We decided to join (the adults...not the children, although we were tempted!) We sat for a while soaking up the busy nightlife and just enjoying the atmosphere before coming back home. 

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Day 24, On Top of the World-

 So it was time to leave the city of Xian. We got a super-fast train again but this time to Huashan. Travelling 1st class (it was £2 more!) we relaxed in luxury for 40mins.

When we arrived we hurried out to find the bus to the mountain. We got on and made it to the foot. Ok, so the next bit you’re going to have to bear with me...

Being white and western, many people are happy to chat and help which is what the guy in front did-he helped us get on the right bus to the mountain/helped us buy the right ticket. When we got there we were planning on getting the cable car to the top but it was a lot more expensive than we imagined. The guy was still with us (he didn't speak a word of English but had an app where he typed and it translated-very useful!) and he gestured for us to get the cable car. We refused, telling him we couldn't really afford it. What he did next was the definition of kindness- he paid for us to go up. Now I know what you're thinking; are you so naive?! No one gets anything for free; this is a dog-eat-dog world. And I agree, we refused but he bought the tickets and we went up.

Logically/what was running through my head: we had nothing to lose; we could walk away at any point and if we felt unsafe there were 1000s of other tourists around to get help from plus a lot of government officials/police.

So to put you all at ease- it turns out, this guy was just super kind and he really watched out for us. I have nothing bad to say about him and apparently random acts of kindness do happen...

 So the day- we were on a time limit as we had a train to catch at 3:15 (which we told him) again, I will put you all at ease and let you know we successfully caught our train with time to spare.

So we are travelling up this  cable car for 20 minutes which has floor to ceiling windows and the view just took my breath away. We dipped up and down over the jaw-dropping mountains to see jagged rocks towering over above us whilst calm brooks snaked down beneath us in the valleys. On my ticket it says 'the mount under heaven' and it really felt like this--when I say it took my breath away, I mean it.

Also, whilst on the cable car, the people sat next to us handed us bottled water to keep. Maybe these people are just really nice?!

 Once we stepped off, 2,086.6 meters above the ground; our 'guide' who we found out was a government guard, hiked us round the mountain. It was definitely a challenge-the steps were steep and my legs were shaking! We walked through the trees on the mountain until we reached the north peak. This site was equally spectacular. Majestic mountains surrounded us-I felt like I was on top of the world! I wish I could describe to you how shockingly stunning this site was but again, my words just won't cover it.

Our 'guide' bought us some water, bought us a cable car ticket down from this part of the mountain and said goodbye (he was staying to hike himself). So yes, that was it-no strings attached and we just had the tour of our life.

As he promised, we made it back down the mountain and back to the train station in time to catch our high speed train back to Beijing.

 Reflections: Firstly, I am humbled by how overwhelmingly kind this guy was!

Overall, this was a spectacular day. We got to see a whole new side to China-this mountain range was glorious and so contrasting to the city life we are used to. The views were astounding; one of the most spectacular things I have ever seen and what an experience!

 This weekend has just been incredible. I am so glad we stepped out of Beijing and discovered a whole new China. What a weekend!

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Day 23- What a day.

 So this morning we woke up in a delightfully comfortable bed to the noise of roaring traffic and a beeping battle.

We managed to navigate our way successfully to the main station and find the Terracotta Army ticket stand where they provided a free shuttle to the site.

The skyline changed from towering buildings to towering mountains within the hour and by the time we arrived at the site, we were surrounded by them.

After a quick walk (which felt longer in the blazing heat!) to the entrance, we walked up to the site. We first went round some museums explaining the history of the Warriors which was interesting and then we went into the 'pits' as they were called. It was spectacular. 1000s of copper made warriors stared back at me as I walked into the exhibition. They are each uniquely designed; every single one of these creations are different, all showing a different rank in position of the army. I was surprised by how big the area was but also the preservation of the Warriors; the details on them could still be clearly seen.

It was then back to the bus after a quick lunch, where we caught the tube to the wild goose pagoda.

Unfortunately, we ended up on a wild goose chase to find it! But we got there eventually by bus (always a challenge...) We were pretty disappointed as its splendor was a little over exaggerated, especially as it was covered in scaffolding! But the journey back to the tube station (although very stressful!) was funny. Have you ever been on a bus and not had any clue where you are going? No? Then you probably haven't been on a Chinese bus where no one speaks English and you have no idea what the stop names are. 2 bus journeys later plus a friendly, sympathetic Chinese student who wanted to practice his English and we were back at the tube!

Next stop was the City walls of Xian. I didn't know what to expect but surprisingly, this part was one of my highlights. We walked through an impressive arch and climbed numerous stairs and we were on top of the wall! The best way to describe this is like a Great Wall expect smaller scale and with a view of the city instead of mountains. We hired some bikes (me and Amelia got a tandum!) and cycled round the 8.5 mile wall. Being 12m above the ground we looked out onto humble homes, beautiful palaces, modern sky scrapers and the busy city life that came with that. When I say 'the city wall' I literally mean that...we cycled round the whole city! It was incredible. The sun was setting as we calmly peddled around this magical world (admittedly, I had it easy as I happily sat at the back of the bike letting Amelia do the bulk of the work...) We soaked up the last of the sun whilst surrounded by the ancient city below. As the red sky dimmed, the bright lights came on and it was time to leave the wall and its glory to satisfy our stomachs. After dinner within the city walls, we wondered back to the center where the drum and bell tower lit up the blackened sky. We strolled round the markets before heading back to the hostel where we collapsed into bed.

What a day.

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Day 22 Stepping out of Beijing-

Side Note: Due to a lack of Wi-Fi this weekend, this post is a bit late so I apologize!

 So today a few of us are going to explore China out of Beijing! We are off to the city of Xi'an for the weekend.

After my lecture on media in China, we caught the tube to the busy railway station. 'Busy' is definitely an understatement. This place is huge, packed with tourists, businessmen and excited travelers from all over. Unfortunately, the only English signs were rather self-explanatory- things like 'hold the handrail' on the elevator; there was no useful signs directing us to the right place...but we got our tickets checked and through customs successfully (it's more like an airport than a train station). As we had plenty of time, we grabbed some lunch before finding the waiting room and boarding our train.

I was very surprised by how spacious, clean and modern the train was. With plenty of leg room, we found our seats and settled in for our 5 hour (high speed) train ride.

Whilst travelling at over 300km/hour I was able to gaze out of the window and watch the landscape alter throughout the hours. I was surprised by what I saw-to begin with modern towers transformed into gloomy, grey and neglected high rises.

As minutes turned to hours, the flattened landscape became green as fields sprawled out into the distance. The area was desolate; not a sole to be seen. Occasionally, the looming, dark towers would spring up before vanishing to the fields again.

Later during the journey, whilst one side of the train looked out onto flourishing trees and fields on a level landscape the other side was filled with majestic mountains- the contrast was stunning and shocking.

Once we arrived in the jungle of grey sky scrapers, we climbed out of our impressive vehicle to get on the tube where we successfully navigated our way to our accommodation. We are pleasantly surprised by how lovely it is!

Our stomachs beckoned us to get some food so we decided to go to the famous drum and bell tower in the centre of the city. When we stepped up from the subway we stood in awe. The city was alive and by what we could see, so were the ancient buildings as they were highlighted by lights. They shone in the chaotic city-it is a beautiful site.

After a delicious dinner we wandered round the crazy streets surrounding these towers. It was insane. It was a similar set up to Beijing (lots of stalls along streets) but 10X busier and 10X more unique. I can't really describe what it was like; unless you go yourself the buzz of the alleys can't be understood. Strange sounds, smells and tastes filled the cramped alleys as bizarre stalls were thrown together selling even more bizarre foods or gifts.

After this eye-opening experience we came back to our hostel and it was straight to sleep!

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Sorry this is a bit late but I thought it would be fun to upload...this is the video of the drum performance at the Drum Tower, Beijing.

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Day 21- 

What a great day! I woke up and to my surprise, the rain had ended! I got a little excited so asked if anyone wanted to go ou-t so me and Amelia went to the drum and bell tower. 

To be honest, I didn’t expect a lot as I knew it wasn’t a ‘main’ attraction. However, I was pleasantly surprised. As we walked up, we could see the looming red drum tower in the distance which was again, carefully constructed and designed. Just across the square stood the bell tower; a less impressive building but equally large. After another run in with the ‘paparazzi’ we climbed the bell tower. Amelia counted about 100 steps (but they were more like leap steps as they were so huge!) When we reached the top the views were spectacular. You could walk all the way around the edge with the impressive 23 feet copper bell hanging in the centre.  As you look out, you can see the drum tower in the distance. However, the stranger thing I found was the view from the other directions. From there, you can see the small, quirky ‘hutongs’ (translated as: little alleyways) surrounding the tower. Out in the distance though, modern sky scrapers towered over, blocking the horizon. This contrasting scenery really summed up Beijing; there are many locals with humble homes whilst simultaneously, rich businessman walk around a few miles away. 

We then went to the drum tower where we could also see incredible views. We were also in time for a ‘drumming’ performance which they do every few hours. The performers played incredibly well and it was a lot of fun to see.

We found that we were near Houhai Lake, so wandered over, through the hutongs, to grab some lunch. Hunger drove us to the nearest restaurant; a place that looked run down but when we got upstairs we were again surprised by another brilliant view. This time, it looked over the lake one side and the drum tower the other. After some delicious food, it was time to go back.

This evening we delved into some traditional Chinese cuisine-the famous ‘hot-pot’. It was a similar procedure to the meal we had a few days ago at the silk market but on a larger, more impressive (and delicious!) scale. The pictures show what it is really, but we basically ordered large plates of different foods which we then threw into a massive ‘hot-pot’ to cook and then served ourselves. It was a lot of fun and very tasty! We went with one of our Chinese friends who was thankfully able to order for us (gave us a break from pointing and guessing!) 

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Day 20-Rain, rain and more rain!

So to our dismay, we hear its a heat wave back in England whilst here it is raining...well more accurately...flooding! 

Walking to my lecture this morning, the rain destroyed my shoes. Whilst thunder clapped around me buckets of water poured down, drenching every poor soul regardless of the width of their umbrella or the thickness of their waterproof. 

The water was up to my ankles by the time I reached the building for my lecture. After 3 hours, my feet were pretty cold (quite grim!) but it was time to brave the outdoors as my stomach was ready for food! Unfortunately, the only way out was by braving the now, newly formed, ‘Peking Canal’ that had risen up to people’s shins, almost the knees for some. Wading through the rocky river (every time a car passed there was a mini tidal wave..) we made it to the next island...the canteen. After a deliciously warm hot broth of meatballs and veg we knew it was time to go home. This time we trudged on, with the knowledge a warm, dry room in wait at the end. Regrettably, my umbrella couldn’t take the downpour and gave way. Luckily, the campus shop is well stocked so I have already bought one in preparation for my next adventure outside.

This afternoon was spent inside (the only thing we could do!) so we decided to watch ‘The Bucket List’. The Great Wall was on the list; that’s one ticked off for us! We ordered pizza (they were huge!) and relaxed. We are hoping the rain will ease off but its still currently ‘heaving it down’ and it doesn’t look like it will stop tomorrow.

I am sorry my blog is mainly a weather report but due to the wetness we couldn’t really do a lot. Getting from one building to the next was a challenge itself, let alone across the city! But its all part of the fun and the weather is definitely different than the UK (much more extreme!) 

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Day 18- The heat is back! 

This morning we had the joys of wearing our traditional outfits again in prep for our Tai Chi lesson (yes-we felt as ridiculous as we look..) It was a lot of fun but tiring as the weather is a lot warmer again today. Tai Chi is like what you are thinking-move your arms in a ‘sweeping’ motion up and down; move your legs a bit and you have this form of Chinese exercise! Of course it was a lot more complicated than this but for the majority of the lesson I spent it intently watching the instructor or laughing at myself at how awful I was. We did provide a lot of entertainment for passers by (although I think I’m immune to the stares now so I didn’t really notice that it was because I looked funny this time rather than my skin tone!) 

This evening we went for dinner at the nearest ‘busier’ area (sorry for my poor use of words-I mean the area with a lot of restaurants/shops near ish campus). We have walked here before but it is a good 40mins so decided to get public transport. Normally we would hop on the tube but because it was so close we decided to get the bus. After being warned by pretty much everyone that the bus is a bad idea for those that don’t speak the language, we of course had to take up the challenge. It turned out to be pretty straight forward; we could use our subway cards to pay and we guessed the right stop to get off at. However, they were packed!! Plus, it is someones designated job to shout at people on the bus which I found hilarious.

We went to a little Korean restaurant for dinner. The food was similar Chinese (sharing dishes with rice) but there was a slight difference in the flavours and dish types. We then (by recommendation of a friend) went to a Korean dessert place (continuing the same culture theme..) and had a huge dessert-yum! 

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Day 17- 中间 The middle

 So I am officially (over) half way through my time here in China! I am loving every minute and still learning so many great things.

I went to church this morning (after a big buffet breakfast in one of the restaurants in our complex-nice!) For those that don’t know, I go to church at home so wanted to go and see what an international one was like here in Beijing. It was really good to worship with others and praise and thank God-especially for this opportunity in China! The church was huge (much bigger than my home church!) and there were people from everywhere; from a few months, a few years or just passing through- this church welcomed people from all over. Afterwards we went to a nice Indian restaurant with some students we met which was delicious.

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Day 16-Stepping onto The Wall

What a day. So this has to be the highlight of my trip so far-today was incredible! 

This morning we were up bright and early to catch a coach to the Great Wall of China. I was excited as I have heard and seen so many stories about its splendour but to be honest, no one could have prepared me for what I saw. Me and a few others decided to get the cable car up to the top so we could get the best views and walk along the wall further up. When we reached the top, we climbed a few steps further in anticipation of reaching the wall. What we saw was breathtaking. Greenery flourished all around on the rolling mountains and the wall spiralled out into the unseen distance. I am literally failing words! It was a panorama of natural beauty and I was standing in the middle of it.

Things I didn’t expect: Other than its overwhelming scenery, there were a few things that surprised me. For instance, the wall was a lot more restored than I imagined. Also, I thought it would be smooth and fairly straight, but there were a lot of steps (tiny, awkward ones!) and it continuously snaked up and down. I imagined it to be a lot busier (some areas there were quite a few people) but it wasn’t as packed as I thought (which was nice!). Luckily it was a lot cooler as well so walking wasn't uncomfortable. 

This evening was the icing of a spectacular day. Some friends we made last week took us to a Peking Duck restaurant (note: for those uneducated in Chinese cuisine, peking duck is known for being top notch). They were from all over but all had family links to China so it was great to chat about their culture and eat a lot of good, traditional food! For instance, we had heard here they eat dessert like a starter/appetiser and have soup at the end..so that’s what we did which was a fun experience! Also, I was very excited as our dishes were put onto a revolving plate (also known as the ‘lazy Susan’) so we could spin it round to reach the other side.  The duck lived up to its expectation and after a lesson on how to prepare it in the pancakes from the waitress, we all tucked in. The restaurant was in the centre of Beijing, so we strolled round the bright, lively city after trying more food (like green tea ice-cream!) and wandering into some shops. 

I had been told by many people that the two ‘must do’ things in China are visiting the Great Wall and trying Peking Duck so today I accomplished both and wow...it was all incredible. 

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Day 13-

 Today was mainly relaxing, lectures and studying. As you can see by the pictures the sky was still clear! Although it was lovely sunshine and good air this did mean it was a lot hotter so I didn’t mind not venturing off campus. I did study in their library-it is huge (like a lot of the buildings here!) I particularly loved the ‘sleep section’ where there were headphones playing calming music and bird noises next to some comfy seats where people just sat and fell asleep! May suggest getting a sleep zone at Reading library…I think it would be fairly popular?!

This evening we had a (late) welcome ‘happy hour’ time with the other PKU summer school students. This wasn’t a normal British happy hour with half price drinks (much to many people’s disappointment...!) but we did get free food so I guess that’s still pretty good?! It was so refreshing and fun to mingle and meet with other students. I mean, how often do you get to chat to people from Canada, Hong Kong and South Korea whilst sipping fresh juice and watching the sunset around a pagoda on an island in the middle of a stunning lake…and this is all happening in the city of Beijing, China?! It is bliss.

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Day 12- A sports day

 This morning in my diet, health and medicine lecture we went to the gym! After some resistant training and cardiovascular practice, we went to the lake. From the pagoda we did a mile walking test to see how healthy we were (I was apparently above average?!) It was nice to walk round the lake even if it was under timed conditions! It is a lot cooler today as it was raining this morning (but still warm enough for shorts!) We could actually see the BLUE sky today...and white fluffy clouds...its been a while so this was quite exciting and being British, I have to mention the weather. 

After another lesson on Understanding China and some lunch from a different canteen, me and Fran went to the Olympic Park. Again, I was overwhelmed by how big it was! We also saw the Olympic aquatic stadium and a lot of other buildings from the Olympics.  We went to a shopping mall (still in the Olympic complex) and I got a dragon fruit (common here) and pear drink-delicious.

Then it was back to campus for a study group session for one of my classes. In that I met Sandy properly, a student from Taiwan, who came for dinner with me and Fran. It was good food and conversation; we chatted about the differences between our culture, her own and China’s so it was very interesting. And very useful as she was able to order for us (made a change from pointing and signing what we wanted!)

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Day 11- A food day

I had my ‘health, diet and medicine’ lecture this morning. Again, it was so much fun!  We spent the first hour in his laboratory learning about different diet practices of China and comparing them to the West. We also had to share our favourite Chinese cuisine-I said dumplings but I also just love the family feel that comes with eating...everyone shares dishes rather than has their own here so not only can you try a lot of different foods, you can also enjoy good company in a relaxed atmosphere.

During this part we also got given our Tai Chi costume (see pic) which we will wear in some of our upcoming lessons..don’t we look cool?! 

We then went to one of the canteens on campus and had to order our own dish based around what we had just learnt. I ordered rice with a potato, beef, tomato, onion dish ‘thing’. It was so good and not spicy (which made a change!) I also got a pot of yogurt (see pic) which are so popular around here. We kept seeing them around and wondered what they were (we thought they were milk as you drink it with a straw) but its yogurt! Its a weird feeling ‘drinking yogurt’ but it was lovely and refreshing. We then shared why we picked the dish and how it matched China’s health recommendations. 

This evening we went to Houhai Lakes for dinner. We found a authentic restaurant (family run) out of the way. From the recommendation of a classmate from my previous lesson, we ordered pineapple rice (it came in a pineapple!!) and it was definitely the highlight! So my new favourite food here may have over taken dumplings...

We then continued round the now busy lake; again the place came alive. Flashing lights, live music and a lot of happy strollers all looking to relax and enjoy the evening. Which is what we did; after grabbing an ice-cream we wandered back slowly to the tube and caught it back to our halls.