Elephant Sanctuary

Shaney Hudson travelled along South Africa’s Garden Route to uncover one of the continent’s most beautiful regions.

The road ahead is blocked.

“Traffic problem” announces our guide, smiling. We crawl forward in single file, then stop. It’s a Mexican standoff in Africa, and the rhino obstructing the path isn’t going to budge.

I had to laugh. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to get this close to the animals I’d only ever seen on the Discovery Channel. Yet during my two-hour game ride at Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve, I’d seen zebra, lions, buffalo, giraffe, crocodiles, hippo, wildebeest, antelope and a rhino with road rage. And this was a quiet day on the Garden Route: South Africa had so much more in store for me.

I can admit that before I travelled to South Africa, I had a bundle of misconceptions - that it was difficult to travel independently there, that it was expensive, that it was dangerous. Instead, I found some of the best backpacker infrastructure I've ever experienced. The hostels have excellent facilities; transport services, like the door-to-door Baz Bus, are super convenient, and it's a little known fact that the place is marvellously inexpensive.

And whilst you do have to be cautious in some areas, the beauty of the Garden Route is that it's one of the safest places to travel in South Africa. Although it officially starts at Mossel Bay, most travellers set out from Cape Town to tackle the section that stretches to Port Elizabeth.

My first destination is Nature’s Valley, near the Tsitsikamma National Park. I’m staying at Wild Tongue HI, a unique farm-cum-backpackers’ complete with a free range horse who wanders into the house to say hello. As well as being home to a charity set up by an ex-guest, it’s central to a number of wildlife sanctuaries, which offer hands-on animal experiences.

At Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre, I meet Chester, a fully grown male cheetah. I'm thrilled to run my hands over his coarse, caramel fur, freckled with a cheetah’s trademark black spots.

At the suggestion of his keepers, I let Chester set the boundaries for our interaction. As I scratch a spot on his chest, he begins to lick my hand. And then amazingly, he starts to suckle on my thumb. It's one of those classic experiences where I forget to even bother with the camera and simply absorb the wonder of the moment.

The next day I upsize my animal encounters at the nearby Elephant Sanctuary. I’m able to stroll hand-in-trunk with a fully grown elephant, but things go pear-shaped during feeding time.

Somehow, I'm the only person left in my group holding pieces of chopped apple, the elephant equivalent of fairy floss. I feel like Santa being mobbed by oversized kids as three greedy trunks jostle for their share of the loot.

Great White encounter

And just when I think the expression ‘hands-on’ has been pushed to the limit, I almost lose my fingertips to a Great White Shark at Gansbaai.

Clinging to a cage in freezing cold water, we hear the skipper yell "shark left!" and dutifully duck under. Emerging from the murky depths, the three-metre Great White ignores the baited line and comes straight for us.

I shrink against the back of the cage as he presses up against the wire mesh. The shark’s nose edges through into the cage, and he opens his mouth to reveal triangular teeth. I’m eye to eye with a Great White Shark at a distance of less than a foot. It lasts for just a second but it’s an image frozen in my mind forever.

The Garden Route offers a number of other activities to get your heart (and your visa card) pumping. The best of the lot is bungee jumping at Storms River. At 216 metres, it’s the world’s highest commercial bungee jump.

Waddling up to the edge with my legs bound, it’s hard to imagine what compelled me to want to jump off a perfectly good bridge. The crew count down from five, and I dive off, arms flailing. It’s a nine second freefall and I scream every inch of the way. It’s terrifying, but I come up feeling freer than I’ve ever felt in my life.

Keen to catch some sun, I push on to Jeffrey’s Bay. After a late night arrival at Island Vibe HI, I pass on the party thumping in the bar and fall asleep to the sound of waves crashing outside. I wake  to a spectacular pink sunrise and realise the hostel is actually right on the beach, with a view curving down the coast at one of the world's most revered surfing spots.

Unfortunately, the waves are closing out, so I go in search of another activity. Having had my fill of adrenalin, I pass on kite surfing, sandboarding and dune riding, and instead opt for a township tour in the Black community of Tokyo Sexwale.

Poverty is a frustrating reality in South Africa. Along the Garden Route, you’ll pass Stepford-like gated communities and, a hundred metres down the road, a Black township consisting of makeshift scrap metal dwellings.

Most hostels offer a township tour in their local community. A standard tour involves a visit to a school, a meeting with a sangoma (witch doctor), and a tour of community projects, then finishes at a shebeen, or bar.

For me, taking a township tour was uncomfortable, as I had to weigh up my unease at the voyeuristic nature of visiting a Black township against my desire to understand another part of South Africa from which I was largely sheltered as a tourist.

And halfway through taking a gulp of pink, fermented homebrew, I was put on the spot. Why, some locals I was sitting with asked, did I want to visit a Township? It was a fair question. With the translation of my guide, Cas, I stammered that I wanted to better understand how all people live in South Africa.

"And" I cheekily added, "I heard the homebrew tasted good".

Whilst facing such stark poverty is difficult, it’s satisfying to know that your backpacking dollars make a difference. Most YHAs in South Africa support their local communities by funding schools and drop-in centres, facilitating volunteers in local projects, being fair trade accredited, or by simply organising soccer matches between backpackers and local kids.

After a few days I head back down the Cape, breaking up my trip at Stellenbosch, a Dutch colonial town with a thriving night scene. Roughly the same distance from the main airport as Cape Town, it’s the best place to sample the country’s world-renowned wine.

I book an Easy Rider wine tour through the aptly named Stumble Inn HI and visit some of the quirkiest wineries I've ever seen (think goats in castles, eagle rehabilitation centres on site, and very overweight cats), quaffing quality wine along the way. We devour delicious springbok stew for lunch, the Australian rugby faithfuls amongst us noting that this would be the standard practice come next test between the two nations.

With time running out, I head back to Cape Town and settle in at The Backpack, a classy HI in the centre of town. Unfortunately the weather has beaten me, ruling out planned trips to Table Mountain and Robben Island.

Instead, I spend my last day bushwalking at the Cape of Good Hope, where I’m almost swept away by the legendary winds. Zebra graze on the plains, seals play in the water, and penguins waddle past us just metres away. I’m fairly satisfied with my day, but South Africa has one last surprise in store.

As dusk falls, our driver pulls over. Piling out of the van and dodging four lanes of traffic, we run to the water’s edge. Just fifty metres offshore, two Southern Right Whales are circling with their baby. The first whales of the season, they’ve migrated all the way from Antarctica.

A small group of strangers has gathered together to watch the spectacle, and we all laugh and share binoculars and small talk.

“It’s a long way to come, all the way to South Africa”, I overhear someone say.

Smiling to myself, I think 'It’s worth it'!

http://www.backpackeressentials.com.au/article/feature.cfm?objectid=1862&listQueryString=contentTypeID%3D3%26destinationID%3D422%26pageNumber%3D1

The Rocks during Vivid,

Sydney Harbour might be a millionaires playground, but you don’t have to be rich to see the best of it, says Lee Atkinson, who takes a trip back in time in The Rocks. And better still, there is now a new YHA hostel right in the heart of this historic area - Sydney Harbour YHA.

There are almost a dozen historic old pubs in The Rocks, and they all offer good beer, fine food and lots of atmosphere and it doesn’t really matter where you go, you’ll be in for a good time.  

But it wasn’t always like that. Times past, you had to be very careful where you drank in The Rocks. Certainly not the Hero of Waterloo, where rumour has it that there are secret tunnels that connect the pub to the harbour and unfortunate drinkers would be shanghai’d onto ships.  Or the Whalers Arms Hotel where, according to urban legend at least, beer was brewed on site using water drawn from a well in the back yard. When the patrons complained that the beer tasted a bit off the publican drained the well to find the body of a decomposing prostitute at the bottom.  

It’s stories like these that transform one of the most colourful suburbs of Sydney into one huge free outdoor museum. You can’t help but get a real sense of living history as you wander around the back alleys and laneways and down concave steps worn by the passing of countless feet. Modern day shiny Sydney may be just down the hill, but here is another world, where the past seems not that far away at all, and you can still see the old pulleys on the former bond stores, foundations of old workers cottages and the remains of public latrines built into the rock face that gave the suburb its name.  

Until the late 20th century, when it became a gentrified tourist destination full of galleries and touristy shops, it was seen as a hotbed of vice, renowned for its debauchery, brothels, drunken sailors and other unsavoury characters. By 1900 the authorities viewed The Rocks as an overcrowded slum and they used an outbreak of bubonic plague (that actually only killed 3 people) to start to clear the area. However, the pendulum is now swinging the other way, with historians using evidence of social and economic life (including excavation on the site of the new hostel) as proof that the locals enjoyed a better standard of living that originally thought.  

These are just some to the stories you’ll learn at the Rocks Discovery Centre, a fantastic free museum in a restored 1850s sandstone warehouse that focuses just on The Rocks, and at the nearby Justice and Police Museum, housed in the old police and court building near Circular Quay. The old cells, courtroom, prisoner docks and spiked gates are still there, and there’s usually an interesting, if not downright quirky exhibition showing, but what makes this place so wonderfully chilling is the array of confiscated weapons and forensic photographs of past crimes and bad guys, most of which was put together in 1910 as part of a collection used to instruct new constables in the wicked ways of the local criminals.  

Life here was certainly mean and tough, and not just back in the 19th century. On Gloucester Street there is a row of four tiny terrace houses and a corner shop that were built in 1844. They were home to more than 100 families over 150 years, right up until 1990, quite astounding given the primitive and cramped conditions. It’s now a museum called Susannah Place, and the one-hour guided tour, coupled with the oral histories, bring the life and times of the tenants alive. 

It’s one of the things that sets The Rocks apart from most tourist precincts in other cities around the world.  Real people still live here.  And not just rich people either. Take a walk down to Millers Point and you’ll see many of the terrace houses that were saved from demolition by the Green Bans in the 1970s, and despite being on some of the most expensive real estate in Sydney they are still public housing.  

But the thing I really love about The Rocks are the many free (or really cheap) attractions.  It means you can spend two or three days here and not get bored – or run out of cash.  

The Rocks Aroma Festival - July each year

Start at Sydney Observatory on the hill behind Cumberland Street. Built in 1858, Australia’s oldest observatory was a working one until the 1970s when increasing light pollution made observations too difficult, and it is now a museum. Highlights include the Cadi Eora birrung, which looks at Sydney’s stars from an Aboriginal perspective and the Transit of Venus, which back in 1769 was one of the main reasons why Cook set sail to the other side of the world, discovering Australia after observing the transit in Tahiti.  

Just next door is the SH Ervin Gallery. Run by the National Trust this gallery is all about Australian art. For more head down to along the western shore of the point to the old finger wharves of Walsh Bay, where you can follow the history of the area and the people who worked and lived there on story boards and artefacts on display. Juxtaposed against all this gritty industrial heritage is a modern sculpture trail with supersized bright art installations from some of Australia’s best known artists, including Brett Whiteley.  My favourite, though is Jimmie Durham’s Still Life with Stone & Car, a crumpled red Ford Festiva convertible that has a huge boulder inside it, left seemingly abandoned in the middle of a roundabout.  

The Rocks market

Head back towards Circular Quay through The Argyle Cut, a tunnel through the sandstone ridge built by convicts in chain gangs.  Poke your nose into Cadmans Cottage, built in 1816 this two-story simple cottage is one of the oldest buildings in city. The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is just next door, and it’s also free. And don’t forget Government House over in the Botanic Gardens, they have free guided tours every half hour. When the house was built it was the most sophisticated example of Gothic Revival architecture in the colony, and as you would expect, inside there is a grand collection of Australian furniture and art. What you don’t expect to find is the stunning collection of contemporary glass art and modern furniture mixed in with the old.   

But the best bargain of all has to be a walk across the Harbour Bridge. It will cost you almost $200 to climb it but crossing it on foot via the pedestrian walkway is free. Look out for the sign on Cumberland Street that says ‘Bridge Stairs’ and then climb the 200 steps to the top of the south-east Pylon Lookout for views almost as good as what you get from the top of the arch, but $190 cheaper. The pylon lookout also features exhibitions on the history and construction of the bridge, which was officially opened in 1932 (although the ribbon was cut by a dashing mounted guardsmen who appeared out of nowhere brandishing a sword, much to the consternation of the Premier and other officials). Who says you have to be rich to see the best of Sydney Harbour?

What’s On 

The Rocks is home to many great free events throughout the year. 

New Year’s Eve: The city celebrates with two mega fireworks shows,  one at 9pm, another at midnight. It’s one of the largest free public events on the planet. 31 December.

Sydney Festival: Three weeks of theatre, dance, music and visual arts. Free events include two huge outdoor concerts in the Domain and Festival First Night with 10 outdoor stages and all of the festival’s major talent is on show for free. Last three weeks in January.  

Australia Day: Most of the museums are free for the day, there’s a festival on at The Rocks, a vintage motorshow, lots of free outdoor concerts, a ferry race and boat parade on the harbour and fireworks. 26 January. 

Vivid Sydney: Highlights in 2009 included luminous art installations around the harbour foreshore and city streets and stunning light projections that painted the sails of the Opera House in a kaleidoscope of colours. Mid-May to mid-June.

Aroma Festival: Wake up and smell the coffee. Sunday, mid-July. 

Crave Sydney: A new three-week arts, food and wine party. October. 

The view from the roof terrace of the new hostel

New Kid on the Block 

The sparkling new Sydney Harbour YHA is now open in The Rocks joining the other 7 YHAs in and around Sydney.

Sydney is in many ways a city of precincts – a city where different suburbs and areas offer locals and visitors a diversity of urban experiences. The CBD is the business and shopping hub of the city, flanked by Central Station at one end and the harbour at the other. But tucked away on the harbour’s edge, in the shadow of the Harbour Bridge, is The Rocks – site of Australia’s earliest known European settlement.  

Sydney Harbour YHA joins this network of hostels with a unique location and property. Facing onto Cumberland and Gloucester Streets, and just behind the atmospheric Australian Heritage Hotel, the new hostel has been designed to not only allow for gob-smacking harbour, Opera House and city skyline views but also to preserve and interpret the early colonial history beneath it.  

Raised up on pillars, the two main buildings are joined by a glass walk way over Cribbs Lane – one of two colonial laneways through the site that have been restored and reopened. The centre voids of the buildings look down over the remnants of early colonial houses, whilst interpretative displays explain the lively characters who lived there from 1795 to 1901. Artefacts from archaeological digs (which have given the site the name The Big Dig – now the name of the onsite Education Centre) allow a window into the lives of these early Sydney inhabitants.

Double Room

Stay in either a 4 or 6 bed multi-share room, or choose a twin or double or family room. All have ensuite bathrooms, and many have great harbour views. With a generous lounge area, full kitchen, TV room, internet, tour desk and shop, Sydney Harbour YHA has all the communal facilities you would expect. But the roof top terrace, with its awe-inspiring view is likely to be the hub of the hostel. Come to snap the view, watch all the activity on the busy harbour or just chill out on a sun lounge. Whatever you choose, this is the spot to be this summer.

 http://www.backpackeressentials.com.au/article/feature.cfm?objectID=2295

Canada is a mystifying country full of great beauty and diversity, with natural sceneries to blow your mind and cosmopolitan cities perfect for any fashion, music or art junkie. Australian’s have long chose Canada as the ultimate travel destination for backpacking and it’s not hard to see why. Canada is extremely welcoming to Aussie tourists, especially backpackers, and the Canadian tourism industry has provided endless opportunities to cater for the budget traveler. Whether it’s hiking through luscious green mountainsides, trying your luck at snowboarding or scoping out the cheapest downtown bar to drink at, Canada truly does offer something for all backpacking tastes and budgets.

Unlike Australia which is separated into states, Canada is divided into provinces, each of which varies greatly in landscape and attractions. Before freaking out about what should be your first destination, your best starting point is to get a grasp on what some of the main tourist towns have to offer:

Vancouver

It never ceases to amaze me how many Aussie’s fall instantly in love with Vancouver. The city is mapped in such a way that even the most beginner of backpackers can easily navigate their way around. Built amongst breathtaking surroundings, with snow capped mountains on one side and ocean on the other, Vancouver is also home to Stanley Park, one of the biggest inner-city parks in all of North America. Truly a haven for Aussie’s, do not be surprised if a majority of fellow backpackers at your hostel also hail from your homeland. Vancouver is very popular amongst working Aussie travelers who have set up long-term camp within this endearing city. The combination of English Bay, Stanley Park and the convenient plan of the city paves the perfect path for cheap, exciting days out and about. And don’t forget the nightlife; Vancouver is an ideal city for leisurely jugs of beer with new found friends and fellow travelers.

Whistler

By far one of the most popular tourist destinations for Aussie backpackers, Whistler is like Disneyland for snow-sports enthusiasts and adventure travelers alike. A thriving winter wonderland, Whistler offers skiing, snowboarding, and just about any other winter activity you can think of. In the warmer months when the snow level drops the mountains provide a superb ground for hiking and camping adventures and fresh air at it’s finest. Whistler is party central and the slopes are the perfect place to get together for a big night out with travelers from all over the world. A short bus ride from Vancouver, Whistler is a cheap must-see for backpackers.

Toronto

Often referred to as Canada’s New York, Toronto is the place to go if you like your cities busy, bustling and full of life. Toronto is the entertainment and culture capital of Canada and there is so much to see and do here that you will find yourself stressing that you won’t be able to fit it all in. With some of the world’s very best museums, art galleries and boutique retail shopping, the conservative backpacker will definitely have to keep track of their expenditure. The city is surrounded by one of the largest recreational waterfronts in North America so that even if you don’t have the heftiest budget, you can at least appreciate the beauty and architecture of this incredible city.

Montreal

Contrary to popular beliefs Canada is not an all-French speaking country. Throughout Canada all products are displayed in both English and French (for example, one side of a milk carton will display the label in English and the other side in French) however do not be surprised if you don’t come across one single Canadian who can string a sentence together in French. In fact, Quebec is generally the only province you will even hear people speak the French language, but be warned that when they say they speak French in Montreal, they really speak French! Street signs, menus, and store names are often written purely in French and the patience for English is not always tolerated. This culture shock should be handled with care and truly embraced, as it’s a complete rarity to find such a culture immersed within a Western country. Complete with cobblestone streets, freezing winters and fine cuisine, Montreal and the whole of Quebec is truly a little piece of Europe right on the borderline of Canada and the USA.

My best advice is to decide what town holds the most appeal and base your first travels around that area. The entire country is full of adventure and beauty so it’s impossible to make a wrong decision, whether its bustling cities that appeal to you or small country towns that are more up your alley. The fact that Canada borderlines with the USA is an added bonus, and short trips across the border to cities like Seattle from Vancouver or New York from Toronto are easy and cheap and can broaden the scope of your travel experience immensely. The best way to travel Canada is by bus or car, as the sprawling landscapes are not to be missed, however flights across Canada can also be inexpensive and convenient if you find the right deal.

An Aussie’s Guide to Backpacking in Canada

(via Travel Tips: Backpacking Canada Travel Advice and Packing Tips)

This is the epic cross-continental journey from the east coast of Canada to the west, taking you from the Franco-Canadian cities and maritime cultures of the Atlantic coast through the mountainous middle region to verdant Vancouver and the wild waves of the Pacific. Give yourself plenty of time; you will no doubt fall in love with unexpected places and dawdle under the starry Canadian skies, as you should. No matter what season you are traveling in, pack warm layers for the chilly nights and plan on slowing down just a little bit. You can travel this itinerary in either direction, but there is something about heading west on a road trip that just feels right, like chasing the setting sun.

Highlights

Immerse yourself in all the diverse beauty of Canada. Attend a street festival in Montreal and make friends with the performers. Eat a seafood feast in Kingston and survey the kingdom of Toronto from the top of the CN Tower. Take a boat ride at the bottom of Niagara Falls, and test your road trip skills as you travel through Middle Canada. Get some R&R at Lake Louise, hike until you can’t breathe at Banff, and play with the wind at Jasper National Park. Skinny dip in a glacial stream in Glacier National Park, and finally arrive back to civilization in Vancouver: eat, drink and be merry!

Suggested Route

Starting Point: Montreal
Ending Point: Vancouver

Time Frame: 3 Weeks +

You will basically be taking the Trans Canada Highway, or Highway 1, across the continent with various side trips and detours for national parks and other sites of interest. Choose your route wisely, and remember in Canada the going can be slow, so plan extra time to get from point A to B.

From Montreal head east on 401 to Toronto, stopping in Ottawa and Kingston and then doing a detour to Niagara Falls from Toronto if desired. Head up Highway 11 to Algonquin National Park, and then travel east on Highway 17 through Sault Sainte-Marie and Thunder Bay into Winnipeg. Continue east on Highway 1 to Regina and Moose Jaw, and then go north toward Saskatoon and on to Edmonton, Jasper National Park, Lake Louise and Banff before dropping down into Calgary (or you can skip Saskatoon and Edmonton and head straight towards Calgary, cutting up to Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise). From there it’s off to Yoho National Park, on west to Revelstoke, Kamloops, and finally ending up in Vancouver!

Trip Idea: Canada Cross Country: Vancouver to Montreal

(via Backpacking Trips: Backpacker Itineraries, Touring, Rail and Bus)

Australia has a lot of adventures. Just click on each heading to see what you can do and how to book. We do suggest that you pre book as many of the adventures need a minimum size and do not just run on demand. Book early and be sure of the adventure. It is also save lots of hassle when you arrive into the resort as hard to locate at that point.

Abseiling
Abseiling is about descending a rock face quickly. There are lots of places for Australia abseiling.

Bungee Jumping
Bungee jumps began on Pentecost Island where kids jumped off a bamboo tower with vines attached to their feet. Bungee jumping now uses high strength latex rubber. One of the most popular bungee jumps is in Cairns.

Ballooning
Many locations offer a hot air balloon flight. Most hot air balloon flights start early and then finish with breakfast.

Camel riding
Try riding camels on the beach at Noosa or in the outback.

Caving
Caving is dark and dirty but fun. In Australia we have around 6500 caves. Some of the well known ones are Naracoorte Caves in South Australia and Jenolan Caves in New South Wales. Caving must be done with an organised group led by professionals.

Cycling
lots of opportunities to take bike tour. Maybe a mountain bike ride or a historical cycle around Sydney.

Fishing
Australia has some of the best fishing in the world both inland and on the ocean. Have a look at some of the deep sea fishing charters and be sure to catch something!

Flying
Australia is great for flying. Lots of space has advantages. A great place to learn to fly or take a trip in a fighter jet.

Horse riding
Ride on the beach, ride in the desert and explore the outback with one of the many horseback adventures.

Jet boating
Jet boating started in New Zealand and now very popular in many places in Australia.

Kayaking
Kayak or canoe on our rivers or the ocean. There are many kayak tours and many last a few days.

Kite Surfing
Kite surfing is an extreme sport where the wind pulls you across the ocean. Try it out on a lake or calm water.

Parasailing
Parasail above the ocean being towed behind a boat. A popular activity on the Gold Coast and at other bigger resorts,

Off road driving
Try some off road adventures.

Rafting
Rivers are graded from one to five. Most trips are in a shared raft. In Australia there are a number of rivers where rafting is possible.

Rock climbing
Australia has a lot of good rock climbs and graded up to 33.

Sailing
Sailing is very possible in Australia. A popular place is the Whitsundays where you can charter a yacht or be part of a shared charter.

Scuba diving
Learn to scuba dive in Australia and then explore the many reefs. It is possible to take a trial lesson first.

Australia Adventure. Australia extreme sports. Australia action.

(via Backpacking Travel Tips)

China's capital has transformed into one of the world's great cities at a speed few other metropolises could hope to match
Published: 3/01/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Brunch

Ten years ago, Beijing was a dowdy backwater of a capital. Now, the world looks on enviously at the futuristic buildings that loom over a buzzing, buoyant city that has embraced consumerism as eagerly as it once championed communism. Yet for all its fancy new trimmings, Beijing is in many ways the same city that was once ruled by emperors and has been invaded by everyone from Genghis Khan to the former colonial powers.


It's that contrast between the distant past and super-charged present that makes Beijing such a captivating destination. Tower blocks dot the skyline, but the hutong (ancient alleyways that criss-cross the heart of the city) still teem with life, as they did hundreds of years ago.

Temples and shopping malls co-exist, as do five-star restaurants and hole-in-the-wall dumpling joints, or you can sip a cocktail in a trendy rooftop bar while gazing over the Forbidden City. And only a couple of hours away, the majestic Great Wall snakes its way across the hills north of Beijing.

But as well as some of the most essential sights in all China, it's Beijing's fizzing energy that makes it such a unique place. Summer is hot and humid, and winter is freezing, making autumn and spring the best times to visit, but whenever you come you'll get to experience a city intoxicated by the spirit of change. It's never boring in Beijing.


BEIJING CITY GUIDE: Available at all good bookshops.
Beijingers are a stoical people. But even the most reserved of the city's 17 million-odd inhabitants have been left gasping, as well as proud, at the way the city has re-invented itself in recent years. If the staging of the hugely successful 2008 Olympics was the catalyst for this remarkable overhaul, then the pace has hardly let up since. New buildings, shopping malls and subway lines spring up almost weekly.

That feeling of being in permanent flux can be disorientating and the changes have resulted in millions of people decamping to the ever-expanding suburbs of this huge, sprawling city. The centre of the capital is now lined with the office blocks and shopping malls that stand as temples to the twin gods of money and status that many Beijingers worship. Moving up the social ladder is an obsession for everyone.

Constant change also means that most people look forward rather than back. The capital's former reputation as a conservative city is a fast-fading memory as rising incomes and the rapidly increasing numbers of restaurants, bars and clubs fuel a vibrant nightlife. And with the latest fashions in the shops and new cars on the streets, Beijingers are quickly shrugging off any feelings of inferiority to the West.

Nevertheless, the widening gap between the rich and the poor is evidence that not everyone has benefited from Beijing's boom. The city's 20-somethings might party till late with the latest cell phones clamped to their ears, but the elderly, the unemployed and the huge army of migrant workers in the capital exist in a parallel universe where life is far less sweet.

Politics, though, is hardly mentioned, at least not in public. For most people, especially the young, the knowledge that they can enjoy lives radically different and more prosperous than ever before is enough to satisfy them. But almost all Beijingers possess an overwhelming confidence that life can only get better. They know that this is their city's time.

Writer: Lonely Planet

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