Day Thirteen – We got through to Macca

Very early rise as we had decided to try to ring Macca -Australia allover ABC. Jill is still asleep. This would be the best night’s sleep she has had. Only one rise at about 4am. I had left the computer set up to contact Macca. I rang at 5.30am and got through to his assistant who asked me several questions and said she would try to get me by 10am Aust E.S.T.( 8am Shenzhen time). She asked me for a phone number to use and I gave her my mobile and then discovered for some reason my mobile goes straight to message bank. I rang her back with Allison’s mobile and finally after three attempts we were able to give her a number to ring. In anticipation we sat here waiting , when the call came I was that nervous, I expected him to ask some questions but he just let me ramble. I forgot to mention this site if listeners wanted anymore information. I have emailed the site etc to Macca’s ABC site. Lots of phone calls between families to let them know I would be possibly on. I hope it does somebody some good. Chris & Jackie from next door came in to say a friend from Sydney rang and said they had heard me on Macca.
Jill’s up and having a shower, with Allison to follow. A very plain breakfast orange juice and toast this morning.
We had thought we might get a taxi to SeaWorld which has a large Ship (Liner) land locked which is a hotel and convention centre, surrounded by lots of western style restaurants etc. I thought Jill was very tired, but we could not convince her that it would be better to rest. She wants Allison to see something. We went on the understanding that we would have something to eat and come straight back. We headed to the service elevator and went straight down , on leaving the air-conditioning of the hospital we were subject to the heat of Shenzhen (30c feels like 39c humidity about 80%). We caught a taxi just outside and showed him our piece of paper with (SeaWorld – ??????? and Nan Shan Hospital –Nan Shan ?? written in Chinese) and away we went. The drive was fairly uneventful, but it gave us the chance to see things from ground level. There were lots of buildings being built, shopping centre’s, apartments’, people, cars, bikes and anything else that will move. The drivers are very skilled in evasive moves and continually beep their horns at anything in front of them. Allison noted that the taxis seem to be Volkswagens. At the entrance to SeaWorld was McDonalds, KFC and Papa John’s Pizza Parlor. Opposite were several restaurants i.e. Californian Steak house etc and of course Starbucks. We had a look inside the ship before heading to Starbucks for a coffee fix. When we walked through the doors into the air-conditioning and the aroma of Coffee it was great.
The main show piece is the MINGHUA

Built as ANCERVILLE

In April 1973 ANCERVILLE was purchased by The People’s Republic of China, renamed MINGHUA.

In 1983 the vessel was berthed at Liuwan Bay, at Shekou near Shenzhen in southern China’s Guangdong province, part of a “special economic zone”. Once renovated the ship boasted; 253 hotel rooms, Chinese and Western restaurants, an English Bar, Bamboo Grove Bar, Music Dance Hall, swimming pool, health centre, children’s recreation centre and the China Folk Customs Exhibition Centre. Renamed by the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping as SHEKOU SEA WORLD, the ship became part of a plaza of shops, hotels and restaurants in the town centre of Shekou, a radical first of its kind for China.In 1984 MINGHUA was registered under Guangzhou Ocean Shipping, and by 1986 the vessel had appeared in registers as an hotel ship, finally by 1991 the name MINGHUA was erased from Lloyd’s Register. During her time berthed at “Sea World Plaza”, the surrounding seaward area was land filled to construct a large golf course. This left the ship entirely landlocked with soil bulldozed right up against hull. Shrubs were planted along the waterline while the coastline had been moved a quarter of a mile away, and the ship left sitting in a lawn.

We caught a taxi back to Nan Shan and the drive was similar, but he took a different way and we saw a few more buildings , etc.
Back in our room Jill has been to sleep while I have been writing this. Robyn just arrived and has offered us a piece of watermelon that they brought of a street vendor . The paid 4rmb ($0.75A)for 1/4 of a watermelon. Allison has just cut off a piece and Jill’s lips are watering.
Jill is insisting that I take Allison over to the electronics store to get Allison & Chris some Memory cards for their Camera. Jill also wants a phone. She wants a small one -pink in colour, so that it is different.
We headed of to Smegs Electronic store and after some bargaining we purchased 2 – I Gig memory cards for about $27 each. I think that I need a lesson in the art of bargaining. From there we went into McDonalds and purchased tea and headed back. Along the roadside there was several street side vendors selling cooked sweet corn, fish & turtles again and something that we could not identify which smelt off. There were others selling ornaments, toys, fruit and also a stand which appeared to be albums for wedding photos.
Allison had a look in a clothing shop for a couple of tops for Jill. She will go back tomorrow as the shop is only about 500met away.
While we were away Jill watched a DVD “The Interpreter” with Nicole Kidman & Sean Penn. This was the third attempt at playing a movie for her. The first choice was King Kong but it was in Chinese with English subtitles. The other one would not load. What can you expect from DVD that cost 90 cents each (these actually come from the library of DVD’s in the office.
We have finished tea and have taken a walk to to the balcony to look at the lights. It’s time for bed. Catch you on the flip side.
Our Photos
The Minghua
Allison & Jill having Iced coffee at StarBucks
Smegs Electronic Store
NanShan Hospital