THE ARRIVAL WAS PRETTY TRAUMATIC
I GOT THERE AT 7AM WITHOUT MY LUGGAGE!
WE EXITED THE SUBWAY IN BEIJING AND THE FIRST THING WE SAW
WAS A MARKETPLACE THAT WAS FLOODED WITH PEOPLE.
WE COULDN'T WALK THROUGH IT WITH OUR BAGS. WE WERE TRAPPED.
THE INITIAL "CULTURE SHOCK" OF THE MARKETPLACE WAS QUICKLY PUT TO REST
WHEN WE SAW A GROUP OF ELDERS CALMLY PLAYING CHESS
AND ONE CHILD IN PARTICULAR THAT WAS DRAWING ANCIENT CHINESE CHARACTERS
IN FRONT OF A CLASSIC "HUTONG HOUSE"
IT'S VERY STRANGE SEEING SOMEONE SO YOUNG SHOWING SO MUCH DEDICATION AND SKILL IN AN ANCIENT ARTFORM
INSTEAD OF PLAYING WITH THE OTHER KIDS IN THE STREET.
THESE FIRST FEW MOMENTS OF GENUINE CHINESE LIFESTYLE WERE THE PERFECT WELCOME AND WE COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER START TO THE TRIP.
I'VE BEEN TO QUITE A FEW COUNTRIES BUT I'VE NEVER SUFFERED SO MUCH FROM THE HEAT.
WHEN I'D WAKE UP...I'D ALREADY BE SWEATING.
I'D GET OUT THE SHOWER...AND START SWEATING.
I'D VISIT MUSUEMS AND START DRIPPING.
I'D GO SKATING...AND SWEAT.
AND THEN I'D GO TO DINNER AND SWEAT SOME MORE. 24/7
THEY'RE LONG, BLONDE AND FAIR...
...WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR?
WE WERE SO HYPED ON THE SPOT THAT EVERYONE WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT SKATING
BUT WE KNEW THAT WE HAD THIS PROJECT TO WORK ON
SO EVERYONE EVENTUALLY STARTED PUTTING IN WORK AND WE ENDED UP WITH A LOT OF FOOTAGE.
SOMETIMES IT WAS TOO HOT TO SKATE DURING THE DAY SO WE'D GO AT NIGHT
AND WE'D FIND THE SQUARES COMPLETELY FULL OF PEOPLE DANCING, SINGING AND BASICALLY JUST GIVING LIFE TO THE PLAZAS.
THE STREET SPOTS IN CHINA ARE INCREDIBLE...
THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT YOU'LL BE SKATING IN AN EMPTY PLAZA AND IT SUDDENLY BECOMES FULL OF KIDS ON ROLLERBLADES AND BIKES THAT COME OUT OF NOWHERE.
IT'S AWESOME THAT THE PEOPLE MAKE THESE PLACES COME TO LIFE BUT FROM A SKATERS PERSPECTIVE IT SUCKS BECAUSE YOU'RE FORCED TO STOP SKATING.
THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT WAS SUPER EFFICIENT.
THERE WERE AT LEAST 15 TRAIN LINES IN BOTH BEIJING AND SHANGHAI.
WE WERE ALL COMFORTABLE ON THE SUBWAY...EXCEPT FOR GAB...
HE WAS HAVING A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING.
I HAD A SORE THROAT FROM THE FIRST DAY.
ONE OF THE MOST CURIOUS THINGS THAT I NOTICED
WAS THAT WE SEEMED TO BE A TOURIST ATTRACTION.
WE'D CONSTANTLY HAVE PEOPLE COME UP TO US AND ASK TO TAKE OUR PHOTO. IT SEEMED LIKE A NORMAL THING FOR THEM TO DO.
THEY'D ASK TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH THEIR SON, THEIR DAUGHTER...
WE DEFINATELY DIDN'T EXPECT IT AND IT MADE US LAUGH EVERY TIME!
THE CHINESE TOURISTS DIDN'T WANT PHOTOS OF STATUES OR MONUMENTS.
THE REAL ATTRACTION SEEMED TO BE US EUROPEANS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT MOVES YOU. THE WAY THAT THEY SEEM TO OBSERVE EVERY LITTLE DETAIL.
EVEN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS PUSHING DOWN THE STREET WITHOUT DOING TRICKS.
EVEN MERELY HOLDING A SKATEBOARD SPARKED CURIOSITY, WONDER AND EVEN ADMIRATION.
BOTH BEIJING AND SHANGHAI HAVE A HUGE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE MODERN AND ANCIENT PARTS OF THE CITIES
BUT IT'S INCREDIBLE SEEING HOW BOTH CITIES MANAGE TO FUSE THE TWO TOGETHER STYLES TOGETHER.
BEIJING WAS AMAZING.
THERE ARE DEFINATELY MORE SKATE SPOTS IN SHANGHAI,
BUT WHEN YOU THINK OF "CHINA" IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE BEIJING WAS MORE MEMORABLE.
VISITING THE GREAT WALL WAS TIRING BUT DEFINATELY A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.
THE SECTION THAT WE VISITED WAS "MUTIANYU" WHICH MEANS "ADMIRE THE FIELDS AND VALLEY".
THE NAME WAS WELL CHOSEN BECAUSE AFTER ALL THAT WORK YOU GET TO THE PERFECT SPOT...
...AND THE VIEW IS JUST SPECTACULAR.
THE GREAT WALL WAS PRETTY COOL...
...BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE BEST THING WAS GOING BACK DOWN.
THEY HAD THESE AWESOME LITTLE SLEDS AND A LONG METAL SLIDE THAT TOOK YOU BACK DOWN.
AND YOU COULD GO DOWN AS FAST AS YOU WANTED...
...UNLESS YOU CRASHED INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU...
...WHICH HAPPENED OFTEN.
LOOKOUT!
SLOW DOWN! SLOW DOWN!
THE REAL CHAOS IS THE TRAFFIC.
TOTAL ANARCHY ON AND OFF THE ROAD.
MY FAVOURITE THINGS WERE THE MOTORIZED SCOOTERS.
THEY WERE ELECTRIC SO YOU WOULDN'T HEAR THEM COMING.
SO YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW WHERE TO LOOK OR WHAT TO DO BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU HAVE RIGHT THEY'LL DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.
IT'S LIKE THEY'RE EXEMPT FROM ALL TRAFFIC LAWS.
I LOVED THEM THOUGH.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE ONE IN MILAN...WITH A TRAILER.
ANOTHER CUSTOM THAT WE REGULARLY SAW
WAS ELDERLY MEN DIPPING BIG BRUSHES IN WATER AND WRITING CHINESE CHARACTERS ON THE SIDEWALK.
ALL THESE TRADITIONS THAT THEY HAVE ARE BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT USED TO SEEING AND IT'S VERY MOVING.
THIS GOES BACK TO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THE SQUARES.
THEY REALLY LIVE THE CITY AND ALL ITS AREAS TO THE FULLEST.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A REALLY TIGHTLY-KNIT COMMUNITY
BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY ENJOY INTERACTING WITH STRANGERS.
EVERYONE DOES WHATEVER THEY WANT.
YOU'D SEE A BUSINESSMAN SLEEPING IN THE STREET...
...AND RIGHT NEXT TO HIM WOULD BE A GUY SLEEPING IN SANDALS AND A VEST.
WE RANDOMLY STARTED PLAYING TENNIS WITH AN OLD MAN WHO MUST'VE BEEN AROUND 60.
IT'S GREAT BEING ABLE TO CONNECT SO EASILY WITH EVERYONE.
THE SPOTS WERE EXCEPTIONAL. THE FLATGROUND WAS PERFECT EVERYWHERE WE WENT.
SHANGHAI IS BY FAR THE BEST CITY I'VE EVER SKATED
I HAD THE CHANCE TO VISIT A COUNTRY THAT WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO ANY PLACE I'VE EVER BEEN.
THE BEST HOLIDAY OF MY LIFE. DEFINATELY ONE TO DO AGAIN.