Massive Update!

Hey, sorry I know I said that I would be updating it days ago but the power went down for a few days! Just sitting in an internet cafe in Chengdu before flying home tomorrow so apologies for a massive update!
 
18th June 2009 - 1:13pm
 
Today is going nicely so far and the sun is out and shining, which means that my socks I washed are finally dry!
 
Cleaning went fine today, you just get into a routine of it. We shut the pandas in their indoor enclosure, we remove all the excess bamboo branches, then poo, then the debris of the bamboo they have eaten. We then let the pandas out and lock them there so we can clean inside.
 
The inside of the cages is normally much easier to clean. The floor is marble and everything just slides off. Outside is a mixture of bumpy concrete and logs attached together making the broom hard to use.
 
Our new panda spent most of yesterday indoors by choice. She had urinated so much that the floor was covered in 2mm of pee. Combined with poo this makes a wonderful brown liquid. Took a lot of washing and sponging but nice when it got done.
 
I went to the internet in my break but the electricity was down, nice 30 minute walk nonetheless.
 
At feeding time our keeper has taught Neenee to open his mouth and catch small lumps of panda bread - great fun!
 
Played cards a bit, the keepers seem to find this great fun and always gather around when we play.
 
Just had lunch and then sat playing with the tiny puppy again. Think I might have to steal it.
 
We're all shattered today. The majority are having naps over lunch. So an early night tonight - after hot chocolate!
 
19th June 2009 - 10:51pm
 
Last night was good, after dinner we played some card golf and some charades - Ann and I seemed to be doing all the dodgy ones but all a great laugh.
 
Today wasn't an amazing start when I slept through my alarm and woke up at 7:18am, bearing in mind breakfast is at twenty past, however I did make it on time!
 
Cleaning out the cages was as normal, again the new panda Jun Juo had 2mm of pee in her cage. It turns out she actually just sits in her pond outside and so comes in soaking wet.
 
Sue and Elaine had both asked me to be their photographers for their playing with the pandas. First was Sue who was playing with the babies. Having got in I just took as many photos as I could (152 of them). At the same time one of the babies decided it preferred me so attached itself to my leg and just held on - very funny, and very cute!
 
Elaine then played with the adults and again took a lot of photos. As we left one of the adults grabbed my leg. Clearly the pandas like my leg.
 
This afternoone we took the group photo of our group and the keepers. After this the heavens opened, not sure I have ever seen rain like it. As it was the last night for most I decided to do a bit of an award type idea just as a bit of a joke and a laugh, the awards were as follows:
 
Most dedicated panda lover - Sue
 
Most dipsy and biggest worrier - Tasha
 
Most innovative - Ann
 
Most laid back and worst chopstick user - Elaine
 
Most Brave and outspoken - Claire
 
Most patient and slowest at getting ready - Amy
 
They each got a little certificate and small pressie related to pandas. Was a good laugh and everyone liked the idea.
 
After dinner we just chilled and chatted in one of the rooms. Been a great day. Seems funny to think the panda playing with Sue and Elaine was this morning. Ph and dinner was the best yet, beef and onions (my fav) and they brought out... Chinese Chips! You've never seen a dish go so fast!
 
The plan for tomorrow will be a well earny lie in, lunch, say goodbye to the others and more chilling.
 
20th June 2009 - 6:52pm
 
Well a bit of a lay in today until half nine. Ann came and got me at twenty to ten and we went down to the internet where we were then joined by the others.
 
Ann and Claire then wanted to have photos with the adult pandas, I was the photographer. Unlike playing with them you literally sit on a step for 20 seconds with a panda next to you and have your photo taken.
 
Before lunch we went to the kindergarten to watch the babies for a while. All of a sudden a coach load of 100 English people arrive, I think even we found it hard not to stare at them.
 
We then had the final lunch with the group. We helped them up to the car and said our goodbyes - very sad. We've all become quite close so a bit strange that there are only 4 of us left. Sure we will all remain in contact though. Tasha and I are apparently penpals - but fine with me!
 
For the afternoon we had decided to go to the zoo next door just to see some other animals other than pandas. So we caught the bus down and got our tickets. We then waited in line for the next bus - the sun was blazing so all caught the sun a bit.
 
The bus arrives and it begins all a bit like Jurassic Park as you pass through these electric metal gates. You go past a wolf enclosure about the size of my room which holds 2 wolves and 3 pups all with mange. Think this shows how the rest of the zoo was going to be like.
 
From there we went through a bear and tiger enclosure before being allowed off the bus to walk around the rest of the zoo. The first thing you come across is the "best aviary in Asia", which is a massive net enclosure you can walk around with pelicans, peacocks and pidgeons. Oh and it turns out Ann is petrified of pidgeons.
 
As we left the aviary we could hear music so followed it to a show ring so sat and watched. Big mistake! I have quite a strong stomach through my Amnesty International work but it's been a long time since I was so utterly repulsed.
 
At the beginning they had walking monkies and ones which could cycle which wasn't so bad. After that however they brought out these two bears - if you could call them that. They were walking on two legs with boxing gloves on and were forced to box and fight. In between "rounds" one of the keepers would then hit them. Another bear was forced to balance on a ball and if it fell off it got hit.
 
The next act was tigers (2 white ones included) and 2 lions which had to sit on chairs, jump over one another or walk in/on a massive hamster wheel. These amazing animals were all skin and bone and petrified - if they did anything wrong a metal bar landed on their backs, dealt by one of the keepers. None of us could watch anymore so we left.
 
All of the animals were kept in cages about the size of my room or bed, all made solely of concrete and plain.
 
The even more surreal bits were having an Alsation and Husky in a cage (both very underfed) and a dog with no front legs so it just lay in the same spot all day.
 
Wolves down a hole of about 10m, ostriches with no feathers, a guy tormenting a leopard with meat just out of its reach. Not sure I have ever been happier to leave anywhere so much. Amazing to see the contrast between the panda sanctuary and which is sheer luxury. Large enclosures for every panda etc. The two worlds couldn't be further apart. Really puts things in perspective.
 
Dinner was nice - arrived and laid out for 4 - rubs in that the others have left. Hope tomorrow will be nicer.
 
21st June 2009 - 9:22pm
 
Well last night ended up being a late finish - after midnight. The 4 of us just stayed up chatting and pretty much playing our own version of twister without a board or spinner on Ann's bed.
 
This morning slept til 9 before having a shower. Got more used to them now, better since I fixed it, still unnerving to have to straddle the hole in the ground though (the loo!)
 
After the shower I tidied my room as things had started to get scattered everywhere. Also as I now have a spare bed in the rooms it turns into a perfect clothes drier. Turn the electric blanket on, place clothes under the duvet and in an hour or two they are dry.
 
We then had lunch, lunch here is always more spicy than dinner, todays lunch was 3 veggie meals and a pork one, all nice but spicy, which when you're trying to cool your mouth with a tiny cup of hot tea is a challenge.
 
After lunch Ann, Claire and I went to find the t-shirt stand that sells the t-shirts we like, they don't have out size today so have to go back tomorrow - first time in my life I'll ever count as an XL.
 
The rest of the day had just been sat reading which has been great. Whilst I love to see as much as possible out days are long and hard work so a day of rest has been really nice. It's been really hot today until dinner when the heavens openeed in torrential rain. This evening has just been cards - which I won. Going to read some more now...
 
22nd June 2009 - 9:23pm
 
Today was an early wake up - aka 4:30am when the people next door to mine turned their tv on for 2 hours at full volume. It amazes me that some of the Chinese are really polite and others are amazingly inconsiderate.
 
I did manage to sleep half an hour from half 6 til 9 before having to get up for breakfast and work.
 
The meals today have been really disappointing. Breakfast they brought out boiled cabbage dumplings - I think they cottoned onto the fact we didn't like them and brought out plain ones. Lunch was 2 veggie dishes, a horrible gammon dish and some chicken. Dinner was looking to be just as bad when at the last minute they gave us beef and pepper dish we love.
 
Work was really hard today. We did Bugan and Jun Juo's cage as normal as we have our old keeper back but have a new third one called Lung Che whos enclosure is an absolute nightmare. We're used to doing 3 cages in an hour, today it took almost 2!
 
The weather has been the hottest since we got here which hasn't made things easier although has offered some spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.
 
This evening we have just chilled and played more cards. Going to read some more before going to bed. Finished my book earlier so onto a new one.
 
23rd June 2009 - 4:27pm
 
The people working here seem to have had a lie in this morning. We turned up for breakfast but the doors to the eating area were still shut. We got in ten minutes later than normal and were served cabbage noodles for breakfast. Whilst a most welcome change from the normal breakfast it was a bit odd having cabbage and spring onions for breakfast, plus noodles aren't very filling.
 
Having got to work we found out one of the main keepers called Mr. Woo (the only one who speaks English) had been in a car accident, he was fine but wouldn't be there to clean his enclosures. This meant cleaning out 5 encosures which certainly kept us busy.
 
Oh and when I said yesterday was hot, today was even hotter, lot of hard work and pleased to have finished!
 
There has been a base wide powercut since breakfast so no lights which has made the day interesting. However I think we all just experienced the worst side affect of the no power - having to brave an ice cold shower in the pitch black. Not an experience I'd like to repeat. Off into Ya'an tonight, I'll be taking my torch!
 
23rd June 2009 - 10:26pm
 
Well having just got the largest spider I have ever seen out of my room I can now relax. Just came in and there it was on my wall. I sprayed it with alcohol spray it ran along the wall, JUMPED off the wall and ran out the door - phew!
 
Ya'an was great. First stop was dinner where we ate like kings, ordered about 2 dishes each and still only came to 2 pounds 50 - the price of things here still staggers me. Whilst the food is amazing I won't miss the taste of MSG.
 
From there we went to get some photos of "our lady" developed. She owns a tiny shack next to our rooms and sells drinks - so sweet.
 
We then just went shopping again and got any final souvenirs we needed. Finished off stocking up on more supplies before coming back to the camp.
 
On the way back we had to dodge a tree that had fallen in the road - all very surreal with Shania Twain blaring out of the radio in the truck.
 
We came back to find the electricity on which is nice. Time to read a little before bed.
 
24th June 2009 - 9:37pm
 
Breakfast was unusual again today instead of congee we had egg fried rice with spring onion and smoked tofu - an interesting choice for half seven in the morning.
 
We had to clean the normal 3 cages today - Bugan's cage had a ridiculous amount of bamboo in it so took a little longer than his cage normally would.
 
We were then handed notebooks to do some behavioural research. We have to record what they are up to every 30 minutes and basically sit watching them. This does mean some more reading time - finished my book today. I'm following Jin Jao who doesn't eat and just lays there all day so not too much to record as yet.
 
The weather is getting hotter and hotter today and today was the first day where there was a noticeable difference where it affected the pandas. In the space of 3 weeks we have got to know the behaviour of our pandas well - today they all seemed off their food and very lethargic.
 
Their enclosures do have air conditioning however yet again there was a powercut until 8pm which makes life here more interesting. Going to the loo in a chinese style toilet in the dark is not much fun.
 
After dinner we were just taking some photos when the owner's 4 year old son came over and started playing with us and our cameras - very funny. Plus had our photos taken with a lot of bypassers.
 
25th June 2009 - 11:23pm
 
Today was the last full day here at the panda base. Everything as normal in the morning - breakfast, cleaning. Although the weather this morning was pouring rain - made cleaning the enclosures more interesting - wet poo, slippery logs. Ended up doing 4 enclosures.
 
Lunch was well earnt, brought out the chip dish again which we had last week, again it was gone within seconds. After lunch we had to weigh the pandas again. We also hosed down Bugan's cage, walls and floor - the colour of the water that came off was quite impressive.
 
After that we went back to recording what the pandas were up to as we had yesterday.
 
We had the final feed at 3:30pm - sad to leave, had an amazing 3 weeks! In week one I was wondering if it would be too long but the last week has gone scarily quickly.
 
For dinner we were joined by two amercians we met earlier. Very nice meal, new dish of salad leaves cooked in ginger which I think I polished off by myself.
 
After dinner we went on a short walk before I came back to pack most of my stuff. We then just played cards and Claire suffered having her eyebrows plucked by Ann.
 
Made our famous hot chocolate again. Finished yet another book today, 3 in 3 days. Short entry today as shattered.
 

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