Fried Eggs With Chopsticks

By Polly Evans

Shortly before China was due to host the summer Olympics, Polly Evans decided to take a trip around China, all on her own and not as a part of guided tour. Starting off in Beijing she headed in to the interior of China to Datong, near the border with Mongolia, and then south to Xian and east to Shanghai, west to Zhongdian, near the border of Tibet, then east again, ending up in Hong Kong. She got up close and personal with the China and the Chinese people. She traveled by train, bus, van, bike, donkey, foot, boat, and taxi. It was a long, tiring journey and she pretty much saw the most of the famous sights that China has to offer. For the most part she really enjoyed herself but at times found her inability to communicate very trying. She did speak a little Chinese, but not much. She often found the accommodations lacking, the nightly phone calls from prostitutes offering their services annoying, the food often just nasty, and the Chinese prone to lying. About the food, it was not Chinese cuisine in itself that was the problem, the food she got a restaurants and small stands was delicious. But the food offered at hotels and at tourist destinations was just substandard and disappointing. But all in all, despite the problems she faced, I think she really enjoyed herself, but was relieved when it was all over.

I enjoyed the book a lot. She really gives a lot of fascinating detail. After reading her account, China sounds wonderful, exciting and very frightening. Don't think I will ever be planning a trip there in the future. Like the Middle East, it is better to read about than to actually visit.