Finally!

So, I'm finally back in Beijing - sorry for being such a super lazy blogger - the thing is that yesterday was J's birthday - and I have been planning (together with Jordan, Kathryn, Christina & Becci) a surprise visit for like a month and a half now - and it has just preoccupied my mind completely. J REALLY was surprised, though. Almost a month ago - I went back to Norway to work - and you know - hang out with my friends and family and so on. And J & I talked about how sad it was gonna be that I was not gonna be in Beijing for his birthday.... But little did HE know - that I had already bought a ticket!

The surprise went down like this; Jordan (bless his soul) had arranged to have a lunch with J. It was obviously fake, cause I was gonna be there instead! So when J finished work, I called him and was like all chatty. In Norway it was morning. I asked him what he was doing and so on...

J: I'm gonna go have lunch with Jordan at this place called Bocata, just by 3.3 mall. And you?
Me: Well, I have to go see the doctor* but I'm gonna hit the shower first - when exactly are you meeting Jordan?
J: I'll be there in about 15 minutes, I think
M: Ok - listen, I have to shower, but can I call you back in 10 minutes? There is something we need to talk about.
J: Hm - why can't you just tell me now?
M: I really have to have a shower first, but I'll call you back in ten, ok?
J: Well, ok.

What J doesn't know by now - is that I have been sitting at Bocata for an hour already, getting all nervous and excited about surprising him. I mean - who EVER expects to get a surprise visit from 7800 km away? I wait for ten minutes, and when I can finally see him at the end of the street - I call him back.

Me: Hi.
J: Hi (He is walking towards Bocata)
M: So... You know when we promised we'd always tell each other the truth no matter what?
J: .... Yes....
M: Well, I kinda didn't.
J: Oh, my God, what have you done? (He stops - I can see him, but he cannot see me, as I am behind some bushes)
M: Well - you know yesterday when you asked me where I was - and I said I was on my way to go see my parents...?
J:.... Yes..... (He really doesn't look all that happy right now)
M: Well, I wasn't. (I jump out from the bush, approx ten meters in front of him) I WAS AT THE AIRPORT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

I ran up to him, and he was just IN SHOCK. He looks at his phone and then at me and then at his phone and says; But... But you are not here?

Haha, it was perfect and we celebrated his birthday last night and it was amazing. First we had breakfast at Element Fresh, then we wandered about HoHai for a couple of hours, and then home - J went to get a haircut and I started cooking. We had pink champagne, and amazing wine (Gigondas, one of my faaaavourites), reindeer, brusslesprouts, the works. I even brought Norwegian brown goats cheese for the sauce... We were gonna go out dancing, but we had so much fun staying in and just getting drunk together, we just did that!

So, now - I'm back in my dear Beijing with my dear J. Yey!!! We're all going out to celebrate his birthday again tomorrow - I'll try to see if my camera works again! For now! Take caaare! (And surprise your loved ones more often. It is FUNFUNFUN!)Lovers reunited....

*I got an ear infection when I first arrived in Norway, and it progressively got worse, so my doctor almost made me stay at home, because flying could cause my eardrum to explode!! My flight for Beijing left Oslo at 9:50 local time on Tuesday morning, and my final doctors appointment was 07:25 that very day. If my ear hadn't gotten better I would have had to stay at home... When he finally said; Well, miss - don't you have a plane to catch? I thought I was gonna DIE of joy! And I couldn't even tell J what was at stake, because of the surprise... But! All is well that ends well!

Dear Beijing

I love you, but you are driving me crazy.

Not only did I forget the ayi was coming this morning - when I finally woke up by her knocking the door down poor thing - I felt like my kidneys had been left to soak at Mix on Saturday, and that they were only returned to me Monday morning. Ugh...

It is my own fault. I know that my weekend wasn't the healthiest I've had in Beijing - but sometimes you just gotta go with the flow. I went shopping with my friend Kathryn all day on Friday, we really tried to explore new territory and everything (eg Russian "Alien Street" where we were scared to death by this blue eyed devil woman and no one would sell us anything OR speak anything but Russian to us) but ended up back at good old Yashow. We both got ourselves new shoes and sunglasses. So naturally - we went by Luga's for a frozen Margs and a yummy quesedillas, and were joined by J and B (not the spirit) - and after a few more drinks at our house we all went out. First to Tun, but it was too crowded, and we weren't drunk enough by far. Then we hooked up with friends at Alfa, but after the power went out and thus the music stopped - everybody left but Julian and I - and the last thing I recall was that eating chicken hearts off of a stick in between Mix and my house somewhere with Julian. I don't even know how I got home, but I woke up in the right bed - with all my clothes and my makeup still on, haha.

Saturday was a lot more mellow, J and I had dinner with friends Anne & Jordan, it's the first time I've been cooked for since I came to China (at someones house, obviously) and it was amazing. After dinner we just hung out, listened to music and had drinks, it was so nice, we didn't even realize how fast time went by until it was like 2:30 am - then J and I went out, and danced at Mix. We got so drunk my head was literally spinning when we left around five, but oh my god how much fun we had! I bought coke's to all the women working in the ladies rooms, and J was hit on by 1 in every 3 girls at the club. But we got home safe(ish), sound(ish) and together(ish). I fell asleep on the sofa, and missed out on J's annual (weekual?) McDonalds-delivers-feast. Felt great waking up to firecrackers at 8 am the following morning. Surrounded by halfeaten burgers. Just great.

So I went back to bed. After a couple of hours, J tricked me into going out for a walk, and we went to binge out at Luga's - again. (They must really think we couldn't cook if our lives depended on it...) Bought some dvd's, some mad expensive imported chocolate from the shop under 3,3 mall - found a new shortcut home, and spent the rest of Sunday on the couch.

So - the fact that I didn't feel to chirpy this morning could have been a number of things, but either way, there was just NO way our "Silence of the Niu"-party could go on as planned, and we had to cancel, as I really felt like I woke up with the entire building on my head. Which kind of brings us to why I am sitting here now, at 10 pm watching Cinema Paradiso with half an eye and blogging with the other.

I feel a lot better, actually - I've been feeling better for hours now. But I'm seriously afraid to go out the door! For two weeks now, almost nonstop - fireworks, fireworks, fireworks. I am still amazed that the delivery guy from April's made it here safely with Mascarpone, sugar and Marsala - I swear to God - it's like a war zone out there today!

But, seeing as it is WE who are the guests in this country, and the fact that I love Mondays to stay chill and lazy, it has been a quite good Monday all in all, even with having to cancel our party. I slept half the day, then J & I watched 3 episodes of last seasons "Hells Kitchen" - and decided we had to make a Tiramisu. After finally getting our hands on fresh eggs and the 70RMB box of Marscarpone (!!!) - we made a delicious sweet treat for ourselves, and thus decided to watch Cinema Paradiso. (We didn't have pasta, but Tiramisu is just as Italian, no?) But the fireworks are never ending, and my focus level is hitting rock bottom right now...

So; No party, but we still had cake - the day ended a lot better than it started - but I have to admit that no matter how pretty they all are... I can't wait to wake up in the morning to complete, utter, beautiful, smoggy SILENCE.

Happy Niu Year! And may the silence begin. (Really, whenever you guys are ready down there. Please.)