Beside The Sea... Fuzhou, China!

I needed a serious refresh! To the beach I took my hungover self! No joke, that taxi was like a blessing! Bordering Changle, I saw those Fuzhou Airport plans depart in front of me! After catching a glimpse of the harbour waters of Xiamen, I was determined to visit an actual mainland beach situation! Fuzhou wasn't playing with that sea breeze, for real! Taxi for me, FZ! 

I couldn't even explain in that moment how awful that Fuzhou had me feeling, not to forget the mortification I was feeling after the nights antics that had transpired in that secret nightclub! Fuzhou was doing the most! I was determined to make it down to the beach, I wasn't changing three times on a metro train because taxis in China are too cheap for that hungover inconvenience. Calling my APP navigated taxi was possible once I had saw to some business, you don't know me like that so I won't elaborate! My review APP was acting the fool, I picked a location that lay not far from the closest metro station, I ended up heading to the nearest piece of beach next to '门楼村/Men Lou Village'. My taxi journey from Fuzhou's city centre to that mentioned village took around 70 minutes or so, that ride only set me back around £11.00! There's no way a taxi would ever cost that little between South London and Brighton! Not at all! All I wanted was to walk along some sandy beach, would I find one? F, I was about to find out. 

OK? There was a beach but I was like, where was it even? I walked across this huge deserted intersection with no further clue, the coastline was visible but no beach-goers could be clocked! No! Things looked really quiet and to be honest I wasn't mad about that outcome, without much further ahead of me other than blue skies, I found the beach! That deserted golden sand beach went on forever! People were taking their photos, it was chilled but that breeze was powerful! I felt relieved that I had finally made it down to a Fuzhou based beach like I had wanted! It was amazing to see the aircraft's soar into the skies above that beach from Fuzhou's Changle International Airport, it made me think about my next trip in June 2023! Real talk, seeing that beach in real-time felt amazing, it was priceless to be 'Beside The Sea' with such a limitless view practically all to myself. The sea breeze almost had my hangover cured, there was something refreshing about that beach moment, I pleaded to the ocean blue to cure me! I needed to eat! 

Totally underdeveloped without any signs of infrastructure, I only had two options for lunch, well three if I considered the food-cart that was on the corner. I had a look at the shipping container looking lunch spot, the weather was warm so I didn't fancy anything warm to eat. Ordering some '凉皮/Cold Spicy Noodles'. I was in need of some serious refreshment, that hangover needed to take a hike! That bottle of Fanta did not touch the sides, I was thirsty! Thrown together in a makeshift kitchen, my noodles were served to me within a few minutes. Tucking in without much thought, I was surprised how nice those 'spicy cold noodles' tasted! I love a good bowl of cold noodles from time to time, especially during a warm day, that was a great choice! That unassuming roadside eatery near the beach served me up something unexpected, I wasn't mad about that noodle meal 'Beside The Sea!' With my trip almost in the can, I felt like that cost-effective beach moment gave me something less planned. I knew this! 

Taking a little break after walking along the beach was the right thing to do, don't get me wrong, those views were killer and water was calm but the wind was insane! I still remember those planes but I'm talking about that lunch moment, sure that unplanned situation added something different. My time in Fuzhou had been all about doing it my way, void of a plan, I made the best of my iPhone because it was my actual living tour guide in electronic form. What was I going to do next? With the beach done and a very late lunch enjoyed, I had no idea about those post-beach and meal plans! No, Fuzhou had me taking it easy where those plans were considered. That beach facing road had me taking a second glance because I saw a whole procession of military style tanks! Really? Yes, I had to take a double take because my eyes couldn't believe it! Hungover, sun swept and then in the middle of a military walk through? I needed to check that once deserted road twice, looking right and then left twice! A third element? Oh, I wanted more! 

Feeling clever, I walked across the bridge that stood metres away from my late lunch spot. I was spooked because every time a truck or lorry passed me by I was not ready for that bridge to shake! I was shook, well a little! Those fishing boats were all lined up, looking as if the low tide had them barred from a day at sea? I didn't know! I actually enjoyed that rustic moment, the buildings that overlooked the hoards of fishing boats looked very different, I was not used to such a basic design! Beaten by the sun, that beach-side area gave off a different kind of vibe, this wasn't no beach resort! Clearly the stretch of beach isn't yet a hit with tourists because those soft sand beaches had me fooled. The fishing boats and yard along that elevated bridge walkway gave off an industrial vibe without a doubt! I feel glad that my off the beaten track moment happened because it was far from the alleys of the city centre! I had a bright idea but the light was dimmed pretty quick because a taxi was called, the closest metro station was further away. Oh, choices! 

That almost abandoned 'Beside The Sea' moment turned a little sketchy, I had visions of a stray dog finding me! I was aware that an episode of 'Hangxiety' was kicking in, no it actually already had! I turned around mid way on that bridge after telling myself the metro station was just down the road then I panicked myself with visions of a dog attack! I was a whole damn hungover mess! Fuzhou had broken me, the beach had blessed me but I needed to heal myself at 'Tangson' like I had done two days before that beach day! Clocking '万寿地铁站/Wan Shou Metro Station' from my taxi was a blessing but wait a moment, the surrounding area was alive with construction projects! Some of those concrete creations looked like hotel developments, had that outer seaside district been earmarked to become a new seaside town? That was a cute future prediction but all I needed was a dip in the hot springs baths with a massage to make me feel more human! Despite my 'Hangxiety', that trip down the coast had been well worth it! Done, F! 

Beside The What?!... The Sea! 

Desperately Seeking Adventure