In July 2009 I embarked on a three week tour around Shandong Province in eastern China. It was my first time traveling the country, a magical experience that sparked a lifelong fascination with China. Indeed it served up a little bit of everything, including monster cities, buzzing beaches, ancient temples and isolated rural villages. And, naturally, fantastic food every step of the way.

This was long before I’d even thought of becoming a travel blogger. Consequently, it was a real challenge cobbling together the images needed for this modest series of travel reports. Moreover, I had to contend with my somewhat muddy memory from a trip that played out almost fifteen years ago. Happily, my good habit of note-taking proved an invaluable resource. Thus I got there in the end…. just about.

For more on this fascinating region of China, why not visit Shandong Province through my travel articles on:

Jinan (coming soon!)

Zhujiayu (coming soon!)

Qufu (coming soon!)

Tai’an (coming soon!)

Qingdao (coming soon!)

Yantai (coming soon!)

I’ve also written a number of short stories about my Shandong Province escapades. The below chapters are taken from my short story collection Challenged in China.

The City and The Village Part I

The City and The Village Part II

Two Men and a Refrigerator

Take No Notice

Don’t Let Me Down

The Jellyfish Factor

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