Hello Girls and Boys and welcome to China! I remember a line in a song I heard Mrs. Jones (one of my favourite teachers in Walterstown NS in Cobh) singing in school one day - "It's a long, long way from Clare to here..." Well , trust me when I tell you , it's a very, very, very long way from Ireland to China, but it was so worth the effort, to be here at last.

Of course, there's no rest for this working bear! I'm never too far away from an available laptop so I can stay up to date with events from the Volvo Ocean Race. The leg from Singapore to QingDao was truly epic and tremendous credit is due to all those who sailed so bravely and fearlessly.  Hats off to the Green Dragon Crew and shore support team who always give their very best effort and face every challenge.

I had a great day in port and enjoyed a calm trip on board the Green Dragon tender. Lots of our Chinese friends came with us to view Green Dragon as she was put through her paces in preparation for the next leg to Rio de Janeiro. Taking on Cape Horn will be amazing and the Dragon must be in tip top shape to rise to the challenge.

I know it was a calm day at sea but I wished Johnny Smullen and the rest of the Shore Support team had secured me more carefully. There was very little between me and the deep blue sea that day. Mind you, I did enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate later - ice cream was definitely not on the menu! Many of our Chinese friends joined us on the tender and really enjoyed the photo opportunities (especially in the company of a VIB ..... go on ....work it out ...... it's too easy!)

I was a REAL CELEBRITY BEAR. I'm big in China, you know. In fact , I have it on good authority , that my fame had reached Chinese shores before I landed. There were cameras everywhere and of course my flier (info sheet) was a real hit. I don't think schools in China have a habit of sending toy bears around the world to gather information about other people and cultures. I think I may have started a very nice new trend. And I'm not finished yet. I still have a long way to go and lots of new and interesting things to see. Sometimes my head is so full of pictures and wonderful memories that I can't wait to share all the news with the boys and girls in my school, far far away in Walterstown. I believe they're going to include me on the school web site soon. I'll be so cool - all dressed up in my new Green Dragon tee-shirt and hat. I really do hope I'll be able to meet up with some of my school pals when we're in Galway for the Irish stopover there at the end of May. It'll be like waiting for Christmas!! And guess what? I'll be able to introduce my friend Theresa O'Bear to them and her husband Johnny. I just can't wait.

Although the weather conditions in QingDao were not the best, I was well looked after by the Green Dragon team. I never met such a caring group - every chance they got, they looked after my creature comforts. I did miss not having Theresa and her knap sack there but I still had a comfy place to rest and lots of friends to mind me. It never ceases to amaze me how one little Irish bear called Pádraig can turn a bunch of tough sailors into mother hens! The mind boggles, to be sure.

My stay in China will be over all too soon, but each leg completed is a step nearer to coming home. There's an old saying in Irish ... "Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin" - There's no place like home! Well, that's the truth and I can't wait to see the Emerald Isle again. But I certainly would never have missed this chance to be a world adventurer with the Green Dragon Team.

Slán go foil, a Cháirde go léir!

Pádraig the Bear.