It's been an interesting few days for the Tigers as they become acclimatised to life in Beijing.
While much of the attention will be focussed on City's progression to the Barclays Asia Trophy Final, the players have also had to contend with a different culture, the time difference and the intense humidity that greets them as soon as they walk out of the door.
But it has also been a time for a number of the larger-than-life characters within the travelling party to show their value to the fantastic team spirit that exists within the camp and the 'fun' started shortly after taking off from Heathrow on Sunday evening.
Those who read our daily 'Bormio Blog' a few weeks back will no doubt remember how First Team Coach Steve Parkin was dealt an unlucky hand when charged with a less than suitable bicycle for touring the mountains of the Italian Alps.
Well, Lady Luck deserted the former Mansfield boss once again as he managed to be allocated a reclining seat that didn't actually recline. So, on a ten-hour overnight flight and with the rest of his colleagues taking the opportunity to get some sleep, Parkin was sat bolt-upright and remained awake for the duration.
Nick Barmby was also dismayed to find out that the TV screen attached to his seat didn't actually work, but any disappointment must have subsided when arriving at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Beijing (once Club Secretary Phil Hough had been cleared of having Swine Flu following rigorous checks at the airport!).
The huge hotel in the centre of the city is home to all three English teams for the duration of the tournament with players and staff from each club mingling whenever they have a little 'downtime'.
Kevin Kilbane and his Republic of Ireland international team-mate Robbie Keane have been seen chatting over coffee while the Sky Sports commentary team and many other football personalities are quick to catch up with familiar faces.
The Tigers are certainly well known in Beijing, as are the antics of Phil Brown. During Tuesday's pre-match press conference, one Chinese journalist asked if the City boss would be willing to sing a song 'just like at the end of last season'. He politely declined the request.
Of course, football is the main reason City have travelled to the Far East and training sessions have been vital for the players to get used to the difficult conditions. So far, two venues have been used for training purposes - the Worker's Stadium and the National Olympic Sports Centre Stadium and the journeys to these venues by coach are an experience in themselves.
There appear to be no rules on the Chinese highways with everyone believing they have right of way and nobody prepared to give an inch.
Luckily, each team has a local guide with them at all times to help out and the young man charged with looking after the Tigers has been welcomed with open arms.
Barmby has been particularly welcoming, suggesting he should visit Hull as 'it's just like Monaco'. The former England international has also been testing his new friend's knowledge of the English game. "Have you ever heard of Nottingham Forest?" "Yes" came the reply. "Well," said Barmby, "Duncan our masseur plays for Cottingham Forest." We're not sure whether the guide was impressed or not!
City's local tour guide - under threat from Steve Parkin
Whether City need a guide is another matter. Despite having already been stuck in several traffic jams, Parkin has kept everybody on the bus entertained with facts and figures about the local area, which included that 80% of drivers have held a license for less than a year and that is why there are so many accidents. Such offerings prompted Nathan Doyle to ask just how much tourist information he had read before arriving.
Upon arrival at the National Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, the immediate concern for the coaching staff was to establish what the venue had been used for during the 2008 Games. With blank expressions all round, Assistant Manager Brian Horton sounded confident when announcing that it had been used for equestrian events, although doubts crept in when some locals claimed it was used for other events. The answer remained unclear.
With a place in Friday's Barclays Asia Trophy Final secured, the mood is bound to remain buoyant as preparations for the new season continue.
[Main Picture: Steve Parkin - unlucky once again]
