It's how you say it that counts

We went on an official visit to Beijing. Far from a third world experience, the beer was good and we all felt safe out on the streets late at night.

Two bigwigs plus four of us worker bees. But only two were there to have a laugh, me and my pal Rachel. We shook off the others and went to a late night disco. To impress her, I'd learnt by heart how to get a drink.

"Qǐng hē liǎng bēi píjiǔ" (two beers please) I asked the bartender. For all the good it did I could have been speaking Chinese!