Adventure is only just beginning for Zizi, the Charlton Chinaman...

Charlton's Zheng Zhi will play three games in six days as he jets around the globe on a schedule that would test Michael Palin.

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Saturday: Charlton's away game at Glanford Park, Scunthorpe.

Wednesday: World Cup qualifier, China versus Iraq in Dubai.

Friday: Charlton versus Crystal Palace at The Valley.

From Humberside to a home game that could prove critical in the race for promotion with a stop in the Middle East in between.

Chinese New Year will be spent on a flight back to London.

Still, his journey is not as dangerous as it might have been. Iraq (away) was originally planned for Baghdad. At least now, the worst he will come back with is jet-lag.

"Sure, it's fine for me. It's what happens when you're a professional footballer. You say three games in six days, I say two games in five days. It's normal. Mentally and physically, I will be ready for the games," he says with some relish.

China's most recognisable and dynamic footballer (out of a population 1,321,831,888), Zhi was considered a capture for Charlton when he signed for £2million last summer, after an initial loan that gave him a brief flavour of the Barclays Premier League.

Zizi to his friends, he has found his home in Kent, close to Charlton's training base, with only the occasional visit to central London to take in the sights.

"I've been to Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square. I haven't been to the British Museum yet. That' s next," he says.

He is not so keen to learn about the food.

"I can't think of anything English that I like to eat. You English like to eat lots of potato, don't you? I don't cook, I can't. My wife, however, is an excellent cook; steamed fish, fried meat. If you came to my house, she would cook.

"If we were to go out, it would be to a restaurant that would cook traditional Chinese food. Not some of the places you find in Chinatown where they cook Chinese food for westerners. It's not the same.

"It's true, I had to make sacrifices to come to England and leave behind my family, but I'm playing with faith and belief and I say that if you want something in life, then sometimes you have to lose something."

Zizi, 27, recently presented a scroll to Alan Pardew for Christmas to hang in the club canteen.

"If you want to do something, then do it," is the rough translation.

As you might expect, his journey to England has not been straightforward.

All the players at his first club Liaoning Chuangye were banned for a year when the club's assets were frozen in a legal dispute.

He then moved on to bigger things, eventually arriving at Shandong Luen, where he scored 21 goals in a title-winning season and attracted the attention of former Charlton manager Les Reed.

A beautiful passer of the ball with both feet, he can sometimes find himself bullied out of games but he is learning quickly under Pardew's guidance. He speaks highly of his manager.

"I'm here now, mainly because of Alan Pardew. I have learned many new things from him. He's an excellent coach and an innovative, creative manager."

Such is his standing in the Chinese community, Zheng was recently invited to Downing Street for an audience with the Prime Minister.

He said: "I was honoured and proud of this. They wanted 10 special Chinese from business, industry and sport and Gordon Brown wanted to know about the progress of the Beijing Olympics."

We are told Zheng is the Chinese David Beckham but he blushes at such a suggestion.

"No way! I am not a superstar. Only football people in China know who I am.

"Remember, football there is in its infancy. We don't have the history and tradition of England. The infrastructure is still being built, big companies are now realising it is worthy of investment and young people are being attracted."

He says he can "understand English but not speak it so well" and explains through an interpreter that he expects Charlton will win promotion with a team rebuilt by Pardew following relegation.

"It is a very good club and my team-mates have made me feel very welcome," he says.

"I'm in England because this is the best place in the world for football."

He probably was not referring to an away game at Scunthorpe when he said that, but it is another stop on Charlton's journey back towards the bright lights. And their travelling Chinaman is happy to be along for the ride.