Lost in Beijing

My arrival in Beijing seemed nothing different from my arrival in any other foreign country at first - until the language barrier got to me... I am currently lost in Beijing, most likely no more than 15 minutes away from the hostel - an utterly lost! The streets are all signposted in pinyin as well as Chinese signs--but I`ve only got the address in a hand-written version from the tourist information desk at the airport, and alas; the signs look lovely, but are there three or four of them in the street name? And more importantly, what is the street name? Coming here I was directed to go staight ahead, then make a right. Yes, still straight ahead. Yes, still straight ahead. No, back a bit... No, no, no, make a left, right round corner. Me no know where is. Go back. Go straight. And so on... I`ve come to see most of the quarter, including a busy market street where most anything can be bought for a tenner. I try to smile, but without being able to talk I think I come off as somewhat odd--so when I ask for help, get none and still smile, the local elderly people have decided I`m great fun, and smile and wave back at me, using their entre bodies.. It goes without saying that the feeling of people having an odd touch to them goes both ways :) I`ve finally I located an internet cafe and a map with English street names and machine typed Chinese signs, so here we go again! I`ve only been looking for two hours now anyway: Yes, you make east down this road! You ask anyone!