toying with a golden idea

I'm probably the most clueless person on earth when it comes to gold. I don't wear it and I haven't got a clue how to invest in it. But a friend who works in China has advised us to buy gold bullion as he thinks there will be an increase, possibly a two-fold increase, in gold consumption there over the coming years. Sounds great but I still don't know what I should do. I think it'll be wiser to wait till he has the time to sit down and explain the nitty-gritty to me and we'll see if I can even afford to place any money in it LOL.