China

It was great arriving back in China - back on familiar turf. Spitting men, smelly drains, babies with no nappies, helpful signs in the toilets....

We checked into a brilliant hostel which used to be a printing factory back in the 1970s so we were straight down to the bar to use the free wifi and drink beer for 25p. The main reason people visit Chengdu is to visit the Giant Panda Sanctuary on the outskirts of town. It really was quite fantastic and we hadn't realised that there would be so many pandas and that we would get so close. The young ones were really very cute and seemed quite playful.

Of course, being in Sichuan we had to try the famous Sichuan Hotpot.

We'd had one of these when we were in China before...a bubbling pot of chilli where you cook your stuff much like a fondue. This time though we decided to step things up a notch and add some duck's tongues into the mix.....probably not something we need to do again......

And then it was on another plane and onwards to Lhasa! It had been quite a challenge getting all the paperwork and the tour organised for Tibet as the restrictions change all the time. At present the Chinese government has decided that all Western tourists must pay for a guide and a car each day. So it was a nice luxury for us to be met at the airport by our guide Nawam and transported straight to our hotel in central Lhasa. We met Sharon and Steven there who are both from Malaysia and were the other two members of our group. We all went out for lunch and immediately realised we were at 3600m as we almost passed out trying to bound up the 2 floors to the restaurant. Fi got stuck into some yak dumplings....the first of our many yak products. Yak lasagne, yak cheesecake, yak butter tea, yak cheese, yak steaks, yak yoghurt. We also walked the first of our many Koras...or pilgrim walks....around the Jokhang Temple seeing the sights and smells of Lhasa. It's imperative that you walk clockwise...the only people who don't do this are the patrols of Chinese soldiers.

Yak Butter...

Bryn getting stuck into the local home brewed barley beer

Prayer Wheels a plenty whichever way you look

We spent a couple of days with our guide doing the main sights of Lhasa. The summer palace of the Dalai Lamas, from where the 14th made his escape to India back in 1959.

And the first of many monasteries...the Sera monastery where we were treated to the monks 'debating' in the open air courtyard. They get quite impassioned by it....

We visited the Jokhang Temple early in the day,past the pilgrims doing their protestations out front....

And then on with the rest of the pilgrims and followed the trail through the numerous chapels all lit by yak candles. We played spot the Buddha with our guide........trying to guess the difference between the Past Buddha, Present Buddha, Future Buddha, Medicine Buddhas, Protectors, Disciples, Tara, Kings etc etc We weren't very good at it.....Buddhism is pretty complicated.

But we did have some fun on the roof looking out across Barkor Square and all the pilgrims doing their koras and protestations.

The Potala Palace is definitely the star attraction in Lhasa. It was a beautiful day for it as we puffed our way up the steps

No photos allowed inside as usual.....but we were blown away by it. The gold coffins of the Dalai Lamas were particularly impressive. It was sad to see the living quarters of the 14th Dalai Lama who is in exile in India. But all in all a very impressive building.

We were glad to get out of Lhasa and to see the Tibet landscape. We did a very long day trip to Namtso Lake...one of 3 holy lakes in Tibet. Namtso Lake is at 4700m and the highest salt lake in the world. Many barren landscapes on the journey there with a few yaks in....

The lake was really pretty....frozen round the edges, prayer flags fluttering everywhere.

We puffed slowly up a small hill at the side of the lake for a better view. It's very wierd getting so out of breath doing so little!

And then we off on our Everest Trip with a scattering of more monasteries on the way. We caused chaos with our Chinese guide who was quite unused to tourists wanting to walk anywhere! We did persuade him to let us walk the kora around the monastery at Shigatse early one morning. More prayer wheels, pilgrims and reincarnation merit for all Buddhists out there.

Lots more driving and we found ourselves in Shergar at 4300m a cold, windy place. Nothing to do there apart from huddle in bed!

And then up early for our final assault on Everest. Our first views from a distance!

And then after a very bumpy road for 4 hours we were off...walking the 4km from the tourist camp to the proper mountaineer base camp! Lots of stops for photos as we puffed our way up to 5200m!

But then we were there! A really great moment

And also a photo of our new travelling buddy who actually stowed away in our luggage - unknown to us!

And then a quick march back to the van trying to escape the impending storm...

Then it was a long long journey back to Lhasa (too much for some)....

....where we said goodbye to Steven and Sharon. We spent a quiet few days...feeling guiltly that we'd paid money for a guide and car and all we wanted to do was chill out. We did however go on a great walk in the hills around Lhasa where we saw the skyburial sites. Tibet isn't blessed with either soil for burial or trees to provide fuel for burning so they rely on vultures to dispose of their loved ones. We felt quite queasy as our guide explained how the bodies were pounded up. We walked to our first nunnery - where we were welcomed with open arms and spent half an hour chatting with one of the head nuns - with the aid of our interpreter/guide.

We try to maintain open minds in all countries that we visit. Things are always more complicated than they seem. And we tried our best to find out as much as we could on the politics, economics, culture etc of Tibet from our 3 guides. Having Tibetan and Chinese guides did give us a more balanced view on things. Whilst many businesses were run by Han Chinese...there were options to patronise Tibetan businesses which was great. It was interesting understanding the Chinese viewpoint.......and whilst there are definitely pros and cons of Tibet being part of China, it was quite sad some of the things we found out. It's sad that they aren't allowed photos of the 14th Dalai Lama as he is their religious leader. It's wierd that the 11th Panchen Lama is stationed in Beijing and not in Shigatse where all Panchen's before him have stayed......leaving aside whatever happened to the little boy who was installed as the 11th Panchen Lama before him. It's sad that some Tibetans are seemingly not allowed to get passports. There's definitely a very visible Chinese military presence in Lhasa. Definitely no photos allowed of them!....we did see them run after tourists who tried to take photos! But just a reminder that Big Brother is always watching you in Tibet....

We Flew to Xian on Bryn's persuasion as only 42 quid and we get the airmiles (very important!). Very easy and comfortable (except the 'walking bags' Bryn and Fi trying to get on the Beijing metro at rush hour!) Fi enjoyed 'testing' the perfumes in Duty Free.

We quickly notice people stare a lot more here than Beijing - especially at Fifi. Walked/marched around half of the 14km city walls - amazing 18m thick and very high.

Walk through the muslim quarter and a enjoy a big Hans beer in a bar- has 12 beers on the menu but says they have none except Hans! We go for dinner and end up ordering a second main as we are still hungry, and go for the crispy chicken (no chilli as fi feeling dicky). What comes.......deep fried misc meat (prob dog) in the most chillis you have ever seen!

Get the bus to the Terracotta warriors fairly easily - no need to cough up for a tour. Didint realise that the tombs were still largely unexcavated but still an amazing find - definitely the 8th wonder of the world.

Although starting to get hacked off by the walking, shouting, spitting, chain smoking machines flag bearing machines i.e. chinese tour groups....

On the bus on the wayback the bus is hot and Bryn falls asleep and wakes to a guy trying to unzip his pocket and pinch his wallet! Straight stare down and the guy gets off shortly after pretending he was bending down to look at something - reminder that budget travel options do come with more risks and to always be on guard! Wandered out at night and stumble across Tenerife-style Bar St with people trying to persuade us to come in. Bryn mistakenly (!) nearly takes us into a strip joint!

Up at the crack of dawn to head off to Hua Shan - 2200m sacred mountain. Started off and tough going as usual for Fi at the start...

.....but happy when she noticed the km markers and began to notice the KM starting to tick off. Start of the steps was a bit tough but made steady progress until the start of the chains. Very scary series of notches cut into the cliff which you have to haul yourself up with a chain......

Stupid chinese signs as usual....."No Striding Bryn"

Made it up to North Peak for 12:30pm which was the 6km mark - 1600m high...and where most of the chinese get the cable car to begin their walk! Finally shook off the hoardes and enjoyed a slightly more level final walk over to South Peak (2200m). Elation at making it there!!

Chongqing and Three Gorges Yangtze River Cruise

Catch the soft sleeper train (carriage of 4 bunks) and Bryn strikes up a rapport with a furniture salesmen - Bowah.com - very limited conversation, just the usual pretending nods of acknowledgement totally unaware of what is being said, but Bryn spotted an importing business opportunity!

In Chongqing we are amazed at the tall skyscrappers, posh shopping malls full of Armani, Prada etc - can't believe this is double the size of Brum and we haven't even heard of it! Not quite sure about our shower over a squat toilet which comprises our bathroom though Smog everywhere - never seen somewhere so bad.....

3 Gorges Museum - Good insight into the dam and the cultures of the people who lived in the area. Slight overplay I feel by the chinese government saying that the 1.5m people had been dying to be relocated from their homes in order for this proud national project to go ahead!

Push on to the Stillwell museum. Get off at the right stop and spend a while traversing up and down the hill through the hutongs, surprising locals, looking for it. Not many people to ask! Stumble upon it! All set up for tour parties - except that they only get 10,000 visitors a year! It's a museum commerating the work of General Stillwell who led the US effort during WW2 to aid the Chinese resistance to the Japanese.

Get back and decide we are both coming down with colds. Keep our meeting with Nick and Hope for us all to go our for famous 'Chongqing Hot Pot' - mega mega spicy bubbling pot of hot chillis to which you add anything from fish lips to pig brain. Bryn tucks in thinking that the spices will ward off his impending cold. Fi can hardly eat anything not just due to the spices. Go home and Fi vomits. Bryn follows shortly after. Both paralysed in bed for the next two days. When Fi feels better she goes to get a cheeseburger and gets stalked by a inanely smiling Chinese lesbian!

Join our cruise ship at night to see the city lit up.....

Arrive in our cabin to interrupt a portly Chinese man's pot noodle dinner and throwing orange peel over the floor. Pop into the main function room to find wierd karoke dancing going on...and not that many people in there at all.

Early nights sleep with funny cabin occupants. Start having issues with the portly one...who thinks nothing of getting up in the middle of the night and turning the lights on to visit the bathroom. Dislike of the portly one intensifies as he gets up at 6am to get ready for the 7am trip. Slurps down a pot noodle, spends forever in the bathroom...and then bizarrely puts his clothes on top of his thermal pyjamas. Christened 'Pyjama Bottom' from then on.

Very impressive - 3rd largest river in the world, surrounded by high narrow gorges....

Stop for the Ghost City, but its really a crap Disney World sight with no English - cable car was nice though.

Settle into the cruise and crack open a bottle of 'Great Wall Red Wine' - Chinese Cab Sauv - really is not too bad and can't get any other wine anywhere.

Finish the 4 day cruise at the Three Gorges Dam..

Yangshuo

3rd class sleeper to Yangshuo, where we would stay for a week - heading south and getting hotter For 13 GB per night we had a suite with a lovely balcony overlooking the road and Li river, a bath, a massive double bed, a sofa area and best of all our own computer!!!

The karst scenery is amazing here - best we have seen in China. Went out in the evening, however, and amazed by the transformation in the streets. Bars pumping out beating music and touts trying to usher us inside - Magalouf meets China!!

We had a day like a normal short holiday - ice cream , bamboo raft on the Li River and the Impressions of Li light show in the evening. A 70 minute show involving 600 performers which happens on the Li river with rafts, boats, booms etc Quite impressive...loved the silver light outfits that flashed on and off. Afterwards had the local speciality Beer Fish which is carp, chillies, tomatoes, chives, ginger, beer....yum!

Really nice to get on the mountain bikes and get out amongst the karst scenery. Although Fi started to moan about sore back after 15 mins and Bryn thought he would be in for a tough day! To be fair I was a bit John Wayne after the rocky tracks with ropey suspension!

Started biking back along the other side of the river and then we got cocky and decided we wanted to be closer to the river....suddenly the track become a narrow ridge in between the rice paddies! And then, wobble wobble and Fi was off her bike and down into a ditch

Picked up in the evening for our cormorant fishing trip and joined the Chinese tourists on our noisy narrow boat. Met up with our 79 year old fisherman on his motor powered bamboo raft complete with powerful light at the front so that his cormorants could see the fish. Bryn had seen the very same man before on one of Palin's adventures! Motored along with the cormorants diving down for fish....mostly finding fish small enough to get past their cord throat restricters. Every once in a while the fisherman would yank one out by the string on their feet and empty the fish in their throats into his basket. Amazingly clever but reckon that it would take him a while to get any serious volume of fish in!

Went up in a hot air balloon, a wedding gift courtesy of Colin, Cargill and John & Isobel. Amazing, although it was the tiniest of baskets and went up very quick - before we knew it we were up at 500m!

This was followed by boating into 150m tall water caves where we took the obligatory silly westerner mud bath.

Went off on a 2 day trip to the Longshan rice terraces. What a mission trying to figure out the best way to get there. Managed to book ourselves onto a tour group in order to get there and then to come back with another tour the next day. After an early start and 3 hours in our minibus we were all dropped at the corny tourist village where you were supposed to pay 5 GB to see a 'cultural display'. We just wanted to get off on our walk! Had to wait on the tour group but eventually we made it to Ping An...a nice little Chinese village reminiscent of an Austrian ski village.

Shook off the tour group, who were off for their lunch and then a 20 minute trip along the rice terraces and then back on the bus to Yanghshuo! Seemed like a waste of a journey to us! We knew we'd made the right choice to stay and walk when we saw the views...hardly any westerners around and soon we'd left the tourist villages behind and were seeing a bit of real China

Found a tiny to village to spend the night in and were surprised to find a Chinese film crew in our hotel. They didn't seem to mind us wandering round their film set! They were filming the local women doing their dancing...so we had a smug chuckle at everyone else who'd coughed up for their touristic display....we were being treated to the real thing!

Onwards to Vietnam!

We arrived in Beijing full of expectation of our first taste of China - but also with a little trepidation at arriving into one of the biggest cities on earth and hoping that our Happy Dragon Hostel would come and pluck us out of the train station. Amazingly they did and before we knew it we were unpacking into our hotel style room. The hostel had only opened weeks before so they couldn't do enough for us and were constantly brining us cups of tea etc Before we knew it they'd invited us to Betty's birthday party and we were tucking into a Chinese feast with all the staff! Then we were heading off to karaoke with them all - although enough said about that

Woke up the next morning, feeling a little groggy, but determined to complete our free bike tour of Beijing. Of course, not before the hostel had gone and bought the bikes! And then we were off....weaving through the Beijing traffic. No really, it wasn't that bad - Fi only got stranded in the middle of a massive road just the once. 3 hours of biking and then into the hutong and treated to an endless dumpling lunch - yumyum.

The next day we set off to the Great Wall with a couple of people from the hostel. We were due to walk from Jianaling to Simatai - a tough 10km that would take us at least 5 hours apparently!! We had it sorted in 3 and were quite disappointed to realise that we'd finished as we could have kept going. Fantastic experience - hardly met anyone else walking it! It was great to see the restored and unrestored sections as well. Definitely an experience not to be missed.

Then we needed to see some sights of Beijing!

So we went off to the Forbidden City....

And then a trip to the Summer Palace and a walk around the lake...another fine Lonely Planet mess of course as we spent an age searching for Bus 375 before we need to revive ourselves in McDonalds For lunch we got the wierdest thing - a self heating lunchbox .....

And of course, Bryn couldn't miss the zoo and the chance to see a first Panda.....

Before taking on the hostel at pool....whilst Betty and Bryn were the doubles champions Fi was proud to give Bryn a schooling in the first game of the trip.

And Bryn couldn't resist visiting another sports stadium...great to see them with the lights on as well

And of course we went off for our Chairman Mao viewing - he wasn't in a photographic mood.

Bryn got quite emotional when asked to name two of the younger staff in the hostel team who didn't have English names yet. We chose Jenny and Katie! He'd never seen two such big smiles and had to autograph their english books!

Very sad to leave the Happy Hostel and we hope that the team there make a success of their new hostel! But onwards to Xian!