The overnight trip went well in our tiny little smoky smelling sleeper. The population density as you travel is incredible. There was never more than a few minutes between villages. We arrived to a cold and cloudy Beijing, with our new guide and his sign outside our train window. The pollution was nowhere near as bad as we were expecting. The air pollution in Xi’an was much, much worse. The traffic in Beijing was also much less insane than Xi’an.

Our little sleeper.

We’re interesting aren’t we!

Our first stop today was the Emperor’s Summer Palace garden. The history of the last years of the Empire was quite amazing. Seems the Emperor wasn’t the one that held the real power. His mother controlled everybody in the imperial court with an iron fist. When the second last Emperor died at a young age she installed her nephew as the new (and last) emperor.  The revolution of the early 20^th century occurred when she, known as ‘the dragon lady’, lost her grip on the power. I’ll be keen to re-watch the movie ‘The Last Emperor’ now that I can put it all in perspective.

Next stop was a short stop at the 2008 Olympic site. The ‘Birdsnest’ and ‘Watercube’ were both incredible.

Lauren at the Birdsnest.

Lunch was at a family home in the Hutong (Old Alley), transport by rickshaw. The guide explained the strict social class system in old China. The number of beams above the front door indicates your social level, which in turn determines most aspects of your life, including jobs you can do and who you can marry.

Next stop was the hotel for a free afternoon to catch up on postcards, washing, blogs and relaxing with a glass of ‘Great Wall’ Cab Sav.

First up today was a ride around the Xi’an  city wall. The wall is 13.7km long and takes about an hour and a half to ride around, allowing for photo stops. Carol’s undercarriage is still recovering many hours later. Next was the Muslim quarter, which had been recommended by an American couple we were talking to the night before.  This was a tight network of crowded back streets, still very Chinese, but no pork.

A Buddhist temple, the wild goose pagoda was next, which was Lachlan’s replacement for the school excursion to Nan Tien Temple which he is missing while he’s away.

Last stop for the day was a museum, then off to the station to catch our overnight sleeper to Beijing. This was somewhat of a highlight for the kids – very excited – as they haven’t done an overnighter in a train before.

Another early start for an 8am flight to Xi’an (which we finally know is pronounced she-anne).  Upon arrival we were met by our guide and headed off for the 1 hour drive to the Terracotta Warriors. I was expecting the site to be impressive, but nothing really prepares you for the scale of the site. The main pit, Pit 1, where the warriors were first discovered in 1974 measured 230m x 70m. It is still being excavated.

After a fairly thorough look around we headed to the hotel then to dinner – the local specialty, dumplings – and a Tong Dynasty show. Again, spectacular.

We woke to heavy rain and low cloud on the one day when we really didn’t want either. We were heading off on a cruise down the Li River, with its limestone karst scenery. As the boat was departing the rain was bucketing down and visibility was close to zero. As we entered the area of interest the rain stopped, the cloud lifted somewhat and we were left in a magically fairyland of wispy cloud and gigantic formations. Words could never do this place justice, and I doubt my photos will either. With all the recent rain the river was high and flowing quickly. The 4 hour trip took only 3 hours, with the boat going sideways at times, often close, very lose, to rocky cliffs.

In Yang Shou we hired bikes and rode out of the city into the countryside. Rice paddies, market gardens, water buffalo working the fields, and the Hunters on 1950’s vintage bicycles peddling along a country road beside the river, with towering karst formations all around. This was a ‘pinch yourself – is this really happening’ moment.

Next stop was a coffee and ice-cream in a side street bookshop. Once again, it could have been a scene from a movie. While Carol, Kate and James did some shopping, I climbed a nearby formation in search of a geocache – my first in China. At the top, I was talking to an American couple and their guide. The guide had a friend was visiting Australia who had sent him some photos that day. As the guide was showing the Americans the photos I said ‘That looks very similar to where I live’. Next photo was a sign reading “Hyam’s Beach, Jervis Bay”. Small world.

Dinner – best one so far! – then the ‘Impressions’ show, a 600 cast show on water, with a natural backdrop of the karst formations lit up. The show was produced by the same person who designed the 2008 Beijing Olympic opening ceremony. Wow.

On the drive back to Guilin the rain started again. Some days you just get lucky with the weather.

After heavy rain overnight we were a bit worried about the trip to Longshen, a mountainous region with mountains terraced into rice fields, populated by an ethnic minority, the Yau. The Yau women never cut their hair after their 18^th birthday.

The 2 hour drive was in light rain and very low cloud. At several points we had to stop while earthmoving equipment cleared very recent landslides. Near the village of Longshen we began a 4km walk up the mountain, through the village to the top of ‘The Dragon’s Backbone” where we were meant to see a great view over the terraces. We saw cloud. As we descended the mountain we stopped in at a coffee shop – the first we’ve seen in days – for a cappuccino and hot chocolate. It was the type of place you could stay for months while you write a book, paint a picture or simply contemplate the meaning of life.


Next was a great lunch on the mountain (our guide ‘Tina’ is starting to get a feel for the types of dishes we like.) Most of the food prepared for tourists is SOOO bland.

At times the cloud cleared a little and we got a glimpse of what we were missing. But the lack of a view didn’t mean it wasn’t a great day. The people, the village, the colour and food all made it worthwhile.

Dinner was at the hotel – our first western food (except breakfast each day) since leaving home.