Hello Every1 - Well what can i say about China! Simply amazing what a great country!!! Started my adventures in Beijing which is a buzzing metropolis! Great sights from Olympic park, Summer Palace, forbidden city, took a rickshaw around the city to catch the old town of Beijing and the houtongs. Food SIMPLY DELICIOUS duck is a speciality in the area so definately a must try for anyone travelling over there! The weather was freezing so a winter coat was a must purchase for this time of year, a big shock to the system from SE Asia anyways. Next stop on the adventure was the great wall of China and it very much lives up to its name, stayed in a small township near the wall so i got to try some good home cooked food and local hospitality. Amazing.
From the great wall i went to Xian which is also a city but no where near the size of Beijing, from here you can visit the Terracotta warriors one of the many wonders of the chinese world! However a little dissapointing for me as they are encased in akind of factory :( did not really give me the wow that i was expecting, however definately worthwhile a viewing if your in the area. A hightlight in Xian for me was a cycle ride i did on a tandem bike along Xian city wall which covers the entire central part of the city. Took a tandem for the first time. good chance to see the city and the sun was out in its glory on this day!!! Yipee In Xian i also experienced my first Chinese Karaoke, fun fun, you go the supermarket pick up your booze and then lock you and your mates in a room and sing a way all night if you desire!!
In China transport is mostly done by buses and overnight trains and i experienced a lot of both, the overnight trains were basic but comfortable and reasonabally price and i would recommend doing these when you travel long distances. :) Buses are very much like SE Asia your not sure if you will make it to the end of the journey, nailbiteing is how i would describe it. Be wary English is not widely spoken across most of mainland china so picking up a wee phrasebook is certainly worth it.
Shanghai was by far my favourite city in China, it has a great mix of European and Chinese culture and architecture which works really well :) All the people i came across where so friendly the French Concession is a definate must do and also if you are feeling like splashing out wisit the Cloud 9 bar to watch the sunset over the city sky line!!
Yangshou was a very chilled out backbacker haven. When you are travelling through China, a definate stop if you have the time, you will be greeted by lots of awesome little bars and cafes and i must say it is a rock climbers dream! i took a bike around the area which are cheap to hire and the best mode of transport if the weather is good some beautiful rice fields to ogle over. Took a Chinese cooking class here to learnt how to make yummy dunplings which are a Chinese speciality which i ate on more than a few occasions :) also managed to whip up some lovely Kong Po Chicken and some Aubergine with brown sauce which again is traditional chinese cuisine and all scrumptous!!
Longji Rice Terraces are breathtaking, unfortunately the rain did not stop for the entire time in Longji so was pretty hard to get a full view of this amazing district! But the villages are delightful and only a small trek away you really do get to experience the real China :)
Hong Kong - Huge city, must visit the Peak on the tram, has to be the steepest tram eva! Brillian skyline :)
Sorry folks have to run as at the airport and my flight has just been called!! Ciao for now speak to every1 again in India
