Not sure where to start - been hectic - trains, planes and automobiles around China - pretty exhausting but great fun!! Left Beijing to fly to Xian - caused havoc at the airport - had millions of Chinese officials shouting at me and no idea what they were saying - except it was pretty obvious none of them were happy thats for sure! I put my backpack through security and I also beeped while passing through security myself. The officers scanning me started shouting while about 8 million security officers crowded round my backpack and shouted at me to come over - didnt know what to do first until I realised that they wanted me to take off my money belt - that was okay so could then go over to my backpack where they were all looking at my personal alarm as if it were a hand grenade - it had a pin you had a pull out so guess they were slightly alarmed :) Anyway, I tried to explain what it was but they didnt understand and I was escorted into another room where they wanted me to demonstrate - tried to advise them against it but they insisted so ended up making the loudest noise ever which alarmed the rest of the airport..... they eventually let me go minus one alarm - oh well was my own fault for forgetting about it!! Arrived safely in Xian and saw the Terracotta Warriors, which were everything I expected them to be - they deserve their Wonder of the World status - cant believe I have actually seen them - another one ticked off my list :). Xian has an intact city wall, which we all cycled around - took around an hour, but was really good fun. Headed off on what was supposed to be a 'comfortable overnight sleeper' - hmmmmmmm - that was one experience I will be glad to forget. 6 to a cabin this time (bunks were three high) 10 cabins to a carriage and ONE SQUATTING TOILET with a broken flush :( . It was so cramped it was unbelievable and we were all shell shocked and just decided to drink to get over it - I ended up drinking gin and orange out of my empty beer can so think I can now definitely say that I am no longer able to claim the 'HM' title given to me by my ex work colleagues - definitely a low maintenance type of a girl now.... Thought that was bad until I needed to go to the toilet - someone was using it and didnt even bother to close the door and that was enough to make me feel sick. Some of the more desperate members of the group used it and nicknamed it 'ground zero'. There was no way I was going into ground zero so blagged my way into the first class toilet by pretending I was Russian when the Chinese guard starting giving me attitude and asking for my ticket. Russian is definitely the way to go here as no-one speaks the lingo...:) We arrived in Souzhou and visited some UNESCO listed garden, which was semi okay then we took a bus to Shanghai were I have been for the last 3 days - I absolutely LOVE IT - its amazing, wish I had more time here -its so modern and has a really good atmosphere. I much prefer it to Beijing - its so buzzy! We took a cruise along the river at night - the light show on the buildings was amazing. One bank of the river (called The Bund)has some old European architecture, so it has a really good mix of old and new - really beautiful. The southern Chinese are so much friendlier than their Northern counterparts, although according to my tour guide they 'are less intelligent' - hmmm seems like a bit of a generalisation to me, but who am I to say :). Have had a really good time in Shanghai - food has been amazing - we have had some great group meals, where our tour guide orders for all and we just all dig in - have tasted some weird and wonderful food - but just couldnt bring myself to try the dog and donkey - I wasnt alone in that either! My China Express tour group were good fun, a mix of old and young, couples and singles and I had my first big drinking session the night before they left Shanghai - havent been drunk the whole trip and it was weird waking up with the hangover but we managed to find a restaurant serving the Chinese version of an English Breakfast - it was my first taste of Western food since I left Russia and boy did I enjoy it!! I am now at the airport waiting to board my flight for Siem Reap - it'll be good to unpack as I have been living out of my backpack for a while now, but I am sad to be leaving Shanghai - could easily have spent more time here. Before I sign off I forgot to say to my work pals that I passed the Sinnopec office while I was in Beijing (impressively big building!) was going to pop in to say 'fit like', but smart as these boys are, dinna think they would understand the Doric - so decided not to bother :) Spotted quite a number of Sinnopec petrol stations too and it made me think of work and you all for a split second - did my TCS strategy paper get approved by the way??? I know thats a total saddo question, but just wondering :)

Thanks for all your messages - its good to read them all and keep in touch - will update from Siem Reap as soon as I get organised. I arrive at 10 oclock tonight so hope my transfer arrives as I dont fancy trying to get a taxi at that time! By the way, I havent forgotten about the orders I have from Emma and Mark for Cambodian orphans - will give you further details when I get there...tee hee...:) xxx