We all got on the train at 8 in the morning looking like zombies, so the second that it set off and we had had our tickets checked we all went back to bed for a few hours. I know it was lazy but we weren't missing anything. We awoke to find that we were in the Gobi desert which turned out to be at least 7 hours of exactly the same scenery. Once at the border we were met by an army of customs officers who took our passports. The train then was moved into a shed (with us on it) and the wheels were changed. This is because the Russians and Chinese are so scared of each other that they are unwilling to have the same sized tracks.

John finished the night by producing a bottle of "Portugals finest" red wine which we helped him finish off.

We got off the train at roughly 2 O'clock and went straight to out hotel. What has become routine followed (shower, relax and then meet up 2 hours later). Our honcho took us to a duck restaurant (when in Peking) which amazed us all, as the food has never been close to this good on the whole tour. The pancakes where unbelievable.

We decided the next morning to split from the group (after a late night in a local bar, a quid a bottle) and made our own way to Tianemen Square. On the way a guy on a cycle offered us a lift for 3 yuan (30p) so we took it. He then dropped us off down an abandoned alleyway and demanded 600 yuan (very aggresively). We gave him some and walked away, our first experience of numerous scams.

Once in Tianemen Square we had to fend off repeated efforts to con us, and maybe because of that we didn't realise that there was a women scamming us. She took us to a traditional tea house and showed us the price list (30 yuan is alot but we thoughtit would be worth it for a traditional tea). When the bill arrived they were after 700 yua, which we had to pay (well we live and learn) but I hope we see her again so we can follow her and ruin her scam.

That evening we (John, Rolph, Sarah and me) went out to try and find a cheap restaurant and when we did they only did one dish (spicy duck). When it arrived we quickly realised that it was the whole duck, including heart, liver, lungs and head (with bill still attached) to name just a few of the bits. Remarkedly it was incredibly tasty (including the head, which I was the only one to try.