Hello, its been a while since we have been able to update our blog, since arriving in Beijing on the 8th october its been non stop. First night in Beijing we met our group of 16 including me n ali. All British and all quite quirky in their own way.

first full day in Beijing we went to the forbidden city (called this because it was off limits to commoners for 500 years) which has some of Chinas oldest buildings.

Second day we went to see the Olympic stadium, both of us expected something amazing and was quite suprised even disapointed when we saw it. not as big as we thought . then we headed off to see the Lama Temple, which is beijings most colourful temple and has some really creepy looking gods and buddhas. The temple is home to the largest sandlewood Buddha which is in the guiness book of records at 18m. its huge and kinda looks like ursula out of the little mermaid.

The food here in china is amazing, were ordering lots of different dishes between us and sharing them out. And after a few rusty days of using chopsticks were starting to get the hang of it, not that u have much choice coz they dont have forks anywhere!!!!!

Third day was our biggest test so far, both me n ali arn't in the best of fitness conditions.....and we had to treck a 6 mile hike accross the Great wall of china, the place is incredible but one of the hardest things we've ever had to do. Uphill the steps were so steep and looked like they were made for giants, at one point we were crawling on our hands to get to the top, and going downhill was scary, the steps had eroded away and you were clinging on to rubble stones. Suprised no one fell. we stayed in a little guest house next to the wall where the beds were just a plank of wood, we didnt sleep!!!

Were in Xian at the moment, and have been to see the Terracotta warriors. The first room is really cool, with thousands of warriors dug up, half of which had been destroyed before they found. When we were there the man who dug the well in 1974 was sat down in the museum, he's now 81. The markets here are great altho the chinese are very agrresive people and literally grab you by the arm to get you in their shop.

last night we went to a Karaoke bar, Ali bought us some 52% chinese alcohol which tasted like actual Vomit! We were nominated to sing barbie girl by aqua we rocked!!!! ha ha

any way im boring myself with all this history talk

speak soon xxxxxxx