I spent this morning making sure my visit to Guilin/Guangxi didn't go completely to waste. I was assisted by an earlier than desired wake-up call from the next door school and the loud group of Spaniards who clattered into my dorm at 2am. I hiked around the Diecai Hill Park. The karst scenery here is quite a spectacle, a very unique sight. I'm not really sure, and not terribly interested, in the geography behind it all but it was nice to see some of the scenery. I didn't get a lot of sleep because I was wondering whether I'd made a mistake in rushing off to Shenzhen and Hong Kong. But I feel I need a place where I can properly relax, with access to Youtube and Facebook, as term is fast approaching.

Also, after Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang, I have little apetite for touristic China. I'm counting on the unrest in Hong Kong to have scared away mainland tourists. China is at its most enjoyable when you're just sauntering around its streets looking at how different it is. Yesterday I drove through grotty western and central Guilin, but this hostel is in the north of the city which is clean and pleasant.

It was interesting passing a Chinese hospital, a massive factory-like Chinese primary school and various little stalls. Travelling in China feels like travelling in a parallel universe, a feeling intensified by the strength of the Great Firewall! If I had more energy and if my VPN worked, I wouldn't be taking the bullet train to Shenzhen this afternoon. But, unfortunately this isn't the case. Here's to a final week of adventures in Hong Kong and surrounds - probably the last of any big trip for a while! Ciao!