Hello all,

Sorry it's been a while since our last entry, we've been busy travelling around and just don't seem to have enough hours in the day!

We last left you in Xi'an with a daunting 18 hour train journey ahead of us! It wasn't too bad, me and Shona managed to get a top bunk so we didn't disturb anyone else in our cabin (and gave us a chance to lay in, although they aren't the most comfortable beds in the world (they don't call them hard sleepers for nothing!!)). Shanghai was ok, but didn't entirely live up to our expectations. I guess after seeing one built up city you've seen them all! We did the usuall, had some nice meals, went to the market to practice our bartering skills, saw some unfortunate dogs and rabbits in extremely small cages There were also alot of beggars here too, and many weren't happy with the spare change in your pocket (they were after the big bucks!). The Bund was pretty spectacular, especially at night with some nice skyscrapers being lit up i.e the pearl tower.

We visited an underground bar which was very hip-hop (Dad Seymour), the DJ's played some pretty chilled toons which was nice to relax and have a beer to. The next day was pretty smoggy, so we were lucky to get some good photos the day before. We spent most of the day wondering around aimlessly trying to find an internet cafe, but when we found one we were yet again unable to upload any photos! That night however, we managed to catch a show at the Shanghai Acrobats. Most of the acts were pretty amazing, including a dancing dragon, some spinning plate ladies, some guys doing clever stuff with hats, a talented woman magician who managed to pull five young ladies out of a wardrobe (let alone countless doves out of thin air!), and two very strong guys in very small pants (in my view too tight!) throwing each other around. But the peice de resistance was by far the cage of death. Imagine a giant hamster ball...... now add five lunatics on motor cycles flying past each other at near full speed. Pretty increddible. We think. Well after we regained conciousness from all the exhaust fumes, everybody was clapping so we guess it was good! It left us wondering, how would you ever prctice something like that, and how many broken bones must it have taken to establish their dream?

After the show finished we managed to order a very tasty dinner, all by ourselves! Something which has proved more difficult than it sounds (especially as most of the menus are all in Chinese!) After that we went on to a very trendy Jazz bar, which was heavily over priced, and filled with Shanghai's elite (but at least the music was good). Apparently Jazz's No.1 talent of today Cocco was playing, and he did have a pretty good voice. We didn't stay out too late because a) we couldn't afford to! and b) because we had a 24 hour train journey ahead of us!

Spending that long on a train was not great fun. There is not alot to do and after a while the four walls start to close in, and with it comes clostrophobia! It was a relief to get of the blasted thing, but arriving in Yangshau was like a breath of fresh air (with no pollution!). There were no tall buildings to keep out the sun, and all around us we were surrounded by beautiful mountains. It felt more like a holiday destination with market stalls in the streets, and countless bars and nightclubs selling western food and beer! (which we had our fair share of both, one night we ate steak and chips, followed by burrito's- fatties ). At night we often went to a local bar and had a few drinks with the rest of the tour group, and played pool. (The lads in the gruop have been training us to become pool sharks!).

Wednesday, we had arranged to go kayaking on the Yangshauo river for the whole day. We got up at 8am, had a fry up to keep us energised for the 4 hours of kayaking ahead! We got a little bus to the river, and we were given an extremewly short breif, which included "You'll be going down the river this way, stay left when you see red flags, and right when you see white flags. You'll know when to stop kayaking as you'll come to bridge and can go no further". Then we were given Kayaks, a life jacket and told "Off we go, and there will be a tractor to collect the kayaks at the end".

So off we set in our little boats,(baring in mind that niether of us had really been kayaking before). Will, a friend of ours, was already previously sceptical of coming as he wasn't a strong swimmer! Regardless of our first impressions of this being a slightly dodgey outing, it was a really lovely day! It was so cool to cruise down the river, surrounded either side by huge green, and white mountains. It was very peacefull and nice to sometimes just be carried by the water, rather than paddle. We had a little stop halfway down at a little village that was over 600 years old. Once we stepped into the village we were persued by a little old lady,(who we think had been there since it was first built) and who was determined to get us to buy her hats and nodding turtles! She followed us around the whole village, but we eventaully managed to lose her, not bad for a 600 year old lady!

Once we were back on the kayaks, with water supplies, we set off. There were lots of beautifully coloured butterflies and dragonflies following us down the river. We also saw a kingfisher perched on a bit of bamboo sticking out of the river! Very picturesque, but no camera!!!

By the time we saw the bridge, which indicated the end of our kayaking, it was a slight relief as our hands were beggining to ache after 4 hrs!

Later on that day, 4pm, we met the rest of our tour group and went on another trip on the upper part of the Yangshauo river, but this time on a powered boat, and with camera! We will put our photos on soon, promise!!!!!!!

Next stop was Guilin, which was just down the road! In brief, we stayed at another guest house, with pingpong table, pool table, chess and lego! It was nice to stay out in the country. We took a nice 4 hour bikeride through the local farming district, and then hiked up Moon Hill. which gave us a lovely view over the whole town.

Then we had another 14hr train journey to Hong Kong, and yet another city! Our highlight here was going on a tram up to Victoria Peak, the highest point in Hong Kong. From here at night the views were amazing and we managed to get some really good photos of the skyline.

After a few days fending for ourselves , we managed to catch a flight out of HK after staying at the lovely hotel known as Hong Kong Airport Waiting Area! Which was still better than our previous cockroach infested dorm in the ChungKing Mansion!

We now are staying at a nice guest house in Bangkok which is clean, has a pool, and most importantly is free of cockroaches! We leave for Pattaya tomorrow to meet our good friends Daz and Will who have an extensive knowledge of the area! So we shouldn't be too stranded!

We'll let you know all the grusome details about Thailand in our next blog, but untill then, we hope you're all well and good xxx

We're being chucked out of the computer room so love to you all xxxxxx