A nice easy flight was just what we needed for our stop in Singapore was due to be a short but sweet visit. Luckily, the flight was perfect and after finding the hotel, we set off to make the most of the 30 something hours we had before our flight to Darwin. The hostel, Sleepy Sams, was our first and last stop in a dorm rather than a private room, it was very nice with air con, nice decor...and hundreds and hundreds of beds! Jo, however, would change the nam...

Back in Hong Kong we arrived, through the back door this time though. A bouncy, bumpy and 6 hour late bus ride across the south of China brought us to the gates of Hong Kong and once through immigration we sailed to Kowloon and back to the same guesthouse we had stayed at a month previously. A quick walk around the local park and off we went to the temple street food market where you can buy all sorts of watches, clothes, trinkets and the like, but no food. So a ...

Emerging through the thunder, lightning and torrential rain, we touched down in Guilin, very relieved. Not relieved to be out of the storm but relieved that we had actually got to Guilin. The flight was 5 hours delayed and after waiting for 3 hours in the airport we were taken to an airport hotel ...for an hours sleep before being dragged back to the terminal to wait some more before being able to board the plane. Arriving in the airport at 4 in the morning to fi...

After our overnight sleeper train in 'smoking class' we arrived relaxed and smelling like a local boozer. The hostel hadnt booked the right room for us so an outdoor shower and bathroom was our only option in the freezing cold. Thus began our time in chilly Chengdu. Undeterred, we set off to the People's park. The Chinese like to keep things outdoors and that goes for their lunchtime karaoke sessions. Three neighbouring competitions kept us on our toes. If that w...

An easy overnighter in "noisy class" on the sleeper train paved way for a morning arrival in a chilly but nice Xi'an. The hostel collected us from the station and let us enjoy the restaurant for nearly 2 hours whilst we waited for a cup of tea and a slice of toast. Messing about done with, we got on the next bus and found our way to the terracotta warriors. The first emperor was certainly a nutcase to order the building of this super army of warriors, e...