Our first encounter with China was Beijing airport which was impressive to say the least - new, shiny and big!!!

We took a taxi to the youth hostel and drove along a new motorway which even had flower baskets on the verges - not your typical M62!

It took an age to circle Beijing - it is a vast city - but eventually after a rather hairy drive through the city dodging cars, bikes and buses we rather worryingly took a left turn into what can only be described as a slum!!!

It turns out that our Youth Hostel is located in a 'hutong' district of Beijing. It is one of only 2 traditional alleyway districts still surviving in the city. So what we initially thought to be a dodgy area has actually ended up being culturally authentic.

The people are extremely friendly and we feel very safe wandering around whatever the time of day or night.

One thing that, despite previous warnings, took us be surprise was the number of times you see and of course hear the locals clearing their throats and having a good spit on the ground (or a dustbin if you're lucky!) Mmm nice!!!

Thanks to Mum and Elaine for the good advice re toilet roll - it has come in extremely useful on our excursions.

We have walked miles - as our poor, sore feet will vouch.

So far we have done all the tourist hotspots - Tianenman Square, The Forbidden City, Jingshan Park etc. and we are going to The Great Wall tomorrow on a 6 mile trek - but the way our feet feel at this moment in time the thought brings tears to our eyes!

The place is swarming with Chinese tourists and we are somewhat of a novelty - people are always taking our photos. Sometimes they do it secretly and other times they actually come and stand with us. It is quite hilarious!!

We have now booked our onward train journey. Unfortunately the soft sleepers were all booked up so it is hard seats for David and I!! We leave at 7pm on Sunday evening and feel that we will be ready to leave Beijing.

We have found a couple of good foodspots but in general you could say we are having a few problems with the local cuisine. We had italian last night which went down a treat and have found a great place for breakfast which quite frankly I think has made David's trip so far!! He also wants me to point out that they sell huge bottles of Tsingtao beer for approx a pound (see photos of a very happy boy with his beer!)

Only one downside has been the mysterious disappearance of David's phone and camera chargers and leads. We think that perhaps he hadn't fastened his backpack up properly and they have fallen out in transit - well they do say you learn the hard way!

The only other issue is that since we have arrived the locals have decided to dig up the flipping road outside the youth hostel to lay some drains. You have to see it to believe it - it is still a public footpath and there is absolutely no reference to H & S. You walk on mounds of earth whilst 60 men are in a hole doing goodness knows what whilst a digger works around them and the local shopkeeper carries on her business by the side of the hole. This was amusing at first but as I fell over in the muck today I am know not at all amused. David on the other hand finds it all highly amusing!