Today was spent chilling, just reading and writing, it's so nice to just be able to veg out and not feel guilty about it or have to worry about all the jobs that you should be doing. We received email from Emma and Dan who we had met on the train and given a copy of our schedule to. They said that their plans had changed and they were now staying at the hostel we were going to next in Shanghai, and did we want to meet up. I thought it was a little freaky but als...

Went for a ride around the city wall today. I though it was better than the Great Wall. It was a great view from on top you could clearly see the old city inside the walls with all the small old traditional buildings, surrounded by the contrasting modern sky scrapers on the other side of the wall. It was a 14km ride which they said should take over 2 hours, we did it in 1.15 and stopped loads for drinks and photos. I felt pretty pleased with myself till I realise...

Time for some more culture, today we were off to see the Terracotta Army. As usual we decided to forgo the easy option and make our own way, and as usual we played the obligatory hide the official bus game. Eventually we found it and 80p and one hour later we were there. It was one of the hottest days ever, and I think my enjoyment of the day had as much to with the fact that the whole place was inside and air conditioned as it did with seeing the ancient treasur...

We arrived at the huge modern sprawling building that was Beijing train station. It was much bigger than an English airport it had about 3 McDonald's inside. ( no I didn't try them all out - just 2). Our train was like something from the future all modern and shiny, they call them bullet trains but it looked more like an aeroplane ( it didn't have wings though). Inside there was more space then any plane train or bus I have ever been on. It's weird, why do these ...

We decided to go to the Great Wall today. But it's wasn't that easy. Being budget wary hardened travellers we had to do it ourselves rather than pay to have someone wisk us there and back in comfort. But getting the bus is nearly impossible. They have these "fake" buses that take you on long trips stopping at factories and shops along the way and trying to ware you down until you eventually buy something you never knew you wanted for way more than its worth. Ther...