Just wanted to update you all on our best day yet... The Great Wall of China!!! Hooray...... We were up at 6.30am (way too early to be up on holiday) then we had a 3 hour bus ride to the wall. The only bloody day it rained since we have been here and we took no waterproofs becaise it has been so hot!! Nevermind its only water! We decided not to do the section of the wall nearest to the centre of Beijing as it is supposed to be really touristy and tacky so we took a coach from the hostel. We got to the wall and then hiked 10k from one section to another- it was awesome. When we arrived we bought cheap bin bag rain coats for 5 yuan (about 30p) they may have kept us dry but they felt like they were cooking us!! The hardest part of the wall was trying to get rid of the scumy touts!! God I could have knocked them out. These middle aged women would walk with you asking all chummy questions like where are you from, you are very beautiful etc etc. In the end Dan got really mad and told them in his most authoritive voice "we don't want to buy any of your s***!!!!" After that they went but they were bloddy persistant and dotted all along the 10k- but dan gave them the eye!! EVIL!! To be fair they had to work hard for their money. Anyway the first secion of the wall was very steep, some of it we had to climb up literally using our hands. It was really amazing, you could just follow it for miles into the distance- then realise we had to walk all that way. All in all it took us 3 and a half hours but coz there was ups and downs it wasn't as hard as that mountain in Tai'an. So... now in Xi'an but not done anyhting yet so will write soon. p.s. Dan also wants me to let you all know that we have struck a deal, he does the photos and I do the writing!!! (think he feels like you lot are bullying him!!)