Late breakfast then got a taxi to the zoo. Cost around £3 took 20 mins or so. Spent the day there saw pandas, bears, polar bears, kangaroos, Tigers and lots more. Also went to an aquarium which was enormous, they had a show with seals and Dolphins. Tried to get taxi back to the hotel but they didn't want to go that far or wanted to charge us more. Have noticed the taxis can sometimes try and rip you off! Not very helpful. So we got the subway which was surpri...

Up early (alarm set for 6,30) had breakfast then went on coach trip sight seeing First stop was summer palace. Had a really good tour guide called yoyo who explained so much about the history of China. The emperors built the summer palace as a place to go in the summer time as Beijing can reach temperature of 40 degrees and the summer palace was built on the outskirts with shades of trees and a lake so cooler there. She explained about one of the wives of the e...

Up at 8 then went for breakfast. Booked a couple of trips for Thursday and Tuesday. Left the hotel and walked to tiananmum square. Had to go through security but was not allowed into the main square. There are a lot of police and security guards around everywhere. They often march in a line together. Then we wandered around shong-Shan park. Ended up walking just over 5 miles. Got a taxi back to our hotel and went to Pizza Hut for lunch. Chilled out in the aftern...

Woke at 8 breakfast in hotel and packed our bags. Checked out and went down to see the boats off. It was really emotional seeing them go took lots of photos. Got chatting to 2 crew from visit Seattle they had both had to get off the boat due to broken shoulders which happened the night of the storm. Felt odd not being on the boat but looking forward to going home to see the children. Really missing them now. Left at 12.30 and got a taxi to the station ( 45 min...

Up at 8 went for breakfast then onto the boat. There was a good atmosphere on the boat. Think they will do well in the next race. Had an email come through to say 4 places available on our boat for legs 7& 8 we enquired to see how much leg 7 would be Seattle to New York £5200 asked about discount but there wasn't any : not paying that ! Went for lunch with some of our crew / sophie Matt Jimmy Lindsey and Anna it was Japanese and the chef cooks in front of y...