Saturday 6th September - day 17 Xian After talking about hua shan the past few days with a few backpackers who have been, we hear nothing but good things, so we decide to brave another hike. There's also a 0.3m plank path that winds around one of the peaks, it's one of the most dangerous things we've seen, but it's popular with tourists, and we both would like to give it ago. We Leave for the bus at 7.15 and make our way to the train station for the bus to hua ...

Friday 5th September - day 16 Xi'an Up early to make our way to the terracotta warriors. It's about a hour Away according to the hostel and we need to catch a bus to the train station (603) then swap and take another one to the site (306). We get to the train station, cross the road and walk to the eastern corner of the station to get the bus - which is more like a coach. The price should be 5rmb each, but naturally we are charged 7 each because we are western...

Thursday 4th September - day 15 Xi'an After checking in (Han tang hostel -50rmb) we decide just to look round the city today. We head down to the main square and take some pictures of the bell tower and venture through the Muslim quarter. We pay Into the Mosque, but it's not really worth the 35rmb, there's scaffolding covering the main pavilion and the rest is poorly maintained temples and courtyards after buying some crap and tat, we a lamb muffin/bun thing, w...

Wednesday 3rd September - day 14 Datong We get up early so we can go to yungang caves before we catch our afternoon train to xi'an. It's an easy journey and we just catch a bus outside the hostel and change over at the bus terminal. It's 2 yuan on each bus - a fraction of what we paid yesterday! It's the earliest we've been up and out and we see markets in full flow which includes full caucuses of cows hanging in the street and bring butchered on makeshift tab...

Tuesday 2nd September - day 13 Datong We get up early and the other 2 girls who were in the room have checked out already, there doesn't seem to be anyone else in the dorms, and only a few workers who appear to live on the other side of the floor. We head to the hanging monastery today. We are advised the public transport is really poor in datong so it's advisable to get a taxi which is $350 round trip (90mins each way which includes a 2 hour waiting time). Th...