I think where I left off on my last post I said, "So far, so good." After that we had a few hiccups. We were to catch the super fast train from Beijing to Yichang to board our boat for a four day cruise through the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River. Our Beijing minder gave us our train tickets the day before departure. Problem number 1 - my passport number did not match the number stated on my train ticket. The numbers were correct, but the initial letters were...

In the winter of 2011 Beijing gave me smog-free sunshine, clear blue skies and temperatures so cold that they chilled me to the bone and almost froze the marrow within. This time I came prepared with layer upon layer of Marino wool and possum fur, so my bones were warm and snug, but Beijing forgot to turn on the sun. Although the smog rating was relatively low due to a cold front clearing it somewhat, the skies remained grey and some rain and snow fell. Not to w...

The train ride from Innsbruck to Buchs on the border between Liechtenstein and Switzerland was though breathtaking scenery. I blinked and missed the tiny country of Liechtenstein completely, but I hear it is lovely too. At Buchs we caught a regional train to St Gallen and entered a carriage full of very rough, robust primary schoolers heading home from a school camp. Interestingly, none offered their seats to two elderly passengers, though the four boys near us w...

Austria - add two letters and the word becomes Australia; add two weeks and we'll be back home in Australia. Our holiday has been so varied that it seems we have been away forever. Just when we think this is as good as it gets, it gets better. Just when we think the sky can't get any blue-er, it does. Just when we think the sights can't get any prettier, they do. We have loved exploring our city stops, but the mountains have a magic that is hard to beat. We had...

Damn! We are in Munich, but it is not October. Luckily they still serve beer in September, so we made it our mission to taste test a few just in case they needed any advice on what to serve next month during the mother of all beer parties. Last year over seven million people attended the 16 day Octoberfest, making it the biggest public festival on earth. Munich may be about to be invaded by thousands of party animals for their beerfest, but their bigger concern...