5:30 am!! Ahhh!! The train staff switched on the lights very abruptly to wake everyone up, but we dozed for a few more minutes and then got ready to leave. When we got off the train, we hooked up with the South Africans (Claudia and David) and then met up with some Vancouverites. Together, we decided to take an organized bus transfer to Hanoi. It seemed more reasonable than the alternative of a do-it-yourself hodgepodge of multiple trains and taxis which was che...

The Guangzhou Hostel was located on the historical and picturesque Shamian Island, surrounded by the Pearl River. Waking up here was a treat. The hostel was located moments from some of the most beautiful parks we've seen yet. The morning flew by and soon it was time for lunch, so we went in search of an authentic Cantonese restaurant. No problems locating one. The problem was the vast array of bizarre and frightening menu choices. After reading page after page ...

Our contingency plan became reality. The station we arrived in was not the station we were supposed to depart from so we couldn't make our connection. After checking out various options for accommodations, we decided to go to what we knew best, a Youth Hostel. We took the Metro and chatted with a wonderful 22 year old during the half hour trip. His English was very good and he was a lot of fun, so it made the time pass quickly. The hostel is located in a beautif...

Our last day in Hong Kong meant a return trip to China. We had spoken with a Dutch man who said he would not return, as it has completely lost its authenticity. He was disheartened, as he'd first come to China 22 years ago when the villages, fishermen and neighbourhoods were 'real'. He said that one of his favourite villages has been completely moved and "restored" for tourism. As we returned to mainland China, it was with the hope that we might find so...

We awoke to beautiful skies and a beautiful hostel. Mount Davis overlooks the harbour and we enjoyed an early morning view. After dropping off our disgusting laundry, we planned our day and caught the hostel shuttle down the hill to Shun Tak Centre. We bought four Octopus cards, which allowed us to swipe our way onto all of the city's transport options, giving us enough ammo to travel around Hong Kong for the next two days (we even got a hefty refund of the unuse...