Hi (Ni Hao)

We arrived in Shanghai after our first sleeper train experience!! And that it was, there are 6 beds in a cabin and we were sharing with 2 locals one of which got up at 6.30 and started chomping on his breakfast then rustling his carrier bag. Not impressed as he didn't get off for another 3 hours!!!

We arrived at the hotel which was nice but only 2 rooms were ready so girls in one, boys in another!! 10 girls, 1 hour and 1 shower. We succeeded and off we went for a look around. It was much more like we were expecting from China more modern lots of big new buildings and of course Tesco and m&s. In the evening we went to an acrobatic show, which was amazing there was lots of stunts and performers but the highlight was the end when 8 motorbikes all went in a big sphere shape and rode around really fast in formation without hitting each other. It was so clever!!

The next day we went over to the other side of the river where all the big buildings are. As we were walking to the Oriental Pearl Tower a Chinese lady grabbed my arm and was talking to me in Chinese and getting really excited. I called Joy our tour leader over as I had no idea what she was on about. Apparently I was her master and she was so excited, think she was a little crazy either that or she can come and carry my bag as I've had enough of it!! After shaking the lady off we climbed the tower to the second ball which was 263metres high then went down a little to the glass floor, which was 259metres and little scary to start with until we gotta head around the fact that we weren't going to die!!

We walked along to the harbour in evening which was all lit up but so busy. Wherever you go in China there are loads of people it's so annoying at times.

The next day we were the first up and out as everyone else had been clubbing the night before but we went to the Propaganda Poster Museum. It was so hard to find in the basement of a block of flats. So random but that seems to be China. The posters were ok but as we had no idea about the wars behind them it was hard to understand what they were on about but I found a Costa for a cuppa of tea so not all bad. After lunch it was time to head to the train station for our next sleeper train to Xi'an which took 16.5 hours!!!

We preferred Shanghai to Beijing it was much nicer but the worst thing about China is the toilet it's quite a traumatic experience for me!! The boys not so much but they mainly have squat toilets with no toilet paper or hand wash. I don't know how they use these them it's horrible but the worse bit is on the trains there is 1 western style toilet and the bloody people stand and squat on that!!!!! Have you ever tried squatting on a train to have a wee? It's bad enough on stable ground never mind moving ground. I hate it.