Yangshuo Day 1 Yangshuo, as I have hinted at earlier, is a backpackers haven set in an incredible scenic location on the Li River. It is just an hour and a half bus ride from Guilin. I found it difficult to find the bus, but eventually accepted an offer from a tout and negotiated a price that was too much, but still pretty cheap. The town is not very big and it was easy to find the main hostel street and I found the hostel bang on the time I said I would arrive...

Longi Rice Terraces I had chosen to take a day tour from Guilin to the rice terraces in the mountains. I was a little bit concerned that I might be the only one going when nobody was around when the tour guide was supposed to come and collect me, but I need not have worried. A French couple joined me from the hostel and then we joined a whole bus load of Chinese! I had imagined a little minibus from the hostel, but we had a 50 seater coach. The drive to the ter...

Shanghai to Guilin I got up nice and early and checked out, courtesy of the sleeping security guard. The metro was nice and quiet for a change, which made it easy to negotiate with my pack. I also made suprisingly good time and got to the airport way too early. Better that with an easy journey than a difficult one and be on time though. The airport was a bit confusing to begin with, but actually made a lot of sense once I got to grips with it. My flight was not...

Shanghai - Day 4 (Today!!!) I went to bed very very early last night, because I was bored and I didnt fancy sitting drinking on my own in the hostel bar. I, therefore, got up at 7.00 this morning and was on the way to the metro by 8.00. The metro system here is excellent. Large trains, with air con, with good annoucements, good directions etc. At 8.00 though, it was jam packed with commuters. I visited a temple first thing, which was actually given some space a...

Shanghai - Day 2 & 3 Ok, I thought I would try and split the days up a bit to make it more obvious when I have added new material and to make it more accessible to you. I visited the Shanghai Museum in the morning, which was excellent. Very like the British Museum in London, set in a strange looking building in People's Square. The square is an enormous area, which is also home to the Theatre, the Art Museum, and the City Planning exhibition centre. My afte...