HI everyone. Sorry for the lack of blog, we have been ridiculously busy in the past few weeks.

Beijing is an amazing city, with so many people and sights and sounds. Every hutong (alleyway) there is someone cooking chicken or egg and soy sauce pancakes or fruit on a stick glazed with sugar. This place doesn't allow you to get hungry, there is so much, Even too much food around. We have tried dumplings and dim sum, and of course Peking duck. They don't really do puddings here which is a shame, but I'll survive :p

Some of my highlights include:

Riding around on bikes. Terrifying as the cars and motorbikes do not follow street lights, But definitely the best way to get around and see the city.

The Great Wall of course. It was an early start of six am and it took three hours to get there but it was so Worth it. We climbed hundred of steps to reach the top, and the views were incredible. Mongolia to one side and China to the other. It was a perfect place to walk along as bits had been restored and other the bits were the original wall; nearly six hundred years old! We climbed along to ten towers and it took about three hours to get there and back. I have never encountered So many steep steps, and it was really fun going down but I kept on thinking I will have to climb back up here in an hour! A Mongolian woman followed us for two hours and was really helpful with the steep bits, but it was only so we would buy a t shirt. So much effort for ten pounds!

I am now an expert at bartering, and got some presents and silk scarves for pretty cheap. The only problem Is that they won't let you browse and as soon as you pick up something they are all over you showing you different colours and sometimes it is over hard to walk away and say no when you have shown an interest.

Throughout the week we have visited numerous imperial places and gardens, :-) which are stunning and so grand. They have beautiful tiled roofs of blue and gold, and carved doors and interiors.

The weather has been about twelve degrees, but what is really odd is that a thick smog hangs over the city So even it is sunny and hot you can't really feel it. I now understand why so many people wear masks, the air is not very good here. Another thing I can't aide is people spitting . Everyone does it on the street and makes the most horrible sounds. I also do not like how everyone pushes in the street and subway. Even small old women do it, and push my hips to push to the front of queues. I guess I am just too British, And like things a certain way. I will have to just get used to it, As I still have a month here lol.

Despite the differences I love the city and am looking forward to Rural china as well.

Love to everyone xxxxxxx