It was successful third and fourth day in Beijing… Yesterday we spent some time in the National Art Gallery and the Summer Palace separated by a very spicy but wonderful Sichuan meal.We are starting to feel a bit more comfortable though definitely getting a more 'authentic' experience involving moving to a HOSTEL and using squat toilets (that weren't even divided - yuck).We also have not (knowingly) been ripped off in the last two days, which is a great success!On the second day we were here I bought a fried banana dough ball and the food stall lady gave me two and charged me double, coming to ¥30 (which is about £2).I know that this doesn't seem that much but I knew that I had been had.So the next day I went back to the same stall and bartered her down to ¥5 for two balls.Antony and I promptly high-fived to celebrate and the food stall worker looked at us like we were crazy probably thinking "stupid foreigner, these only cost ¥1 for 100!"But we were pleased!

Today we went on a 6 mile hike along the Great Wall and boy, is that an understatement.It is a Brilliant Wall!The hike was pretty difficult as we were always going either steep up or steep down and there were locals trying to sell us stuff along most of the way but it was well worth it.We also lucked out with fantastic weather and we have both picked up our first pink faces in about a year given the last UK summer.

Now we are both shattered and are preparing for our first overnight train tomorrow evening and our move into China's interior (Howard… don't even start!).

Love, Rachelle & Antony