So we finally arrived in Cairns after dramatic time at Singapore airport. Apparantely it is Quantas' policy to overbook its flights and even though we arrived at the airport 2 hours early we were the first people to not get onto the flight. So after waiting and waiting and getting a lot of free food off Quantas we were told that a family of three hadn't turned up so we could go. We had to rush through the terminal carrying three bags of food (we got all w...

Went on a day trip. Visited a jade factory, a tea factory, Badaling - the touristic part of the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs. All very interesting, although we prefered our first trip to the Great Wall as we couldnt really move at this one, it was crammed full of people and tv crews. That night we went to an acrobatics show - the things they can do with their bodies!!

Visited the Temple of Heaven today - the place where they used to pray for good harvests. Was quite interesting. Huge place and got lost many times - directions send you one way and then when you are at a junction they stop and you havent got a clue where you are!! Plus it doesn't help when we spend an hour looking for a certain building to find out that we have been walking round it in circles but it is closed for renovation and the chinese signs call it a diffe...

Didn't really do much today, we were soooo tired from all the walking around we have been doing, there are so many steps at the attractions! Tonight we went to a Kung Fu show, it was amazing!! The things they do to their bodies! There were 8 year old children doing flips across the stage - not using their hands though, just their feet and their heads!!! Men resting their whole body weight on 3 spears and breaking metal bars on their heads!

Visited Beijing Zoo today, felt very sorry for animals. All locked in tiny cages like you see at the circus. Chester Zoo doesn't even compare to it! Only really went to see the pandas, nice experience to see them chomping away on their bamboo shoots.