We're now in Wuhan - an unscheduled stop - and this postcard covers Chengdu, Wolong and the Yangtzi/Three Gorges. Chengdu was a really nice city although arriving at 6 in the morning we didn't see much while we tried to find our accommodation. To be fair we didn't see much of the city but we experienced the more laid back, friendly approach of the people. Quite a bit of our time on our travels, especially in China, needs to be taken up with organising & finding accommodation, locating train and bus stations, buying travel tickets, and getting about the cities and country in general because it is very large. For example when we were heading to Wolong (on the 3rd day in Chengdu) because there is only one bus, before breakfast Eric took a taxi to the bus station (on the edge of the city with a population of around 11 million) to buy the bus tickets and as taxis wouldn't come back into the city he had to negotiate with someone to drive him back. In all it took nearly 2 hours. It also took several hours to buy the train tickets on to Chongquing. This explains why every place we visit may not feature in the photo albums. But every seasoned traveller will understand this! The main reasons for going to Chengdu was to visit Leshan to see Dafo the Great Buddah, and Wolong where the Panda Reserve is located. We went to Leshan - over 180km from Chengdu - by local bus and then onto the city bus to take us to the site. It was much more interesting than we expected - the vast grounds leading to the river (see photo albums) were a peaceful contrast to the hustle and bustle of the cities. There were loads of statues, carvings, caves etc all on the Buddah theme. However, the peace was shattered when we reached the river and Dafo to find an enormous queue of folk waiting to shuffle their way down the staircase beside Dafo. He really is impressive. As the best view is supposedly ffrom the river and we couldn't find the way to the returning ferries, we took a quick speed boat trip on the river to see for ourselves. The next day we were off to Wolong (140km away) by local bus - and what a trip this was. We just made the bus station to be told that the bus was a little late because of traffic jams. We boarded a rather shabby bus and headed off. Traffic was certainly heavy but later we realised what the traffic problem really was. After the bus left Dujiangyan the mountains loomed, the road narrowed and started to climb past reservoirs, dams, cliffs, hairpin bends, tunnels etc. Soon we were on a single track road - still over 50km from Wolong - and that road was being repaired, along the whole length!! It appeared that the contract had been awarded to a load of different small sub-contractors each having its own band of men/women carrying rocks, labouring to bank up the side of the fast flowing river. There was occasional machinery but hands, buckets, carts, were the main tools. But our driver kept on negotiating the unsurfaced road avoiding rocks, workers, cars, etc quite skillfully. There was lots of horn-blowing as we negotiated bends and precipitous drops, with traffic hurtling at us. Quite a few stops and manoeuvering were needed to pass some vehicles but eventually it became too much. Chinese drivers do not reverse and they do not like to lose face! At one point we were held up by a real jam as nobody would give in. Everyone off the bus for ciggies, toilets, chats and the like. It looked as if were getting nowhere until a sensble looking man started to take charge (see photos) - a bit of moving forward this way, then that, some men to help move a huge rock, and eventually were moving forward and on our way. Or so we thought! Only a few minutes later we came to a halt as we reached a narrow part of the road where a lorry loaded with building materials decided to keep on coming, followed by cars some of which overtook others as they slowed down. JAM!! - and everyone out of the bus and cars again. This time no-one would take charge so Eric took the law of the traffic police into hois own hands. He rolled up his sleeves and started speaking in fluent gesticulation to the drivers. He tried to get them into their cars but it was like herding cats - one was in the the other was out but at some point the cars reversed, the bus reversed a littled, the lorry moved to the steep side of the road and we were all going in our planned directions. Six hours later we arrived in Wolong to find a basic room above a restaurant (Sunbeam Pub) - as we were now about 7000 ft up in the mountains we were grateful for the electric blankets. But for those of you who thought we'd copped out of basic travel/accommodation, this room cost us £4 for both of us for 2 nights!! We'd met up earlier on the bus with 2 travellers - Iliana and Maria-Jose - from Mexico who had also checked into a room. While we were having a welcome beer, a couple of Westerners sidled in and joined us. They were Eduardo from Brazil and Vicky from England - and would you believe it, she was born in Epsom General Hospital and had lived in Oakfield Road, Ashtead. Small world? They were on a volunteering break working at the Panda Reserve. Some really good food later and a few beers we were off to bed. Next morning up and off to see the pandas. Met Vicky & Eduardo (see photos) and loads of pandas. The reserve has around 60 all looking healthy and frisky. It was a wonderful sight to see them for the first time in the flesh/fur and at close quarters and even in confinement, in great shape and looking so relaxed. The reserve had a number of very young - 1 & 2-3 month old pandas so panda sperm is going swimmingly!! They plan to release some of the bred pandas into the wild - further up the valley - soon. After lunch in a restaurant where, in the kitchen, Margaret pointed to some vegetables for a simple bowl of soup but we ended up with 4 delicious vegetable dishes, rice and some tea, we visited Panda Valley which is a beautiful, and for us a strenuous, climb up a steep gorge past waterfalls, through caves, towards the area and height where pandas live in the wild. That night was spent with our new found friends in the Sunbeam Pub playing Mexican poker. Bill - when we get back - watch out!! The journey back to Chengdu wasn't quite so long but rising at 6 for the 7 bus, it arrived on time to be bulging at the seams with workers heading down the valley. We were squeezed in (as were another 10 or so further down the valley) and Margaret was found a seat - a young chap was made to squash into a seat on the other side of the bus. It was a very bumpy and uncomfortable 3 hour ride down the valley with the added discomfort of the woman next to Margaret throwing up! Once again we had the challenge of the traffic jam - this time mainly caused by a broken dow lorry in the middle of the road. However, initiative was shown and soon large metal poles were used to good effect to lever the wheels to move the lorry forward sufficient for us to inch past. After a delay at a further jam where a low loader had driven into a ditch on a hairpin bend, we were soon hurtling down the mountain back to Chengdu where, at the bus station once more taxis refused to take us to the train station - even a Chinese woman couldn't persuade them to put on their meters!! Another private car was called for and we reached the station in time for the hard class (3rd class) seat to Choingqing. Now Choingqing is large, very large - a city of some 30 million, on the banks of the Yangtzi River and a starting off point for the 3 Gorges river trips. We had been hoping to arrive early enough to find a cheapie but as the train was running late we made some tentative arrangements with an official looking chappie who was walking through the train selling trips. An American couple who lived in China helped out and negotiated a seemingly good value arrangement. We were lead off the rain into a waiting taxi and whisked off towards the port. There were no berths that evening but we got a good deal on an inclusive tour on one of the public ferries the following night and a decent hotel to boot! After a good wash (and a real language struggle with the hotel staff) we headed off for some late food. Restaurants looked less obvious but we found a street selling interesting looking food. As we were trying to decide what not to have a friendly face with a smattering of English appeared. He helped us find food and beers and he and his friend joined us a table in the street. While we tucked into delicious (virtually everything we've eaten has been really, really good) spicy beef, spicy pork ribs, spicy noodles (quick - get the loo roll into the fridge!) they ate, ducks tongues, chicken feet, and various other things that we may not normally gobble!! Our saviour and now friend was called Vic (his English name he's chosen) but we immediately renamed him Jim - because he reminded us so much of Jim Buchan (in many looks but also because of his friendly outgoing personality. Vic and Jim - hope you both appreciate the brotherly connection! Vic/Jim and Terry who was initially less talkative and confident with his English were from Xi'an. Itv was great having their help but also to share a table and be able to speak to them about China. You've read about Margaret's trip to the hairdresser, well now it was Eric's turn. On the way up the hill in the morning, he decided he needed a haircut so popped into a hopeful looking joint. He was given the short, back and sides her deserved by an efficient young lady who gave him the works. This involvd the haircut, shampoo (at the chair with no water in sight) and after a good rinse, a head, nech, back, arm shiatsu massage. If Margaret thought she got a bargain Eric's full works came to a 15 Yuan - £1. Beat that Toni & Guy!!! Margaret, watching the proceedings, couldn't contain herself so jumped into the seat - "I'll have the some of that Shiatsu". We joined the boat early evening and settled into our rather run-down, tired looking cabin. This was an entirely Chinese boat, both crew and passengers (although Vic/Jim mentioned there were three Londoners on board whom we met later). As we headed away from the quayside, on deck watching the lights of Choingqing, who should appear - have you guessed?? - yes it was Vic/Jim and Terry! We were really pleased to see their friendly faces and have them on our boat as they were such good fun, and Vic/Jim immediately offered his help any time we needed it. And we did need it a number of times! Our tour leader also found it helpful to use him as translator - at our cabin door would invariably find the two of them standing there with advice to keep us right. After a sleepless night due to lots of unfamiliar noises and creaking bulwarks, our first stop was a very early rise for a 6am trip (in the pitch dark) up the steep Yangzi riverbank to Fengdu and various temples eg Tianzi Dian (nicknamed Ghost City). We stayed with the Chinese tour goup and at 8am were entertained by some open air theatre, by now in the pouring rain. One of the things about this and the other stops was the number of stalls selling good, freshly cooked food and fresh fruit. So on the way back we bought some goodies for a welcome breakfast. The weather was closed in so thankfully this was a less interesting part of the river. We spent some time catching up on some laptop housekeeping and generally lounging around. This however was a bit of a downer for us both because of the continuing lack of sunshine (since the Great Wall two weeks ago it has been continually greyish, overcast and/or polluted) and because we'd secretly hoped a boat in better condition. We were due for another trip at 9pm to the Zheng Fei Temple - which had been rescued from the rising Yangze and relocated further up the bank - and at 8.30, as we were still sailing down the river, the guide this time without Vic/Jim came to the door telling us we must leave the boat now. With bells ringing in the background Margaret asked 'Why, is there an emergency?'. The guide, holding her head in her hands repeated 'emergency' clearly confused by this new English word. Fortunately there was no emergency but simply a language problem. Spirits were lifted by getting off the boat, the walk to the temple, a rainless and clearing sky, the temple itself and loads of good freshly cooked street food. We headed happily back to the boat with supper of pork dumplings in spicy sauce, fried potatoes, bread and boiled eggs for tomorrow's breakfast, washed down by a glass of beer. The following morning was another early rise to the White King Town which involved a short ferry trip and long climb up the riverbank. This was a lovely setting and gave us our first view of the first of the gorges - it appears on the 10 Yuan note. The sail through this gorge was magnificent especially the weather and visibility improved.