We arrive in Yangshuo and immediately love the place, no smog, no high rise buildings and alot more rural scenery. On the overnight train we were given a list of activities to chose from, so here is what we did:

Carrie

1 hr Mah Jong lesson, so clearly now I am an expert. Very similair to rummy really (Mum and Laura you would love it!). I think I may well host a szechuan feast with my new silk table runner as decoration followed be a civilised game of Mah Jong with tea (as the chinese do!). I have posted home a leather bound Mah Jong set, so will teach all who are interested when I get home.

This was followed by a slightly more childish activity at the moon water cave. My caving experience basically consisted of boating into one of the 20,000 limestone karsts in the area with our issue smelly hard hats, illuminous blue jelly shoes and tiny torch. We squeezed through gaps and marvelled at the random shapes in the caves in the pitch black. The fun started when we hit the mud bath and literally got covered head to toe in mud, the floor beneath was squishy and there was even a mud slide to play on. Much fun!! (check out the photo's!). We went thinking there was a shower to clean off in, however this was just a clean water pool (again in the pitch black) in the cave. We then had a 20 min walk back through the countryside in just our bikins and hard hats, I guess the local farmers are used to it, none the less it felt very random.

The next day, we all set off on our little blue bikes called Alice (i guess it was the brand name) to explore more countryside and local villages. Although I was left with a sore bottom due to the very bumpy dusty lanes, I thought it was a fantastic way to explore the area and will definately be hiring bikes at every given opportunity for the rest of our trip. I even got time for a quick swim in the river to cool off.

That evening I went to the the light show directed by the bloke that did the Olympic opening and closing sequences. It was spectacular and I really wish I had as good a camera as the guy that was sat next to me with his tripod! He thought I was odd enough asking to look at his phot's so I stopped short of giving him my e-mail address so he could send me a photo that captured the show properly! So sorry peeps you will have to get the gist from my random blurry photo's. The show went from lighting up the karsts which looked even more amazing by night, to hundreds of chinese dressed in light reflecting costumes lighting up one by one, to mexican waves in the water with giant red sheets. I'm really glad i went.

Sharon

Hello blog fans! My Yangshuo experience was a lot more relaxed than 'Action Carrie's!'. I started my morning by going for a Tai Chi lesson. There are 85 moves which take 10 years or so to perfect. I learnt moves 1-6 so still have some way to go, but I will definitely be purchasing a silk two peice and bandana when I get home so I can practice in the mornings! I felt very chilled as I went for my Mah-jong lesson. As Carrie says, it's exactly like Rummicub, so this will add a Chinese edge to the Bessey's Christmas games from now on (I might bend the rules slightly so I win, of course!)

After Mah-jong, Carrie and I went for lunch in a little restaurant over looking the lake and were sat underneath a piture of a celeb that had sat in that very same spot - Deiter Brummer! Does anyone remember him?? I was quite excited, I used to have posters of him on my wall when I was about 13! Feeling all star struck I then left Carrie to go mud wrestling or whatever it was, while I wandered around enjoying the local village, preparing myself for the day of cylcing - I haven't ridden a bike in years!

Unfortunatly I had to stick to a blue bike like everyone else - I had only a little tantrem that I couldnt get a pretty pink one with a basket at the front . But it was all worth it - the views were AMAZING. We rode around the country in our little chinese hats then stopped off to try some local rice wine. It should actually be used for cooking and is about 60% pure alcohol - not something I would have thought you would give a bunch of cyclers in that heat! We then stopped at Moon Hill which is a karst in an arch shape (see photo). For some reason I decided cycling all day was not enough excerice, so I climbed all 860 steps to the top of the karst. I must say I was slightly pink when I got to the top, but again, more than worth it. The photo's don't do the expansive views any justice, I have never seen a landscape like it, the limestone karsts go on for ever into the distance.

The next day we both boarded a bamboo raft for a river view of the karsts and were surrounded by what I think were water buffalos's. Again, absolutely stunning, but I think you get the picture, so I wont bang on about it anymore! But I will add that if anyone fancies going to China, you must visit Yangshuo..

Anyway, we're off to get yet another overnight train and hopefully we should be arriving in Hong Kong by morning (visa's permitting!!). So, for the last time from China...

Zai jian!!!

PS - we will be updating all the photo's shortly :)