I had developed a strange yearning to get out of bed at an unearthly hour to go to watch the sunrise flag-raising ceremony on Tiananman square. We got up at 6.20 and hurried through the dark streets, comforted by the presence of blue-suited guards at regular intervals along our route. As we neared the square, there were clearly hundreds of others - all Chinese - heading in the same direction. We joined the heavily-policed throng awaiting the dawn parade. At pre...

As has become our custom, the day started in Starbucks.... Sam had had a particularly refreshing shower today, having discovered, thanks to us, the bath towels in the cupboard, so she no longer had to dry herself on the bath mat.... After our very Chinese breakfast, we awaited the driver sorted out for us by the eternally lovely Cun for our long-awaited trip to the Great Wall of China!!! Much to our delight, he drove us 90km to Mutianyu and not to the more touri...

After beer and cards we all slept like babies and were rudely awoken by a rather scary chambermaid who appeared to be trying to break our door down at 9am! How uncivilised.... We went back to sleep and then had to rush to meet Mona at Starbucks for brunch..... Yes, Starbucks has become the favourite breakfast haunt. It is halfway between Mona's hostel and our hotel, it does the best coffee in Beijing, where milky tea is the norm, it is warm and it has wifi and ...

The most beautiful sunny day under clear blue skies walking around a city filled with amazing sights and sounds. We started off wondering down what we have named 'Disney street', a series of shops in a theatrical setting; there is even a wooden tram!! The street is laid out with stalls and red lanterns for New Year. The lanterns bob and bounce, dancing in the icy Mongolian wind. I feel somewhat ashamed to admit that we again succumbed to western breakfast tast...

After a day of trains, planes (but no automobiles) we finally arrived in sub-zero Beijing. Unfortunately, the Guangtong Modern Hotel proved a wee bit elusive... taxi drivers, random hoteliers, locals and even the Police claimed to have no idea where it was. Eventually after a couple of hours of wandering in the bitter cold we located it!! And it was generally worth the walk... clean and comfortable for a tenner a night each! One note of caution though... Just had...