CLARE:
My overwhelming impression of China is that of vast scale. I wasn't prepared for it and it's met us everywhere ...
The enormously wide expressways leading into Beijing, flanked by modern skyscrapers outdoing themselves in design; Tianenmen Square - too vast to see across; The imposing walls and endless roofscape of the Forbidden City; the Great Wall disappearing across ridges into the distance; the endless classical beauty of the limestone hills in Yangshuo; the enormous scale of the Terracotta Army - 40 years in the making, hundreds of thousands of individual warriors, buried beneath the soil a site the size of central London.
It's been as hard to marry the ancient dynastic and Confucian culture with the modern, neon sprawls and 'western' generation as it is the control of the communist state. What you see is thriving, busy cities with Macdonalds and Starbucks, modern young with their mobile phones and funky hair cuts, restored relics and pagodas serving the tourists. I've been surprised by the warmth of the people, who adore the boys and want to capture them on all their cameras.
Undoubtedly the highlights have been the iconic sights, but even more so, our stay in Yangshuo with Wei and his family in a hostel in a residential backstreet. Calligraphy and Chinese brushpainting lessons, cycling amid paddy fields with hunched farmers ploughing with water buffalos, and heaps of food each night cooked by Mrs Wei.
I'm so glad that we were pushed into doing it on our own - we've managed to pace it well and wouldn't have had the experience in Yanghsuo as part of a big tour group.
LANCE:
Have really taken to China.
First visit to Hong Kong was dominated by an unexpected familiarity. Found myself gawping at how western the Hong Kong people looked in their mannerism, dress sense and individuality. Mainland Chinese are much more as expected in look - dress sense is marginally individual though nothing bright and showy. Women wearing high heels and men with fashioned hairstyles stood out as extremely rebellious.
One of the main reasons for visiting China was to get a feel for how it is changing commercially and politically. Feel we've had a taste of this. Acres of demolition sites are making way for spotless hi tech office complexes/shopping malls/underground systems. There is obviously an urgent need to pull China into the 21st Century while it has the opportunity. (We have had a fascinating insight on these subjects from friends Juliette and Wayne who are living here and who we have stayed with while in Beijing). It's a real shame though that the West's food chain corporations are bludgeoning their way into the Chinese psyche - Colonel Sanders and Ronald Macdonald advertising is very dominant and is an annoying distraction.
The notorious pollution was noticed most on our drive from the airport into Xi'an. Admittedly it was early evening and the sun was setting but we saw a white haze across the landscape the like of which I'd never witnessed before (the phrase 'nuclear winter' came to mind!). There were though some examples of concern for the environment (solar heating systems were very everywhere on buildings, recycling seemed standard behaviour and silent electric scooters were common - although a few less bulbs powering the neon signs might help too!). Had thought before arriving in China how selfish their attitude was to the planet but have come away thinking you can't blame them - if in their position we'd do the same.
We have felt positively welcome in China wherever we have stayed. Warm smiles have been evident every day and people have gone out of their way to help. Language hasn't been a barrier. You feel perhaps there is a real desire to open up and show off to the west. So glad we didn't settle for an organised tour , DIY definitely the best choice.
Some highlights again:
The boys have been the centre of attention with their Western looks - hope their egos can cope with it on return to normality.
The Great Wall and the Terracotta Army - as awesome as they say (but how MAD were the Emperors from the Qin Dynasty who inspired such follies)
Our stay at Yangshuo Culture House - ticked every box in our "where we like to stay" questionnaire.
Plus too many highlights to mention really - just take a look at the pictures!
TOM:
Most enjoyable moment: mud bath because firstly it was in the centre of a huge cave in the middle of a hill and also because we got covered in gooey mud from our toes to our necks with no gaps!
Most impressive music: Chinese acrobats because I liked it when most of it was up in the air.
Most smelly moment: The smoking in Beijing.
Most surprising moment: How hot the hot spring was and as it went lower it became hotter.
Most comfortable moment: For breakfast at Starbucks in Xi'an those chairs you could bounce on.
Most homesick moment: When we were looking through Ben's photos of when he was young and saw a picture of husaboosawusa (Shakespeare).
Most disappointing moment: When we went to the Bell Tower and we were supposed to be seeing a 6 metre bell, but we didn't see it.
BEN:
Best moment: Chinese acrobats because you wouldn't think that a man could be catapulted up , do a triple backflip, and land sitting in a chair.

Most impressive moment: The terracotta army because they were life size and each one was individual.

Most tasty moment: My birthday tea because there was a rich, creamy, chocolate cake.

Most disappointing moment: The Bell Tower because the poster said it would have a 6 metre bell, but it didn't.

Most fun moment: The luge that went all the way down the hill from the Great Wall of China. I went with a friend from nursery, called Greg.

Modes of transport in China: Tram, plane, metro, sleeper train, tandem bike, taxi, Star Ferry, bus, walking and bamboo raft!