Not Approved by LP

Did my week in Beijing. Overall good but 20 degrees warmer would have been nice or at least less of the chill factor. The sights good and the old parts, the hutongs a lot more enjoyable than the newer concrete block covered areas and were evidently where the budget hotels are to be found.
Did most of the main sights including the Forbidden City twice which was worth it as so much to see and even had Peking Duck – which didn’t think any big deal. Even the train station less intimidating on a later visit so all in all no complaints but still more than happy to leave my cold weather clothes at the station and board the train to Guilin so now some poor beggar blessed with a Brighton and Hove Albion football scarf, I hope he treasures it.

The trip to Guilin 27 hours and we seemed to stop at every station on the way which was tedious but the sleeper carriages painless, for some reason still prefer buses as miss not being able to get out every so often even if having toilets nice which for some reason Chinese buses don’t bother with.
In the last 10 years have mese 3 previous attempts to get here so fourth time lucky. Probably changed a lot in that time as well. Staying in Yanshou, which I was expecting to be much smaller than it is, a fair size town which plenty of construction going on. But a nice enough place, well established for tourism and plenty of tourists. Only downside they still don’t renew visas here, the PSB this morning saying its too a small a place which seemed hard to believe but nothing I can do about it so will have to trudge back to Guilin but can’t enter Vietnam until 19th Dec so have to time things right.

This area famed for its karst scenery and regarded as some of China’s finest scenery. With lovely blue skies and the first warm weather for a while, so far so good even if quite hazy for photos. Today climbed Moon Hill, some great views especially at the top. Will be here for a few days as plenty of chances to get out and about.

Yesterday did the Summer Palace, one of Chinas premier sights. Given the bitterly cold weather and rain probably understandable that it was a summer resort, not the best place in winter but still spent 6 enjoyable hours and at least quiet so hopefully some good pics. I am sure the original much better but us Brits and friends had a Taliban moment from what I remember of my history during the Opium Wars and looted it and dynamited the rest – not one of our finest hours and given the way the placards kept raising the issue obviously didn’t impress the Chinese.

Today did the Great Wall, a place seen so many times on film so as much as expected but a good day out. They probably need to widen it though as gets a bit crowded even in this low season !

Tomorrow hopefully check out the hutongs or at least whats left.

Now in Beijing after the overnight train trip from Xian. Took a sleeper so easy, admittedly not sure I would like to be in a big city train station during the festival period, it was daunting enough in the ... [Continue reading this entry]

Done the sightseeing, taken the pics, bought the postcards and even the book of the Terracotta warriors, plus had the farmer who originally discovered them sign it - not that I would trust anything in this country as original. ... [Continue reading this entry]

Survived another 12 hour overnight bus journey and made it here Xian. Given that it was never part of my plans to come here my knowledge stretched as far as knowing its name, what it has ie the Terracota ... [Continue reading this entry]

Feeling very very tired !!. Left Dunhuang and took the bus to Xining. Some lovely scenery thru the mountains especially the sunset, but the night was cold to the point my clothes froze to the window of the ... [Continue reading this entry]

Another ! long bus journey overnight to here, Dunhuang. The place a major tourist destination, with a modern easy going center and user friendly with good hotels and food. However as elsewhere the tourist season finished so very ... [Continue reading this entry]

Back here after many hours camped out on buses. Despite temperatures starting to drop still like the place with its easy going atmosphere, good food and even better fruit. But winter definitely on its way, the fountains being ... [Continue reading this entry]

Tashkurgan obviously not the most popular place this time of year, I was the only person for the bus. So that got cancelled and put with another bus. But the scenery great, passing along the Pamir mountain range ... [Continue reading this entry]

Yesterday did a one day trip to Karakul Lake which is towards the border area. The scenery very very good. A mixture of dry arid rocky landscapes backed by huge snowcapped mountains. As you get nearer there ... [Continue reading this entry]