Up the Yangtze without a paddle...

After the scale and exhausting pace of Beijing, we moved on to Xi'an, one of the hardest cities to pronounce properly seemingly and the resting place of the Terracotta Warriors. Home to a mere 8 million people and much more manageable to negotiate due to impeccably preserved inner city walls and four intersecting roads (north, south, east and west), Xi'an was a welcome respite and a nice city to boot. We treated ourselves to a slightly more upmarket apartment hotel, with comforts including a full-length bath, TV with BBC World and HBO movies and free slippers - this was the life.

We shared the now familiar airport bus to the centre of town with a great couple from London, whom we met while waiting for rucksacks at the baggage claim and after checking in, headed straight for the nearest decent youth hostel to book on a tour to see the clay army, our Beijing CITS experience driving us on!

We set off to see the world-renowned Terracotta Army the next day, in a transit van that had seen better days, accompanied by a mix of travellers from Holland, the US, Germany and good old London, happily hooking up again with our fellow travellers from the airport. After experiencing some interesting detours on the state-run travel agency tour to the Great Wall in Beijing (stops at both jade and silk factories where the steely-eyed cloned staff gave a quick 'demonstration' and then proceeded to try and flog you as much crap as possible), we were a little disappointed to see our first stop of the day was to yet another state-owned factory selling 'hand-made' versions of the warriors at inflated prices, alongside some very expensive furniture, and yes, you've guessed it, jade and silk. Happily, it didn't last long and we soon arrived at the museum proper. The site consisted of four huge halls, the most interesting of which was the original vault where the bulk of the excavations has been done to date. To the credit of the Chinese, the access and viewing platform is excellent, allowing you plenty of opportunity to see the treasures below, despite the busyness of the place.

The first glimpse of these oddly still, scarily realistic figures was pretty breath-taking, lines and lines of individual soldiers, ranked in order of superiority and task, silently standing there, some beautifully and painstakingly restored, others left incomplete, giving you a real feel for what the original archeologists must have seen when this extraordinary historical find started to take shape before their eyes. The photos really don't do it justice - I would urge anyone who is interested to go and see it, it is probably one of the most unuual things you're ever likely to see.

The trip finished with one of the few disappointing meals we've had and a slightly raucous journey back into town, then after a quick pit stop at the hotel, we hit bar street with our new mates for a few much-needed Chinese beers.

Having done the culture, we took a day or so to enjoy the more homely delights of Xi'an - a fun few hours cycling round the city walls on bikes with brakes that didn't work(!), revealing a city mainly in need of a lot of new housing; a wander to take in the everyday life while snacking on the tasty street food in the dingy, lively Muslim quarter of the city; and a memorable early morning trip out to see several Pandas at a rescue centre at the foot of the mountains a couple of hours out of the city.

There is nothing more fun than calling to a one and a half year old baby panda, who comes lolling over having seen you have bamboo shoots in your hand, feeding and stroking him for a while and then saying goodbye as he slopes off to sleep for the rest of the day - honestly, they have a great life - followed by visits to see several other pandas eating and starting to snooze off in a clean and tranquil environment. It was so much better than seeing them in a zoo, and one of the very few places in China not besiged by hundreds of people, magic! The day was also memorable due to the fantastic lunch we had in a local eatery, much to the interest of the 40 or so other locals eating there that day!

So after 5 days, it was time to move on again, but Xi'an for us was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable cities to visit in China so far - great food, friendly people, memorable trips out and a bar street five minutes walk from our hotel - what else could we ask for!

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After a swift flight from Xian, we soon found ourselves in Chongqing - a huge municipality (30m people) with a strong regional identity (anyone who has sampled Sichuan cuisine will be familiar with the face-paralysis chilli-infused food). The next afternoon we headed onto our boat for a fabulous three day cruise down the famous Yangtze River. It was everything Hyancinth Bucket would have dreamed of: guests donned in nautical attire; a personal toast with the captain at the Captain's Banquet (imagine a cross between Danny Devito and Mr Miyagi in an ill-fitting all white captain's uniform from a local fancy dress shop - we swore he was an actor - far too young to be captaining a cruise ship); preening River Guides (Ben and Nina apparently) with feigned and forced smiles (in their defence they had worked non-stop for eight months without a single day off - again, this is the Chinese way), the constant high-volume tannoy that blurts innane messages throughout the day (6am on the last morning, hearing 'Hello! This is Ben speaking, your River Guide' almost sent us over the edge), the lame cultural exchanges- thinly disguised attempts to sell you tat you don't need - jade, silk, embroidery, bottle painting etc; and the cringe-worthy 'entertainment' - talent shows and masquerade parties (needless to say, we made a sharp exit after tea and chilled out in our cabin). Still, all this was worthwhile as the images we fell in love with while watching 'Wild China' on the BBC were even more stunning than we hoped for. A stroke of good fortune ensured fine weather and we sat back enjoying the three huge and narrow gorges we sailed through - sheer rock faces, dreamy waters, tiny hillside villages - it was a privilege to experience it. With the mighty Three Gorges Dam project almost reaching completion after 15 years, an increase of 30 meters in water height, and 1.5 million people displaced - this classic river journey may never be the same again.

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Having left the tranquil, stunning river scenery of the Yangtze behind, we headed for our final stop in China, the pearl of the East coast, Shanghai.

We had heard a lot of good things about the city on our travels in the country so far, and were looking forward to seeing what this constantly evolving place had to offer. The first experience was of course the bus into town, easy to find and very cheap. It was, however, marked out by the fact the driver was one of the most hair-raising we have come across in China, and that is saying something believe me! At breakneck speed, we hurtled towards the several hundred other cars on the freeway. Only when the faces of your fellow Chinese passengers, normally fairly oblivious to the near-misses and terrifying pace of the driving in their homeland, start to show signs of mild panic, do you begin to worry that you may not make it to your destination. Oh well, we thought, we've had a great time up until now, but thankfully, we arrived at the metro stop in one piece, leaving the driver anxiously clutching and un-clutching a huge stress ball, mentally psyching himself up for another run through the crazy traffic.

Having checked in to our hotel, we eagerly headed out for our first taste of Shanghai, and we weren't disappointed. It does feel like most of the city and its visitors spend the majorityof the time either shopping or eating, and as we were staying right on the main shopping drag of East Nanjing Rd, just up from the People's Square, we happily realised most things we needed were about a ten minute walk left or right.

Heading straight for the Bund, we stood and admired one of the world's most well-known streetscapes, twinkling brightly in all its neon and art-deco glory, matched only by the soaring skyscapers and world-famous TV Tower on the opposite side of the river.

The Bund and the newly-redeveloped Pudong area across from it, neatly sum up what Shanghai is all about - a mix of brash, ultra-modern East-meets-West style over substance, an overwhelming sense of money being made and spent everywhere, yet all set against the backdrop of a fading colonial heritage and a desire to hang on tightly to the Chinese traditions and culture which infuse everything from the food to the temples to the peaceful gardens in the older part of town, parts of which have thankfully escaped the bulldozers for now. This may sound critical, but it's not meant to - Shanghai is a fabuluous city to hang out in, with great bars, cafes and restaurants and a increasing number of good museums and art galleries to boot. It's worth seeking out the little 'lilongs' (alleyways) and the remnants of the best art deco buildings left in areas like the Old French Concession and it's also refreshing to visit somewhere without a long list of 'must-sees', leaving you free to fritter away a day just wandering around and enjoying the place for what it is - a fascinating mix of old and new, with some of the friendliest people we've met in China so far.

We're currently spending a couple of days chilling out in a place called Hangzhou, a small-ish town about an hour and a half out of Shanghai, which is famous for its Xi Hu (West Lake) and Longjing tea, and I write this having sought out yet another great little dumplings restaurant for tea, which has left us full and happy, another reminder of how great the food has been in this country, no matter how small or basic-looking the place - if only we could recreate the quality and price back in London, we would be laughing!

So in conclusion, China - amazing,beguiling,fascinating...mental. We'll definitely be back!

Big Travellers in Little China

Last time we left you, we were enjoying our final days in Cape Town, SA, when the sun finally came out properly and we enjoyed a cloud and wind-free trip up to the top of Table Mountain, which was truly stunning and delivered the lasting memories of a fantastic trip in SA that we were looking for. We joined a free walk around the top of the table, led by a spritely 72 year old by the name of Clem Barker, alongside his wife Dot, whose family came over from Norwich in the 1920's. He put us to shame with his tales of springing gaily up the moutainside each day since he was a youngster, living in a family-built house at the foot of the mountain, which made him a mine of information on all things Table Mountain-related and a lot of fun - thanks Clem, we salute you!

So it was with a little sadness, quickly banished by mounting excitement, that we boarded the flight to Hong Kong to start the Asian leg of our trip, emerging from the plane after several hours and precious little sleep, blinking into the sunlight and smog of Hong Kong at 7am local time.

After successfully negotiating the airport bus to our hotel in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, we caught up some sleep with a quick power nap, then headed into the thick of things to explore our new home - which we quickly fell in love with. Armed with the most helpful information so far from the excellent HK tourist board and some fantastic insider info from good friends, we spent the next nine days eating, drinking, (window) shopping and exploring the far-flung reaches of all that central HK and it's diverse outerlying islands had to offer.

As you will know, the first - and most important - thing we always start with is where to eat - and Hong Kong did not disappoint us. Keen to eat as locally and cheaply as possible, our request for any information on good places to stuff our little faces at the tourist office was met with a knowing look and a specially unearthed leaflet, hidden away in a dusty draw, which turned out to be an English version of 'The 50 Best Places to Eat in HK'. Compiled by three of the cities most well-known and respected food writers/critics, this was no bible of the latest european-inspired chic and expensive restaurants however, but rather a treasure-trove of the city's best-kept secrets: tiny won-ton noodle bars hidden away down little alleys, age-old HK institutions serving everything from fantastic and insanely cheap dim sum, to the Chinese version of comfort food to specialities such as claypot rice and tasty noodles. It really put those pale imitations of Chinese food you get in the UK to shame. Even the fast food chain versions of popular dishes were tasty and cheap!!

It often required a little bravado to match the Chinese characters listed to those above the door of these restaurants/canteens and to walk boldly in and sit down, no other western face in sight, hoping for at best either an English menu, a Chinese one with pictures, or if all else failed, inspecting what everyone else was eating and pointing at the dishes we liked best to the bemusement of the staff! One thing was always the same though - a welcoming smile, huge pride in what we were cooked, help in the best way to slurp it all up and great satisfaction when we cleared our plates.

We were starting to realise the absolute obsession with good food that exists in China, a theme which I'm afraid is going to reappear rather regularly in this post!

Aside from the food, we had a ball in Hong Kong. Highlights of our time there included a free tea appreciation class in a beautiful old tea house in HK's Gardens; a fun ride up to the top of Victoria Peak in the restored tram for great views over the skyscrapers below (including an umissable photo opp with the wax version of Bruce Lee, see flickr for more on this); tranquil walks and great seafood on the pretty island of Lamma, contemplation and more photo opps with the impressively huge Buddha at the Po Lin monastery on Lantau, another of HK's islands; bargaining with tough grannies for the best price for a ride on a sampan in the old port of Aberdeen; ferry rides across the harbour both at night and in the day between Kowloon and HK Island; fine wine and cocktails under the stars at both the Sheraton and RED bar (the best views over the harbour at night); walks through crowded night markets, selling everything from birds to flowers to the latest hi-tech gadgets; seeking out hidden away temples and cafes stuck in the 50s, enjoying Kung Fu demonstrations with HK's elders on a Sunday afternoon in the park and overall, just taking in the smells, sights and sounds of this amazing city. Safe to say, we plan to come back!

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After soaking up the spirit of Hong Kong it was time to hit China 'proper', and where better to do it than Beijing - the imperial capital: redeveloped, repackaged and represented just in time for 'Beijing 08' (we were soon to discover that our '05 guide book was well past its expiry date - streets and buildings renamed, bars and restaurants replaced, entire areas torn down and rebuilt, new international style malls in every major district, four new ringroads, 5 new tube lines and 'Beijing 08' merchandise EVERYWHERE. The furious pace of redevelopment was mindblowing).

As you enter modern Peking, you are first struck by the scale - it's a huge, massive, collosal sprawl of a place. The eight-lane six ring roads that circle the city (like several M25s around Traflagar square or Berlin's Potsdamer Platz multiplied by a hundred) mean that on an 'Autumn hazy' day (apparently the heavy smog in the air was simply seasonal mist) it was impossible to see the other side of the street, let alone the end of it. Our first hint at size was arriving at the airport, having to take a shuttle train to the baggage area, up and down several flights of stairs and finally locating the ticket desk for the well-hidden airport bus. We've come to the conclusion that any normal person suffers from A.A.B (Airport Arrival Blindness) - symptoms include losing all ability to read signs (even those in your own language), follow directions, retrace your steps, or communicate to anyone - including your travelling partner. Previously intelligent beings reduced to rabbits in headlights, the glistening glass and shimmering white floors rendering your brain completely useless.

Seventy-five minutes later and we arrived at Bejing Zhan - the central railway station. Our 'hotel' was down a hutong (cobbled side-street) and thanks to some detailed directions from a fellow traveller on Tripadvisor, we were stood in the lobby ten minutes later. Our walk there gave us a glimpe into life in Beijing - thousands and thousands of people everywhere, hoards of bemused countryside folk arriving for the first time in Capital City - afraid and uncomfortable with the unfamiliarity of it all, people spitting everywhere, plenty of scammers, pickpockets and petty theives, the feeling that you are being stared at by everyone - yes, everyone, and the sudden, overwhelming feeling that you are a mere number, a dot in a city the scale of which you could never fully comprehend. No wander there are few dissidents in this country of state control - hard to make your voice heard amongst 1.3 billion other people.

At the reception desk of our new home for the next seven days, we got our first taste of 'customer service' in China - a particular trait of hotel reception staff. Their training goes as follows: at all cost avoid eye contact with the guests (after all, they may be mind-reading communist subverters out to bring down the state), communicate as little as possible (limit your words to 'passport' and 'money'), resolutely refuse to answer any of the guests questions (they may be on a quest to hunt down state-sensitive information) and if all else fails follow the I.W.A code from your basic training module (ignore and walk away). We certainly had an interesting time during our one week stay - knocks on the door at 2 am, 'you likee massage?' calls during the early hours, a power cut at 1 am and a small fire in one of the rooms at midnight (we awoke to a haze of smoke in our room). Still, this is the Chinese way - like a living, breathing reverse-Nike campaign: 'impossible is everything'.

Taking all this into account - and how endlessly exhausting it can be to get around - Beijing's sights make it more than worthwhile: the jaw-dropping experience of climbing the Great Wall of China, the beautiful lakes and pagodas of the Summer Palace, the sense of history, beliefs and superstitions that hang in the air around the Temple of Heaven - infused with the sound of high-spirited septagenarians singing old Russian comrade songs, the impressive grandeur of the Forbidden City, the Bird's Nest in all its glory and the awesome towering sandalwood Buddha at the Yonghe Gonghe temple.

And as much as you live, breath and experience the sights you have longed to see - pictures in books brought to life for the first time, it is often the smaller interactions that mark an imprint on your mind:

The constant spitting (the gravel-sounding drawing up of mucus, the silent narrowing of the tongue and the rapid projection of the newly unearthed phlegm - on the street, in the cafes/bars/restaurants, first thing in the morning, into your bowl at the end of the meal. It is a sound that you hear constantly. A sound that you forever attempt to excuse on the grounds of cultural difference. All said and done - it's pretty rank.); the 80 year old couple from the countryside - sat down, arms interlocked - curiously looking us up and down for the entire tube journey - a look of intrigue, wonder, confusion - not hostile but bemused, perhaps interested and the sense that they were thinking 'if they can do it, then I guess we'll be ok'; the constant pushing in the 'queue' at metro ticket machines (the pincer movement from the side, the bowling ball strategy right through the middle or the 'up and over' where a random hand shoves a note in the slot just before you can press your destination stop); the time you and the waitress were in fits of laughter neither able to fully understand the other (and the soft smiling help that you receive in the most local establishments); or the old lady who took time to show you how to enjoy a certain dish that was delivered with pride, care and attention.

Sure, Beijing is exhausting, frustrating, tiring but it is also utterly amazing. By the end of our seven days, we felt settled, confortable and used to the Chinese way - we even managed to pick up a few Mandarin phrases.

It's difficult to say how quickly Beijing will change and whether the capital of a Communist State will improve its customer service to give tourists what they individually want to access rather than what the state deems you should see. In any case, our time in Beijing will always be memorable, fondly recounted and a great introduction to mainland China.