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10th May
Laura - Got the train to Datong. It was a hard seat, and when they say hard they really do mean HARD!!! It was more or less a bench with a high back, which me and Paul shared with some guy who kept clearing his throat every 10 seconds. Fortunately he got off half way through the journey (which was 6 hours long). The people sitting opposite us were apparently allergic to fresh air and when we opened the window the woman sitting next to it cowered away and looked like she was going to cry. So we had to spend most of the journey in 100 degree heat (I exaggerate, but only slightly) and breathing in stuffy, sweaty air. Needless to say when we finally arrived we both had headaches and I felt very sick. It was great fun! The views on the way were pretty amazing though, we passed through lots of countryside with mountains surrounding us. We also saw loads of farms where the farmers still use cows and horses to plough the fields. That was worth seeing.
Paul - Yeah, it wasn't as bad as Laura makes out. I certainly didn't have a
headache, I think she got sick from all the stuffy air. Not sure I could manage too much longer than 6 hours on a hard seat though. I think we were on a crappy class of train anyway which made it worse. Got to Datong fine and booked our tours with CITS who were SO helpful. I was shocked. Tomorrow we head to the Yungang Caves and the Hanging Temple, pretty exciting!
Laura - The hotel is an absoulte dive, this we both agree on. It looks like it was last decorated in the 1930s and probably hasn't been cleaned since then either! The toilet bowl was brown. The bed was so hard and the sheets so rough that I got carpet burn just from sleeping in them! We managed to see the funny side though fortunately. Thank God we're only here for 2 nights. The town itself isn't anything to write home about either.
11th May
Paul - Woke up at about 7:15am to the sound of the alarm clock (Thanks Thomas + Kayleigh!). Was pretty tired but had to be at the station for 9 to catch our bus trip to the Hanging Temple and
the Yungang Caves. Would have liked longer in bed but princess needs at least an hour to get ready. Wicked! Strolled down to "free" breakfast in the restaurant, if that's what you'd call it. Resembled a school dinner hall without the cleanliness. Super! Had dumplings and some other bizarre fried thing. Bad description but no idea what it was.
Stupidly decided that we didn't need our jackets for the day (oh yes we would!!!) and walked over to the train station where we met a lovely English couple who gave us an internet card to use in Xi'an for free! Good start to the day. Got on the bus with a whole host of other travellers and started the teeth rattling journey to the Hanging Temple. Well, at least we thought we were gonna start the trip but the driver in his infinite wisdom forgot to put any petrol in the bus! So back we went to the petrol station! To say I was mightily impressed with his brain power and general all round greatness is an understatement. Our tour guide half apologised. An hour later than planned we left Datong and headed towards a towering mountain range (Wutai
Shan area). The usual bad driving was glossed over by the spectacular scenery we passed en route. Picturesque hills and deep gorges all the way. Lovely!
Stopped close to the temples to look at some ancient mud houses with people living in them. Was a bit strange as the inhabitants were trying to sell us all little trinkets. The lovely German guy bought some but no one else did. 5 yuan, I thought he was ripped off. The stitching was well shoddy and I'd know, I did stitching for a bit in Year 8. Well I watched my Aunty do it for me, cheers Maree!
Anyway arrived at the temple and all I can say is wow! Set on a sheer cliff face about 50 metres from the ground it's truly unbelievable! The best views are probably standing from afar as its quite touristy once you get close but it was worth wandering along the VERY precarious wooden ledges! 50 metre drop straight down, protected by a tiny wooden handrail up to my thigh! Not sure if the temple was still a working temple but it was all original and showed all three major Chinese religions together which is apparently quite rare. All the Buddha's heads had been cut off the smaller statues by the Red Guard during the cultural revolution, which was a shame, but the bigger ones still remained as they were scared of those!
Had lunch in a random cafe but it was delicious! Tried the local jellied potato! Nice! Hopped back on the bus for another bone rattling two hours to get to the Yungang Caves. By this time it had started raining and suffice to say Laura was a bit miffed that we hadn't brought our coats. What idiot suggested that this morning? Oh yeah, me!
The caves, built 2000 years ago!!!, were simply stunning! There were about 50 caves overall but the most impressive were the middle ones (numbers 5-13 I think). All were intricately carved with thousands and thousands of Buddha images, smallest of which was 3cm! The caves were about 20metres in height in some places and you can't believe people actually got up there to carve into the rock! Most impressive of all was the 16metre high Buddha in cave 5! It's nose was a metre long, it was truly awe inspiring. I don't think the photos do it justice. Anyway by this time it was pissing it down so we legged it back to the bus and got back to the hotel about half 5! Not before another quality moment with the bus driver however! Imagine your car at home. Imagine it raining. Imagine putting on the wind screen wipers. Imagine them not working. Imagine then driving about 30 miles in torrential rain without them working. Classical to say the least. We made it, only just!
12th May
We're finally getting out of the gloomy town of Datong. Currently sitting in an internet cafe as we wait for our train. By the way, just so you get an amusing image of us here, I'm sitting with a bandana over my mouth and nose because we are sat next to the toilet and from it is coming the worst smell I have ever retched over in my life!! Got an 18 hour hard sleeper to Xi'an. Will arrive there 10am tomorrow.
Bye for now!
By the way we've added photos to our last couple of blogs, and have run out of time to put photos on this one. We'll add them in Xi'an!!
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Big Bro
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Moaning And Football!!
I knew that alarm clock would come in handy! Laura stop moaning, you're skiving from the rest of the working world and you're moaning about the heat! Anyway the feast of football has begun - I hear Katie is well happy. Hopefully West Ham will the cup - I am already getting evils for saying that from my semi scouse lover! Hope Grimsby win today- Paul keep the faith! Good to see some pictures and I am dead jealous about the Peking duck story. MMM...Peking duck arggggh!