We had an early start at the beginning of what would turn out to be a long day and night of travelling to eventually get to Chongqing and the start of our Yangze River Cruise. First off we had a long walk into Yangsuo town with all our stuff to get to the coach that would take us to Guilin and our next ride on the Iron Rooster (sleeper train). My wheelie rucksack luggage comes into its own again. It copes with everything. I love it so much. After having lugged heavy rucksacks around India it's 'no' to ever carrying heavy bags for me again. Never believe any travel company that insists rucksacks or holdalls are the best baggage to take - wheelies all the way! There is rarely any situation I haven't been able to ... read more

The next day I met Dennis at 9.15am ready to take me to my calligraphy lesson. I was the only one who had decided to take up this option, the others preferring to find some early morning coffee! It also turned out to be the only person having a calligraphy lesson and so sat in the open shop front with beautiful calligraphy paintings and writing hanging all round the walls. It was so still and quiet I really felt so calmed and relaxed and able to concentrate on what I was doing. First I was shown the calligraphy set that all Chinese calligraphers own. It consists of an ink stone/stick with golden dragon filigree work holding it together, a little pot of water that is poured into a shallow dish where the ink stick is rubbed ... read more

We set off to explore damp but bustling Yangshuo, a small town on the Li River surrounded by beautiful karst mountains and paddy fields, in Guangxi province. Until the late 1980s it was just a little rural marketplace but then the tourists started to arrive in Yangshuo at the end of their cruise from Guillin. The place became very popular and is now something of a tourist gem with plentiful restaurants and activities on offer. Sadly this means that omnipresent McDonalds and KFC dominate part of the entrance to the main town centre. Side-stepping these mingers we picked a far more salubrious restaurant for brunch. The circular tables all had 'lazy Susans' for rotating the shared dishes. Dennis teaches us some more Chinese to use when in restaurants. So we learn you have to literally SHOUT ... read more

We board a little local taxi/bus to get us to the underground train that will get us to the sleeper train that will eventually get us to Yanshuo. When we arrive at the station there's lots lugging our cases up and down escalators in what looks like a shopping mall before finally getting to the ticket place. Only we don't get tickets, we get what look like poker chips! The underground is very similar to most except that it has a glass wall barrier between the platform and the train track which has sliding openings that miraculously coincide with the underground trains opening doors. We line up on our yellow arrows and when the train comes struggle on with all our big bags. Inside the underground train there are maps showing where we are up to ... read more

We are joined in the evening by two Liverpudlians Tim and Craig, father and son, who have just finished their trip that started in Beijing and ended in Hong Kong. We all go out for a meal together and I find out what I'm in for as a vegetarian in China. There is not a lot on offer and it's mainly cabbage and rice as predicted. I'm sure there will be other stuff on offer but it's not looking too hopeful so far. Oh I did get to try lotus root which looked a bit like grey Swiss cheese but was nice and crunchy and quite tasty. It was also easy to pick up with chop sticks ;) Aside: Aparently when westerners have been living in Hong Kong for ten years or more the locals call ... read more