Day 38 - Wednesday 8th October. Couldn't sleep so got up early for me at 9.30am Got showered and packed as we had to check out by midday. Then wandered out to find some aspirin for my head. Hot today. I came back and before anyone else was up just had time to order a jumbo breakfast. I didn't intend on spending any money today but that soon changed. I was bored so decided to wander off on my own. Decided to listen to my ipod but my earphones had broken. So i headed to the shopping centre. I was looking for a shop minding my own business when 2 Chinese students approached me asking if i was english. We'd been warned of this previously as there are often scams as they trick you into following ... read more

Day 36 - Monday 6th October - Had to get up early as our tour guide was coming to meet us at 9am. Got clean clothes to wear for the first time in 2 weeks. Hmm underwear, it's been a while!! Our guide (English name 'Wendy') met us and it was about an hour and a half drive to the part of the wall we were going to visit. Along the way we got to experience more crazy Chinese driving, as well as people walking in the middle of the road once we hit the smaller villages. Once at the wall we got a cable car to the top of the mountain and the view was absolutely stunning. I was pleased as it was quite quiet and wasn't heaving with loads of tourists. Just the odd ... read more

Day 33 - Friday 3rd October - Got up early for breakfast. Our transfer was at 7.20am and we only had 20mins to eat so i opted for non melted cheese on toast. Our train for Beijing departed at 8.05am. It was a much better journey this time as all the people we had met were in our carriage so we felt like we owned the place. There was this one guy there though who juggled a lot and was always practicing 'Mongolia throat singing'. Best way to describe it was like the sound of a gnat by your ear, or occasionally it went a bit Rolf Harris. The border crossing took ages as not only did they have to check all the passports as always but they also had to change the wheels on the ... read more

Our guide (Jenny - who was great) met us at the station. We were grouped with 8 other people, and they would be with us until Beijing. A coach takes us straight to have a shower. We all need it. So the first time i get to meet the other 3 guys from our new group is naked in the showers! The showers were strange. It was just an open room with 6 shower heads mounted halfway down the wall and a small stool under each one to sit on and wash. After this bizarre introduction we are taken for breakfast and then Jenny (can't remember her Mongolian name) took us on the now standard tour of Ulaan Baatar's monastries and main square etc. At the monastories we get to sit in on some 'high-school monks' ... read more

For the last day in St Petersburg i decided to go off on a wander on my own. I went to see the fortress of St Peter and Paul. It was more of a wall than a fortress. As i approached i noticed that outside the fortress there was a small beach. Brilliant! We'd arrived thinking it would be freezing and here was a beach. It was sunny all day but still only about 15 degrees. Incredibly, there were a few people sunbathing in just their swimsuits. It was a strange sight, people sunbathing whilst others walking past them in coats and scarves. Still, i bought an ice cream and joined them. Although i stayed fully clothed. I spent the rest of the day exploring, re-visitng some of the sights from the day before and getting ... read more