So ends my Belizean travels, but not before I hit Caye Caulker. Caye Caulker is a small island around an hour trip from Belize City. I arrived to find out that there were actually other British citizens In Belize. In fact all the other British citizens that came to Belize. I don't blame them- chilled out, beautiful, clear sea, nice food, accommodation and brilliant snorkelling. So as expected, it was pricey, but I only had a few days there to chill and enjoy. I spent many hours on the Split (so called as a hurricane split the island) everyone sunbathes and chills out there, it is conveniently located next to a bar and is at the end of the main road. On the island I met 2 other British medical students travelling Central America. We got ... read more

So, welcome to the Deep South of Belize. Punta Gorda is a small town on the east coast of Belize. It has a large Mayan population and acted as our base to explore the deep south for a few days. The town itself is small and friendly and has a fruit and vegetable market running almost every day. It also bases its trade on fishing and acts as a portal to get to Livingstone in Guatemala. on our first day we travelled to a Mayan village called Santa Cruz and went to see some very dilapidated Mayan Ruins called Uxbencia. These were so dilapidated that we couldnt actually find them and had to search through the village to find someone to tell us where they were. They were a little disapointing as it looked like a ... read more

Dangriga is the capital of the Southern Region of Belize. It is a laid back, working town on the coast and doesn't itself have much to do. During the week that I have been staying here, the town has grown on me and shown a lot more character than I have anticipated. It's population is a varied culture of people, from Mayans, To Garfuna, Creol and apparently the ChineSE who run the supermarkets! With regards to elective, We have been working in the Southern Region hospital which is a lot more developed that I expected- it has paeds, Obs and gynae, surgery and internal medicine as well as a polyclinic (which is basically GP). The populations main obvious problem is diabetes, which can be easily explained by the sugary drinks and cheap fried food available everywhere. ... read more

What a way to end a fantastic month. Shanghai is one of those buzzing metropolitan cities, where there isnt that much to see and do like Beijing but there are lots of bars and gardens and shopping and pretty places to go. We arrived on the night train from Xian and checked in at the hostel which is just off East Nanjing Road- the high street of Shanghai. After this we walked over to Peoples Park and Peoples Square and had a lovely wander round. The park is nice and at the edge theree are various galleries and the Urban Planning Exhibition Centre which we decided to go into. The centre had various levels implicating the history of the city and what they would like to do to make it better. It also has a mini ... read more

Pingyao is a small fortressed city inbetween Beijing and Xian。We took a sleeper train from Beijing at midday and arrived in Pingyao at around half 2am。　Ｗｅ　ｈａｄ　ｏｒｇａｎｉｓｅｄ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｓｔｅｌ　ｔｏ　ｐｉｃｋ　ｕｓ　ｕｐ　ｓｏ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｇｒｅｅｔｅｄ　ｂｙ　ａ　ｔｕｋ　ｔｕｋ　ｄｒｉｖｅｒ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｔａｔｉｏｎ　ｗｈｏ　ｓｕｂｓｅｑｕｅｎｔｌｙ　ｔｏｏｋ　ｕｓ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｓｔｅｌ　ａｎｄ　ｗｏｋｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｎｉｇｈｔｗｏｒｋｅｒ　ｕｐ。Ｗｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｐｌｅｓｅａｎｔｌｙ　ｓｕｒｐｒｉｓｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｆｉｎｄ　ｔｈａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｗｎｅｒ　ｈａｄ　ｕｐｇｒａｄｅｄ　ｕｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａ　ｃｈｅａｐ　ｄｏｒｍ　ｒｏｏｍ　ｔｏ　ａ　ｌｏｖｅｌｙ　ｄｏｕｂｌｅ　ｒｏｏｍ　ｗｉｔｈ　ａｉｒ　ｃｏｎ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｉｇｇｅｓｔ　ｂｅｄ　ｓｐａｃｅ　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ｅｖｅｒ　ｈａｄ。　　The　ｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ　ｍｏｒｎｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｗｎｅｒ　Ｂｏｂ　ｗｈｏ　ｓｐｏｋｅ　ｉｍｍａｃｕｌａｔｅ　ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ　ｏｒｇａｎｉｓｅｄ　ｏｕｒ　ｔｒａｎｓｐｏｒｔ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ　ｄａｙ　ｔｏ　Ｘｉａｎ。Ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｔｈｅｎ　ｔｉｍｅ　ｔｏ　ｄｏ　ａ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ｅｘｐｌｏｒｉｎｇ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｏｗｎ　ｗｅ　ｈａｄ　ｃｏｍｅ　ｔｏ　ｓｅｅ。　　To　ｖｉｓｉｔ　ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｅｖｅｒｙｗｈｅｒｅ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｉｔｙ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｏｎｅ　ｏｆｆ　ｐａｙｍｅｎｔ　ｏｆ　１５０Yuan，　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｗａｓ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｗｏｒｔｈ　ｉｔ。。。　ｅｖｅｎ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｉｔｅｓ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｑｕｉｔｅ　ｓｉｍｉｌａｒ　ａｆｔｅｒ　ａ　ｗｈｉｌｅ。　　Ｔｈｅ　ｃｉｔｙ　ｈａｓ　ｓｏ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ｆｅｌｔ　ｓｏ　ｍ... read more