So we had ANOTHER problem with the train ticket from datong to xi'an. It turned out that our train ticket was for the 24th instead of the 23rd - I don't know why I didn't check it closer, especially after the first screw up. Normally it wouldn't be a huge deal to leave a day later than planned, but Datong is a pretty aweful place aside from the Yungang caves (and the hanging monestary, which we didn't see) and stephanie would probably have cried for 24 hours until we could leave. Luckily we had just enough time to transfer the ticket over to the 23rd and run to the train. From now on we are booking our own train tickets. The train ride itself was not too bad... we booked a hard sleeper, which is one ... read more

Gabe here again. Check out photos on flickr! http://www.flickr.com/photos/42585283@N08/sets/72157622406670628 I am too lazy at the moment to post any pictures on travelblog, but eventually we will put some of the best up. For now you have to sift through the masses on flickr. On our first full day in Beijing (saturday), we started by renting bikes from a place nearby and exploring the area. Our first mission was to find a place to stay for Sunday night. Our lonely planet book didn't have a huge selection, but I found a bunch of hostels using google maps. Then I took a picture of the results, and tried to use my camera as a map. This turned out to be harder than I thought. A lot of beijing is hutongs, which are basically alleyways except they do not ... read more

Hi Everyone! This is Stephanie.. We just finished packing everything, and I'm going to list everything we manages to fit in our bags. My pack is about 20 lbs, and Gabe's is around 25 lbs. I am actually really proud of us! I usually pack like a boy scout (always prepared for a scorching hot day or a blizzard) but I really tried to only take what I need. Sooooo, here's what we packed! Gabe's Travel Wallet 1. Passport 2. Credit Card 3. Debit Card 4. Yuan (Chinese currency) 5. Vaccination Record 6. Copy of Passport 7. Driver's License 8. Passport Photos 9. Calculator 10. Insurance Policy Gabe's Day Pack 1. Hat 2. Sunglasses 3. Neck Pillow 4. Card Reader (reads our camera memory cards so we can upload them into Flickr) 5. Headphone Splitter 6. ... read more