I actually left the resort last night to go to Chewang - not really what I expected, sadly. Shop after shop selling pirate CD, dvds, fake baseball caps, t-shirts etc. Not really my scene so had dinner there and came back to the hotel about 11.30pm.

A fabulous BBQ here this evening, all the tables set out by the beach, candlelight, tiny hot air balloons in the sky and great, great food. Of course as it's my last night I had to sample their cocktails - phew!

Tomorrow is my last day :-(( and I shall be heading back home, to lots of cold weather and flooding from what I've been told. Hope everyone is ok and Pen, you are ok in Oxfordshire.

Added a few photos yesterday so hopefully you can see what I am enjoying here and why it will be such a wretch to leave; I know I will be back.

Flight lands at Heathrow 6.20am Saturday morning if anyone needs a wakeup call during my cab journey home!!

See you soon ....

Sarah xx

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So the tough choices of the day now consist of i) wht shll I hve for brekfst ii) wht time shll I hve lunch iii) wht shll I hve for lunch and the often asked question number of times each day - "how much time hve I hd on this side and should I a) turn over or b) go into the shade now??

Before coming away I downloded Jane fonda's autobiogrphy onto my ipod nd I hve to sy tht for the last two dyas I hve been riveted. she reads it which mkes it much more enjoyble nd I'm currently up to 1971 ( good vintge tht year so I understnd!)

the most excitement tody ws stry dog which wndered into the resort - very funy wtching the pool boys try to chse him wy!

Not sure if the rin hs brought the lizrds out but 2 wtched me hving beer on my vernd s the sun went down nd hve run the guntlet with literlly nother 6 on the wy to the br in the lobby. Hving to hve G&T to stey my nerves s I write this before dinner .... well it seems good excuse nywy.

fngers crossed the thunderstorms sty wy tonight lthough more re forecst. shll wnder off to hve dinner nd be mde fuss of by the witing stff (I'm the only person here on their own so quite novelty!).

BTW - a note of warning in cse I have dinner with ny of you when I return - hving relised tht I would hve hd over 60 meals on my own by the time I come bck, if I meet ny of you for dinner nd hve book with me, don't tke offence, it's become habit. and if I forget to talk to you nd just smile at the scenery, kick me under the tble!!

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thnk your lucky stars you weren't receiving the text messges from me saying how scared I was, and I quote "Proper scared". Also for those of who you know me well, you will know tht frogs/lizards are high on my list of things I don't like. so, fter my journey when I clearly thought I was going to die, wht forms my receiving committee on the steps of my villa? A dirty great toad! And I cn see two lizrds too! dear god!

One thing to mention before we go much further. the key for the first letter of the lphbet does not work on this lptop & so I"m using the onscreen keybord if needed but otherwise I'm trying to us words which do not use this letter so I do not lose my mind whilst updting my blog - see?!?!?

the hotel is beautiful - I have my own villa and go to sleep at night listening to the waves gently breaking on the shore - bliss.

Havent been up to much I have to be honest; relishing in not hving to get up to n alarm (see wht I men?) and trying to ensure tht I don't get sunburnt. so basically in the shde all day until 3pm when I enjoy 2 hours of sun, 20 minutes ech side nd then 20 minutes in the shde agin. BTW dont be expecting too much on the tan front. Will upload pics tomorrow if able - so you cn be jelous of my views this week.

Hope the sun has shone for you this weekend.

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Have about 12 hours travel ahead and fly from HK to Bangkok and catch an internal flight to Koh Smaui from there before arriving at my hotel late tonight.

Have a lovely weekend - I keep hearing that your weather is atrocious, here's hoping the sun shines for you all.

xx

ps can you believe I can buy "Hello" here - essential airplane reading you understand!!

• *************

Made it to Bangkok and have some time to kill before I head out on my connecting flight to Koh Samui. Have managed to end up in the Bangkok Airways lounge somehow "Asia's Boutique Airline" didn't you know??!! Pretty full flight from HK, final destination Karachi with significant noise levels, thankfully only 2+ hours.

xx

Hong Kong Day Three & Thailand Day One remains copyright of the author SarahBav, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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A different guide (makes it my 5th guide) to escort me and make sure I'm in the right place at the right time, being the VIP I am you know!!

Flight uneventful, 3 seats to myself and an emergency exit to look after - treated myself to a glass of Chenin Blanc with my lunch - what decadence! Limo transfer to Intercontinental (dread to think how much it will be but it was so humid that trying to find the right bus etc just wasn't on my list of things to do) and a greeting by name by one of the staff (how swish is that?) and taken immediately to my room.

The MOST amazing view of HK Island in a picture window - needless to say many photos taken later that evening withthe light show.

More exploring (managed not to get lost this time!) and a little shopping ... For those Lazardians reading this I found the Mont Blanc shop and bought a leather case so my beautiful pen you gave me would be protected when I take it to SG. Quite fitting I thought.

Decided to spoil myself and have dinner in the hotel restaurant to celebrate tomorrow's itinerary free day! Fab dinner and just ever so slightly wobbly on the way back to my room ... sure no-one noticed ...

Hong Kong Day One (needed a new title!) remains copyright of the author SarahBav, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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It seemed almost odd to see it in daylight today, having spent 25 minutes glued to my bedroom window last night watching the light and laser display, Bombay Sapphire and tonic in hand of course! Needless to say I'm not sure whether the photos at the end were more blurred from me trying to use all the different settings I found on my camera about a week ago (after having had it for 18 months or more) - "Firework setting" anyone? - or whether it was the large gin ......

Having the chance to set my own itinerary was tempted to do nothing but know that wouldn't wash with my parents at all and I have a week of that to come very soon, so I decided to head out to the ferry terminal and visit HK Island.

So took the ferry over (all of about 14p) and then a bus to the tram terminus to go to the point of Victoria's Peak. It is so steep that you feel almost as if you are lying on your back - quite scary! The most fantastic views on the way up and you alight in (yet another) shopping mall where there is a formal viewing platform.

Of course I thought I'd found it and then realised that in fact I was outside Burger King and standing on their terrace! So much for the adventuring spirit!! Views from the (proper) top were great. A little walk around the top of the peak and then headed down in the tram to visit the Botanical and Zoological Gardens. Luckily looked at a local map and realised that they were just around the corner from the tram rather than getting a bus back down and up again. What I hadn't realised, was that in 35C, 75% humidity (ugh!) and a 1:3 incline, a 10 minute walk left me absolutely drenched. Horrible.

Birds, flowers, apes, snakes, crocs etc all great and free and after some more walking found a taxi to take me down to the ferry terminal. Decided to explore the financial district a little more (some habits die hard!) and found another mall/office development. Cooled down over a salad and after more wandering headed back to the mainland about 4pm.

Have just spent some time chilling out and about to head out to find somewhere for dinner - cheap and cheerful on the menu tonight I think.

Hong Kong Day Two remains copyright of the author SarahBav, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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A full packed day today starting with a trip to the Shanghai Museum which was fantastic; beautiful ceramics, furniture, bronzeworks, paintings, calligraphy. You name it, they have it and each piece displayed to its advantage with great lighting.

After my hour of culture it was down to the river for a cruise on the Huangpu River. The development along the river has literally taken my breath away today; there are so many buildings going up that you can almost see them growing in front of you. The farmers have come into the town from surrounding countryside to gain work and teams work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is a 101 floor building being constructed which will be the highest building in the world and they are completing a floor every 3 days!

The comparison between old and new buildings (the majority of old buildings were built by the British, Canadians and French and so have that colonial look about them) is astonishing.

Another delicious lunch (at my table for one!), surrounded by more food than two people could eat, and then there was dessert! My guide came to see me when I was almost finished, the main course and told me that I had to eat more, I had too. [It is now 9.30pm as I write this and I still haven't had anything to eat since!] Bizarrely the two americans I sat next to yesterday on the flight from Guilin came in and sat on the table next to me - their next stop is home to LA. Interestingly they said that Beijing was too much for them, they preferred Shanghai.

After lunch more travels to the Yuyan Gardens which are 400 years old and right in the middle of the Old Town, which was confusingly built about 15/20 years ago! The gardens were beautiful and the ponds were full of goldfish/koi carp, who I learnt today are the patron saint of students ... never knew that!

After the gardens to the Jade Buddha Temple - another awe inspiring sight. The Great Halls have the most magnificent buddha figures and the Jade Buddha itself is made from one piece of Nepalese (I think) white jade and is about 8' high and 6' wide, encrusted with precious stones, with that knowing smile.

A little shopping and then back to the hotel before the acrobats tonight.

Acrobats - clever but hilarious too. Can you imagine a contortionist (sp?) to the strains of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, surrounded by 6 "swans" ... on roller skates!?!?!? what would Darcey Bussell make of that I wonder!! Highlights included 5 motorcyclists in the "Cage of Death', balancing acts, cycle tricks, hula hoops etc etc.

Another fun evening to remember. Off to Hong Kong tomorrow first thing and should reach my hotel by early evening.

China Day Ten remains copyright of the author SarahBav, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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This time in Guilin airport I managed to utilise my new-found knowledge re boarding announcements and also managed to remember that China Eastern have clearly being receiving lesson from BA on their Deli service and remembered to have lunch before I got on the plane. Having received apple rings and some very odd tasting pickled something from Xian to Guilin, I remembered this time and spent as much on a bowl of beef noodle soup as I did on a coffee in Guilin before boarding!

Much cooler in Shanghai at only 30C and first impressions of the city are that the roads are as busy as London and its buildings are similar too. Lots of high rise apartment blocks, new office blocks and hotels - most of which have been built in the last few years it seems.

Needless to say the Four Seasons in Shanghai in luxury incarnate! I have been upgraded to a Deluxe room and within 75 minutes of being shown to my room had had a pedicure, manicure and head/neck massage! Just what this girl needed! Bliss!

It's now about 6pm here so am going to go out exploring and find somewhere to have dinner - wish me luck ...

OK, so it had to happen sooner or later - I was "Lost in Shanghai"! With my trusty Rough Guide in hand I had started walking the streets of Shanghai (strangely enough for those of you who know me, I managed to find the Furla shop very easily!) to explore and find a couple of restaurant options for dinner and I became well and truly lost. At one point, walking over a raised pedestranised walkway, explaining that I didn't need a fake Rolex to a very nice chap, and with it starting to become dusk, my Girl Guide instincts kicked in. Found one of the hotels marked on the map and started again. Failed. Twice.

Third attempt ended up in a narrower street where a woman was doing her washing in the downpipe of a gutter, so decided that the main road was a much better idea - ended up on the main 4 lane dual carriageway in/out of Shanghai! Complete with elevated highways!!

Resorted to Plan B - a taxi, which took all of about 4 minutes and 15 RMB (about 1GBP) to take me back to the hotel. Comforted myself with a steak in one of the hotel restaurants (somehow california roll didn't have quite the same comforting impact!) and drank almost as much alcohol in one night as I've drunk in the whole holiday put together - TWO glasses of wine!!

Anyway to bed to soak my poor blistered (although beautifully manicured) feet and to sleep!

Bill Murray had it easy ....

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Met Sunny at 9am this morning for a trip to Fui Li, a small village about 20 minutes drive from Yangshuo to see the 'real' China. As expected, abject poverty, flea ridden dogs, unsavoury smells, some very dodgy looking puddles of water in the street and many, many smiling faces, particularly from the children. I had 3 children of about 3 years who followed me down the road saying 'hello, hello' and giggling when I talked to them and waved to them. [On the way back to the hotel my guide thank me for saying hello to the children, telling me I was very kind to do so - how could you not?]

The narrow streets of the village offered no respite from the heat and even though it was still early, I was glad to see that Sunny was suffering with the heat too after an hour's walking. I saw the paddy fields and against the backdrop of the mountains, it's a beautiful sight. Harvest time for the rice is once a year elsewhere in China and twice a year in Yangshuo and it's due to being tomorrow although I saw a few fields being harvested on the way to Fui Li this morning. The rice is cut by hand and the plants put through a wooden threshing machine which separates the grains from the leaves. The leaves are then tied together to dry and fed to the buffalo in the winter, used as bedding or as fuel for the fires.

My discovery for today is that peanuts grow in the ground! Did you know that? I didn't! I thought they grew in trees! You can imagine how much laughter that invoked in Sunny can't you? Happy to admit it and only found out otherwise when an old man walked past with a set of bamboo 'scales' balanced on his shoulder with the nuts and their leaves and roots still attached!! Oh well ... I shall know next time that comes up in a pub quiz.

Back at the hotel and have lunch with my guide at 12.30pm before an afternoon by the pool and dinner before the show this evening. A relaxing day before travelling to Shanghai tomorrow morning.

Hope you all have had a good weekend x

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Beautiful scenery, trying really hard not to take a picture everytime we went round a bend as it will no doubt all look the same when I'm looking at them at home on the laptop! Kate and Rob (both geologists by background) would have been in their element so I even tried to take one or two 'interesting' shots in case they can help me identify what rock formations I spent 4 hours sailing through! I think it was limestone however it will take an expert to confirm it.

My guide has accompanied me on this 2 day trip to Yangshuo which is great as it meant he was pointing out all the main peaks to me so I could at least pretend that I recognised them from the map - I have to be honest I recognised 2 clearly in 4 hours worth of sailing! There's one 100ft cliff face with markings like horses and the Prime Minister of China saw nine (hence the name, you've guessed it, 'The Peak of Nine Horses Frolicking') whilst his 2-in-C saw seven; I managed 5 and that was with as much poetic licence as I thought I could get away with!! Don't think I even made the Chinese Cabinet!

The water is very clear and quite fast moving really. Lots of water buffalo in the river and cormorants too - amazing to see them in their natural habitat. Lots of boats making their way down river, some cruisers and other traditional boats made from bamboo with/without the lawnmower engine on the back.

Arriving in Yangshuo reminds me of all the worst Greek holiday resorts, bar after bar, club and souvenir shop after shop; admittedly when I was 23/24 that was the holiday that Susie and I had for quite a few years - does this mean I'm getting old?? ;-)

Made it to my hotel about 2pm and turned down the option of further excursions - humidity is worse today than yesterday although the temperature has dropped to 32c. Made it to the hotel pool for a couple of hours and after SPF25 and a few Kylie and Take That tracks, the world was put to rights again... I think the fact this is my fourth hotel in 7 nights has caught up with me a little today.

Out tonight at 6pm to have dinner to watch the cormorant fishing after dinner with my guide Sunny. Lovely chap, great english and knew the right place to go for dinner - 2 of us ate/drank for 60 Yuan - about 4GBP (can't find the pound sign on this keyboard!). Had the local speciality of beer fish but after last night's revelations my only other stipulation was that I didn't want to eat any pets - luckily beef and chicken appeared and very tasty too.

Cormorant fishing - fantastic! Fisherman had 11 birds, all of whom once they catch a fish, are scooped out of the water, forced to give him the fish and unceremoniously thrown back into the water! Sounds pretty harsh but they clearly are pretty happy, they all jump onto his bamboo raft for a rest every now and again. It's quite funny seeing them eat the tiny fish and swallowing them before the fisherman sees them gobbling them up. He's trundling along on his bamboo raft with 2 gas lamps to light his way in the pitch dark - very atmospheric. You're torn between wanting to take pictures and be bitten alive by mosquitos etc!

Back through Kos (sorry Yangshuo) town to the hotel - fingers crossed for a good night's sleep before exploring more of the countryside tomorrow and experiencing an 'extravanganza' tomorrow night which lights up all the peaks in the surrounding area. It has rave reviews and from what we could see on the horizon tonight, it looks fabulous.

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Lesson number 2 is basic and, warning, I may offend some people; use your hotel bathroom and wait until you reach your next hotel. Sanitation isn't China's strong point. Memories of toilet stops on the autoroutes in France during our childhood holidays in the 80's where Mummy had to persuade Kate and I that going to the loo in a hole in the ground was acceptable ... only in China, not only does a lady give you a few sheets of toilet role before you enter a cubicle, there's an open bin in which to place it afterwards!! Did anyone else see that episode of CSI where Sara Sidal (sp?) arrives at a crime scene grinning and explains to Grissom it's so she doesn't have to breath through her nose? Well, any reports you hear of a mad blonde englishwoman grinning manically in Asian toilet facilities - it's me.

Another very smooth pick up at the airport and arrival at the Sheraton in Guilin. Hotel isn't as nice as Beijing and Xian so as soon as I'd received a call from guide confirming times for tomorrow morning's pick up (8.30am and I have to be checked out - goodness me!) I was out exploring.

Now, exploring conjures up pictures of lush greenery (tick), lazy rivers (tick), pagodas (double tick - found two) and air thick with humidity (tick) - what I didn't expect was my usual walking pace would ensure that within 90 minutes I would be entering a local hostelrie looking as if I had just run a marathon. Not my proudest moment it has to be said!

The choice of restaurant was always going to be easy I thought, and boy was it .... let's just say I chose one of the few restaurants in the street that didn't have your main course swimming in a bucket outside ready for you to choose it :-((

Now, I expected fish and shellfish (courtesy of my companion Mr Rough Guide) and maybe the odd chicken. However, what I did not expect were snakes (!), ducks and turtles! Turtles! and then just as I thought it couldn't get any worse, I saw these cute furry little animals that must be cane rats; similar to beavers but with smaller tails, just sitting there, grooming themselves and nibbling on cucumber... Needless to say a) have fired off an email to the cat-sitter today to check my 'boys' are ok and b) had pork and beef for dinner as I hadn't seen any pigs or calves tendered outside. Gulp.

One last word of warning, to anyone travelling in this area, if the menu reads szcheuan spices - they have two; peppers and chillis. That's all I could see and taste. I have never seen so much red food in my life. Suddenly the dried apple rings and bread roll provided by China Eastern for lunch on the flight didn't seem so bad after all and now I know why there was a complimentary packet of tissues on the restaurant table.

Have a lovely weekend everyone, hope the sun shines for you. x

China Day Six (aka the day I almost turned vegan!) remains copyright of the author SarahBav, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Let's just say that tonight was the night when I needed the sense of humour that I was told to pack alongside travel adapter's and immodium....

Panpipes?? Trumpet solos by a man doing duck impressions?? Pur-lease ....

Luckily the remaining acts were very sweet national dance, one or two of which were very nice to watch. An interesting insight into the historical importance of music and dance ... but panpipes?? And unfortunately my guide reappeared just as my eyes had closed at one point - ooops.

"Entertainment" followed by the dumpling feast, and feast it was.

I have never seen so many different types of dumplings, nor had to eat so many! I had been told in the car about a legend where one of the emperors had loved one of his concubines so much he wanted different dumplings created to please her, in the shapes of animals and vegetables etc. I thought it was a legend until last night I ate dumplings in the shapes of goldfish, chickens, ducks, pumpkins, walnuts - and they really did look like them! None of the usual chinese artistic merit needed last night.

Anyway having eaten (what I felt was sufficient) I told my guide I was full - she had already eaten and was just watching me eat to keep me company, bless her - she looked physically pained and told me I still had 2 courses to go!

Luckily they consisted of dumpling soup and watermelon so I could squeeze some in but I could hardly move afterwards. The number of dumplings in your soup will wish you luck, happiness or money and they are the tiniest cutest dumplings you could imagine, smaller than my little fingernail. I had 3 which means everlasting happiness (I think!).

Anyway home to bed, dreaming of dumplings!

Transfer to Xian airport this morning for another internal flight to Guilin.

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Sofitel hotel is fantastic, beats the Grand Hotel Beijing which takes some doing!

Anyway, today was the day when I saw the Terracotta Army and it exceeded all my hopes and expectations - a dream come true! The Pit 1 which has the largest number of excavated soldiers and horses was astonishing and I had 30 minutes just to walk round and take pictures (yes, Daddy, we were allowed to take pictures as long as there is no flash); suffice to say I finished one memory card and started on another whilst I was there.

The sheer numbers of warriors and the detail on them is magnificent - you could just spend time looking at them all.

They have also excavated beautiful bronze horses and carriages which were on display - amazing craftmanship.

This was the first time I saw other europeans to exchange a few words with since landing in China almost a week ago - quite nice to hear an american accent and I never thought I'd say that!!

When you leave the exhibition halls you spend about 10 minutes walking through all these souvenir shops and restaurants with people trying to persuade you to buy things - of course my heart strings were pulled by a 5/6 year boy and I parted with all of about 70p to buy a pack of postcards. Also managed to be interviewed for a Korean documentary on the Army - it's becoming all in a day's tourist-ing now...

Lunch in a nearby restaurant (left on my own to eat in a completely empty restaurant!) and had to laugh when at six different dishes were bought for me! Bearing in mind the Beijing Belly was still evident I had to decline something that looked suspiciously like spam although I did try the toffee potatoes - another odd experience! (Kate - I did think of you when ate these)

Anyway a visit to the Great Wall of Xian today too (it's a walled city) and to the Great Mosque before nipping back to the hotel now before going out this evening. I've agreed to go to a performance of something (I can't for the life of me remember what!!) and I'm being picked up in 45 minutes.

So will fill you all in tomorrow morning on the details of whatever I've seen tonight and the dumpling feast scheduled for afterwards (funny how I can remember that part hey?) and upload a couple of pics of the Army for you to enjoy too.

Due to fly from Xian to Guilin tomorrow - for those of you have this month's Ideal Home, the advert on page 3 or 5 of a man punting down a river with a bath on a raft (sounds odd I know) is taken in Guilin and that's where I'll be - yippee!!!

China - Day Five (I think!) remains copyright of the author SarahBav, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Amnow in Beijing airport on a laptop which has a sticky space bar (apologies in advance for the words which will run together) and no r key so some words may losethis letter too! Keep you on your toes at least!

So after a lovely sleep at last and what I am referring to as 'beijing belly' (!) I have had the morning at The Summer Palace. Another very hot day, around 34c and blue skies and cottonwool clouds.

More amazing sights and many tales of wicked dowagers who locked up the prince regent and spent the country's money on 108 dishes per meal, 124 silk towels every bathtime and who poisoned all the emperor's concubines when she was a concubine so noone else could bear him a son. Rivetingstuff!

Sawthe infamous marble boat and the 700m long walkway with 80,000 different paintings in the ceiling so the emperor's mother could walk in the rain and still be protected from the elements ...

Imanaged to provide more entertainment at the Summer Palace this morning - at least 7 photos of me being taken with various family members - do you think that SocGen realise they have a celebrity joining them?! I have to say that I never giggled so much as I have been learning so much abouta county's culture. Tried my Chinese out today too - many smiles for this too.

I have a domestic flight to Xian this afternoon (M&D MU2108 not the flight inmy details as ithas changed) before seeing theTerracotta Army tomorrow. Am so excited as this is the reason for me coming to China in the firstplace!!

Anyway wish meluck on the next stage of my journey - hope the airplane seats arent just built for the domestic market or it could be a squashed flight!!

China Day Four remains copyright of the author SarahBav, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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AMAZING! The Square is so much bigger in real life than you sense from the news footage and as you can imagine, hundreds of people there to pay homage to Chairman Mao. Soldiers guard the flagple and a 12' area around it so no-one can touch it, just in case ...

There's a massive portrait of him at the entrance to the first gate to the Forbidden City (which they replace every year so he doesn't fade with the sun!) measuring 6m x 4.5m - huge!

Inside this gate I was very excited and took video of the buildings/temples to be told my Juan that this wasn't the Forbidden City yet, it was the second gate!

It was here that whilst Juan bought the tickets that I had my first experience of the reality that the Chinese have little regard for privacy; barefaced staring at me and requests to have photographs taken with me. Hilarious! Apparently lots of the tourists here are from outside the province and may have never seen a foreigner, let alone a blonde one. Our driver told us that my 'golden' hair is seen as lucky and my guide said that they love my nose and eyes. Not going to look that gift horse in the mouth ....

Finally into the Forbidden City and I have the use the word 'amazing' again - for anyone who's seen 'The Last Emperor', to see the setting takes your breath away and now I beginning to understand some of the symbolism of the colours, carvings, dragons etc, it's awe-inspiring.

I've learnt about the power of the number 9 (longevity and power) and other numbers, the walls are painted red for luck and only the emperor can use the colour yellow so right in the middle of the City the buildings he would live/pray in have yellow roofs.

After the Emperor's buildings we saw the Imperial gardens where only the Empress and his concubines were allowed.

After lunch at a local noodle restaurant (where my prowess with chopsticks was much admired!) we visited a silk factory where I was shown the process from soaking the cocoons to the end product. I was allowed to help stretch silk to make duvet filling; it's unbelievable how soft and yet how strong the silk is.

Then on to the Temple of Heaven for the afternoon. Humidity slight easier to cope with by now plus some slight shade from the gardens so the next couple of hours were easier to cope with.

We entered by the North Gate and made our way down to exit via the South Gate, taking in the Temple of Heaven itself, the Echo Wall, East and West annexes, Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and the Nine Dragon Juniper to mention just a few.

The overcast clouds gave way to spots of rain and thunder which was actually quite welcome as it brought a breeze too.

I'm becoming quite used to counting things in 9's or multiples of 3 (denoting power and longevity) and quite instinctively found myself counting the nine steps up each of the 3 terraces to the Temple of Heaven.

We exited the 267 hectare park to the car and again collapsed into the aircon as the heavens opened. Much laughter in the car on the way back as I was taught to say 'I love you' in Chinese and managed to get it muddled. Luckily redeemed myself with learning to count to 5 and how to count to 10 with my hands (easier said than done!).

Have some free time now until our earlier start tomorrow to visit the Great Wall - am really excited. We have a 3 hour drive each way but it means that we will see a quieter part of the Wall. Weather is forecast for 33C again tomorrow so sunhat and Packamac are both being packed!

Have a map of Beijing in english and now I know where Tiananmen Square is I will be able to find my way around more easily, hopefully once the rain has stopped.

China Travels - Day Two remains copyright of the author SarahBav, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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By this time it was about 3am UK time and only 10am in Beijing and we decided it would be best to have the afternoon tour first and then go to my hotel.

So straight out of the car into the heat and humidity to climb 69 very steep stone steps up the Drum Tower just in time to see the drum ceremony. I was glad to see that my guide Juan was as out of breath as I was and that everyone else was "glowing" too! From the Drum Tower we could see the Bell Tower and the roofs of the hutongs too. The impression is that it's a very poor area and the people are too, although in reality to buy in this area is very expensive. Goodness knows why as there's no sanitation inside the houses, everyone has to walk 10 minutes to public toilets and showers. Being ridden around the hutongs by rickshaw was an experience, every cliche you would imagine seen in every street; washing hanging out to dry (a chinese laundry!!??), people playing mahjong, wrinkled ladies sitting on stools chewing sticks and labourers carrying out every task by hand and loading rubble and wood onto bicycles or trailers being led by bicyles.

I was taken to meet a family living in the hutongs and their house was a palace in comparison; they had a bathroom!

Then on to my hotel with a view of the Forbidden City from my room - amazing!

Shower, sandwich in the hotel cafe (which I fell asleep eating!) before going to bed for a few hours to try and beat the jet lag.

Up and out again at about 8pm for dinner and explored one of the roads near the hotel for a restaurant. Found one that served what the host called 'one pot dish' which I think is what my Rough Guide called a 'mongolian hotpot' - basically a boiling dish of stock which you cook your meat, veggies and noodles in. An experience .... Picture me obviously not speaking any chinese, no idea what to do or how to cook/eat it and the staff speaking about 3 words of english! Anyway got there in the end and felt quite proud when two other Brits came in and made more of a pigs ear of it than I had about half an hour earlier!

Back to the hotel for a cocktail whilst I read up on tomorrow's activities and the Rough Guide's synopsis of Chinese history.

China Travels remains copyright of the author SarahBav, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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