The Philippines

I leave the South East Asian peninsular behind and head east, landing in my twelfth country, earning myself another stamp in my passport.

I'm traveling with Katie, my roommate from tour número two, and we've been excited to experience the Philipines since we decided to do it around two weeks before.

This time, we decide to do it properly. We book ourselves a flight in, a flight out seven days later, one night in Manila - the capital - and that's it. We didn't want to love somewhere and have to leave, or hate somewhere and be stuck.

This country is made up of over seven thousand tiny islands, all with fairly accessible airports or ports. Flying is definitely the best option. Honestly. Listen to what I'm saying.

Every island has azure water, pristine white sand beaches, corals that divers around the world fly in for and crystal clear skies. That's about where the fun ends.

Our week has certainly been the adventure we were looking for.

Our hostels are horrible - even when we pay more for a nicer hotel - it's still horrible.

We're stopped from flying because I have a bloodshot eye - despite catching an infection on a Philippino flight one day earlier.

 

We're lied to and scammed - much more than in South East Asia.

No one will help you for nothing. We can't get directions, people don't give us straight answers, men leer at us if we ask for help and staff in hostels/airports/bus terminals say they don't know the answer to our questions.

For example, Katie drops her phone down a drain in the road. The first guy she asks for help wants sexual favours in return. The second guy helps, but tells her he can't get it, and as she walks away, fishes it out and slips it into his pocket. Wonderful people I tell you.

Is it because the Philippines is the road less travelled? I'm not sure. Where everyone else on the continent has been fairly friendly and welcoming, these islands are not the same.

False advertising is normal. It doesn't go where it says it goes. If it says it's free, it's not. If they say they have wifi they don't.

And you have to pay for everything.

To enter an airport there's a fee. There's then a baggage handling fee, an excess baggage fee, a terminal fee, and maybe even sometimes they'll charge you when they scan your bag.

Taxi or tricycle drivers will quote you a price and then add onto it as the journey progresses - a toll fee, or if they take a wrong turn they want you to pay for their mistake.

Restaurants will add on both service charge and vat - for serving you bad food and standing scowling at you whilst you eat.

When you travel by ferry, you have to pay a terminal fee, a ticket fee, the ticket, the seat and then for some guy to take your luggage on. 

Everything mounts up. Nothing is as much as you think it will be. The Phillipines is expensive.

Because I'm not allowed to fly, our very first day proves interesting. Manila is horrible, it's easiest to transit through so by all means do, but if you can help it, don't stay there.

We get to our hostel at 1am and leave again at 7am. We then don't get to our next destination until 12 noon the next day. We take a taxi to the bus station, a two hour bus to the coast, an hour ferry to the next island, a four hour van to the south of that island, wait around 4 hours, take a 4 hour midnight ferry to the next island, sleep somewhere for 4 hours and then take a ten minute boat to the island we actually wanted to be on. 

Did you follow that?

We could have flown for £20 and it would have taken one hour. Such is life.

Boracay is beautiful. It has all the aforementioned, along with lovely restaurants, hotels and bars. It really is stunning. Shame about the people. And our hostel definitely wasn't one of the lovely hotels. And nor was it cheap. 

We spend two days here relaxing before finally managing to find wifi for long enough to book a flight to the next place. There are boats, buses, taxis and planes all involved again, but this journey only takes 9 hours instead of 29.

Bohol is our next spot. It's home to the worlds smallest primate - the Tarsier monkey - and the UNESCO world heritage site "The Chocolate Hills."

We arrive in our 'nicer' hotel to find that they aren't on the beach - rather a rock face - they also aren't even near a beach, their wifi doesn't work at all, they have no laundry service (when they said they did,) they are a good forty minutes from anything, including a restaurant and even a taxi, and their own restaurant has nothing in it.

Now, don't get me wrong, wifi is not the most important thing, we can certainly chill and enjoy ourselves without it, but when we have nothing else booked and need to do research, we need wifi. The hotel is a shambles, but I guess by this point we're just not expecting anything less.

I feel like the Philippines just isn't a backpacker spot. If you're on your honeymoon, or have plenty of money to stay in a five-star resort where your bank balance means you get better service, then it would be a completely different country. But can't you say that about everywhere?

If you're a diver, here is where you need to be. If you want, you can hire mopeds and motorbikes and escape into the enchanting jungle and countryside - visit the chocolate hills and monkeys and all sorts of wildlife like we did - or just chill on a beach that doesn't seem real. It is beautiful. I just didn't like it.

We leave our hotel in Bohol at 10.45am and arrive in our hotel in Sandakan, Borneo, at 2.45pm the next day. This time it was a ferry, a delayed flight, a 5 hour wait, another flight that I was once again nearly told I couldn't embark on due to a not-fully-healed eye infection (THAT I GOT IN YOUR BLOOMIN COUNTRY,) a longer wait and then a six hour bus. We've become pros at this walking zombie thing.

Puka beach, famous for its "inside out" seashells and beautiful landscape. Around 20 minutes in a tuk-tuk but so worth it as its tourist free most of the time. Chill out in this paradise.

The Chocolate Hills in Bohol are 1262 volcanic deposits that depending on the season change in colour. In dry season they are brown, and do look like mountains of chocolate, but in glorious rainy season they are a beautiful lush green colour. An absolute sight to behold and an incredible part of the island.

Not everyone's cup of tea I can imagine. I still think they're the ugliest thing I've ever seen. The Tarsier is the worlds smallest primate and is native to the Southern Philippine Islands and Borneo. It's a nocturnal animal, so when you visit it's sanctuary you have to be quiet and considerate. None of us are happy when we're disturbed from our sleep are we?

So as we enjoy our short time in the beautiful Malaysian island of Borneo, I hope you're enjoying December!

Where has the year gone, eh?

These LonelyPlanet warriors are signing out! 

S x

And the Winner is...Laos

We depart Vietnam in Hanoi's not-so-busy airport, and take an hour flight to the capital of our next country. It's the turn of Laos. Thailand's little brother is the smallest of the four bordered countries in this part of the continent, and also one of the poorest. After years of fighting and turmoil - when the Thai rulers wanted it as part of their Kingdom - they are now tucked under the wing of their more advanced neighbours. 

Whilst we arrive in a capital, it's so vastly different from Vietnam that we're not really sure what to make of it. It isn't bustling, it's not lit up and it's certainly not loud. The drivers are courteous and not a single horn is sounded. There are barely any streetlights and you can see thousands of stars glittering above. But more than that, it's chilled, peaceful. Something Vietnam will never be.

We only spend one night and one morning in the capital, hiring a tuk-tuk to take us around the city's main sights and temples. We board a bus at around noon that takes us through beautiful countryside and stunning scenery four hours west to Vang Vieng.

Once a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, Vang Vieng has blossomed from tourism. It's the half-way stop between Vientiane and the old capital Luang Prabang, and the industry in Laos has made full use of it. Nearly all travellers and tourists stop in the town to partake in adventure sports and quirky activities. You can choose from hot air ballooning, kayaking, mountain biking, quad biking, cliff diving, absailing and much much more. The most famous of course, is tubing.

Basically, you sit in the rubber ring from the inside of a tractor tyre and float down the Nam Song river. My group and I walk into the countryside and situate ourselves on such a tube, instead however, we go caving. The only way in, is by sitting your ass in a donut and floating in through the tiny mouth of the cave. Ropes have been anchored so you can pull yourself through the darkness and our guide tells us spooky stories and the history of the area. It's way more fun than I was expecting.

We're treated to a BBQ lunch as others cave after us and some fly past on ziplines above our heads. Later that day we clamber into two-man kayaks and make our way down the river. This is the more popular route for tubers. There are bars situated on both sides of the river and you are brought in by "waiters" who throw plastic bottles on rope out to you on the middle of the river. All bars have beer-pong tables, basketball hoops, table tennis and all myriad of fun things to do. Some even have slides for you to launch yourself - in your donut- back into the river. We pull our kayaks in to one such bar and play some pong, drink some beers and soak in the fantastic weather before kayaking the rest of the ten kilometres back to the hotel.

Vang Vieng is situated in the middle of a mountain range and is easily the most stunning place we've stayed. Sunsets, sunrises and generally all day, the views are magical. Laos, you're winning.

We have dinner by the river two nights in a row and leave the town behind the next morning. We only have 150km to drive to Luang Prabang but because of the mountains, it takes over 7 hours to get there. We stop at two separate "service stations" that are atop two of the highest peaks and soak in the panoramic views over the country. You definitely won't appreciate Carlisle services after you see these pictures.

Luang Prabang is the old capital, recently given UNESCO World Heritage Status, and is situated nearer the Thai border so that the King could be easily reached in times of trouble. Once again, it doesn't feel like a city. There are no streetlights and barely a traffic light to be seen. Still drivers are courteous and patient, and the people are so friendly.

The day after we arrive here we speed out into the countryside once more for a very special reason. The elephant park is around an hour from the city and we spend the morning feeding, riding and bathing these special animals. They are calm, happy to be around people, carefree and so so happy when they are in the river. The 14 elephants at this particular park have been rescued from families who have worked them their whole lives. Now, they spend their days eating and splashing around in the river. It's a hard life. There are two babies, at two and five years old, and the rest are all adults who all let us feed them, climb onto them and ride them down to the river. They play about in the murky waters of the Mekong with us on their backs, sitting happily in the cool water on a hot November day.

We sadly leave the elephants behind in the afternoon and instead head to Luang Prabang's waterfall park. Kuang Si waterfall is the highest in the area, with three tiers leading to a fifty metre drop into spectacular azure pools that then flow downstream. The pools are cool due to the shade from the surrounding jungle, but spectacular to swim in. I can safely say I've never sat under a waterfall before. Another thing ticked off the list.

Sadly our time in Laos comes to an end. We spend our last two days cruising down the Mekong River towards Thailand. We spend nine hours the first day, reading, playing games, catching up on sleep and even writing a blog post or two. We stop off at a home stay over night where we are treated to a home cooked meal and clean beds in the middle of the jungle. Ten hours again the next day takes us to the border where we leave this stunning country behind. On entering back into Thailand it's another stamp in my passport, and the freedom to stay for another thirty days. Plenty of time to explore paradise!

Instead of revamping the capital's airport runway, the Americans used the money to build the "Peace Gate." It has never been completed, and is only slightly smaller than the Arc de Triumph in Paree. You can climb the seven stories to the top for a panoramic view of Vientiane.

Looking suave in helmets and head torches for our caving experience.

We stopped on the top of a mountain range at a service station. The toilets had no outward facing walls. Basically the best view you've ever had whilst peeing.

There are many elephant rescue centres in both Laos and Thailand. The one we visited had two babies and twelve adults, ranging from two years old to fifty seven. These elephants have spent their lives working in forests and hauling large loads. Now they eat for 20 hours and bath in the Mekong River up to three times a day. 

Kuang Si waterfall with its crystal clear waters and ice cold swimming lagoon. Perfect on a thirty degree November afternoon.

There are markets in every city in every country, and they all sell the same stuff, but in Laos they are considerably cheaper and a much better experience for shopping. No one shouts at you, shoves items in your face or quotes you a price six times more than it should be. Ah, Laos, you are so chilled.

We sailed along the Mekong river, which snakes along the border of Thailand and Laos, in a slow boat for two days. Owned privately, we were cooked for and kept.

On the middle night of our voyage we stopped off in a village in the middle of the jungle. By taking us there, our tour gives back to a community in need of extra income. We pay for food and board and we also visit a school with seventy enrolled children to give simple gifts. Two guys in my group - Max on the left and Hendrik in the right took them two soccer balls. And then got beaten!

Fun facts:

1. Not a single car horn will be sounded. Ever. In Asia this is alien. Drivers will wave you across at crossroads and you will feel like a queen.
2. Laos is still very conservative so if visiting make sure you have enough clothes that cover both your legs and shoulders for the duration of your stay. Vests and shorts are not liked here.
3. The government allowed China to start a deforestation project, but in 2012 they put an end to it. They have the largest condensed area of jungle and wanted to keep it that way. Go Laos!

I loved Vietnam, I even loved Cambodia, they are all special in their own ways, but there was something about Laos that captured my heart. It's stunning in every way, from scenery to people and from the peace to the price. Laos is definitely the cheapest of these four countries and I can assure you, you won't regret coming here. I feel sorry for the friends who have skipped this beautiful place and concentrated on the other three. You missed out guys!

Anyways, it's time for this backpacker to log out. It's been a long three weeks and I'm looking forward to chilling out in Thailand's second biggest city. Chang Mai, let's be having you!

S x

Goodbye China - Shanghai to Macau!

Our tour has allocated us 4 nights in Shanghai, and it becomes clear that unfortunately this part has been almost thrown together. There are few day activities and no "unmissable" activities like we've had in all the other places, and yet they have three nights out planned for us - in a row. Fair enough we are nearing the end of our tour, the mad rush around China is over and we have more time just to chill. We arrive off a four and a half hour private bus, grab ourselves some dinner and get ready for the Shanghai pub crawl!

It's all you can drink in the first bar, free shots on the bus between each bar, free shots in the second and third bars and a free drink in the final nightclub. The first bar pour four shots of vodka in and mix it with one shot of orange juice. This continues for most of the night. All but one of our group joined in the crawl and we have a really enjoyable time - made better by the fact that it's not just us, we're joined by Belgians, Kiwis, Irish and many more. 

Unfortunately the night ends on a low note when we're treated like absolute scum by the Chinese bouncers in the final nightclub. It's glaringly obvious they don't like westerners and the club is far too pretentious for any of us to enjoy ourselves. We're pushed, shoved and even decked to the floor at one point before we give up and head home. The mood only decreases with some of the group when the England rugby score filters through, as they were playing as we were out. Oops? My sympathies...no, really...maybe.

That second day is a hangover day. We venture round the local area during the day, but wait till teatime to take a stroll along the longest shopping street in China (Nanjing Road) to the bund. The rain is heavy by this point, but it doesn't hamper the view. I take back what I said about Hong Kong, Shanghai's quirky statement skyline is definitely the best in the world. So far.

We opt not to do KTV (we move it to the next night) and take our hungover, wet selves back to the hostel and have a much needed early night.

The third day we are taken out of Shanghai to an ancient water town which professes to be the Venice of China. Trust me, it's not. It's rundown, shabby, cheap and tacky. Every stall and shop sells the same stuff; from disgusting food (both in appearance and smell,) to tacky wares, making it a drag rather than an enjoyable stroll. I'm sure if the weather had been better we may have enjoyed it more, but unfortunately the cloud and cooler temperature had followed us to Shanghai too.

Night three is KTV night. Some of the group are apprehensive about singing, but it's not like Karaoke at home, KTV is a big deal in Asia, and whilst the one we go to isn't the best one I've been in, it's still better than some dingy club in Glasgow. We pile into our private booth, alcohol in hand and start searching the songs. We have the room booked for three hours, but by the time 1am rolls around, most of us have no voices and are sick of singing. 

As it was another late night we don't start until around midday the next day. We take it upon ourselves to entertain ourselves and buy tickets for the hop on hop off bus tour and enjoy an open top bus tour of the city in clear, sunny weather. We hit up one of the biggest fake goods markets in Shanghai, have ourselves some lunch and then head back to the Bund. This time a small group of us head up to the rooftop bar of a hotel opposite the skyline for the best view in the city. We're not disappointed. We pay the equivalent of £10 for two free drinks (cocktails or wine or beer or softs) and a snack each (a big plate of either chicken wings or spring rolls.) It's more than worth it, you can see the whole city spread out in front of you, both sides of the river, the weather was clear and the atmosphere perfect. The absolute highlight of my time in Shnghai. I even managed to FaceTime from the top of this hotel just to rub it in someone's face.

Most of the group head out for a Korean BBQ that night, but as I'm struck down with the cold, I make the most of an empty dorm and have myself a twenty minute hot shower, pack up my shit and crawl into bed with a book. Bliss. It's the small things you start to appreciate on a trip like this.

I pack up because the next day we head off early for a nine hour bullet train to Nanjing. 2000  kilometres - the equivalent of Glasgow to Moscow - in 9 hours isn't bad, but none of us look forward to it. 9 hours in one spot isn't fantastic, and we feel like we're wasting a day, but this country is so huge that a journey like this is normal!

We disembark at Nanjing station (Nanjing is the ancient capital of China,) but we are immediately onto a private coach for a two hour journey to Fujian. This trip has been a lot of travelling, but to pack one of the biggest countries in the world into 25 days, it has to be done.

Fujian is magical. The scenery is astoundingly beautiful, the local family we stay with is the friendliest, most welcoming family we've met our entire time in China and the weather (at least the first day) is perfect. We spend two days here, our first night in a roundhouse (one of the oldest in China - more below) and our second night in a hostel. It's two different kind of lives in China and we embrace both. Throw in a hike, a scenic walk and a 20km bike ride, our time in the idyllic countryside is not wasted.

We jump on a night train the next night - the last of this trip - and spend our last night in mainland China speeding once again through unknown lands. It's short this time, and we disembark at 7am in Guangzhou, board a two and a half hour public bus and end at the Gumbei border crossing. It really is goodbye to China as we queue at immigration once more, and before we know it, we're in Macau.

The signs change to Portuguese but the people stay the same. It's bizarre to say the least. 

Fun Facts! 

1. Macau's revenue is five times that of Vegas. 
2. It has never had a downturn in all its years until now. The Chinese government is cracking down on its nationals gambling (it's against the law in China) especially public servants who might be thought to be embezzling.
3. If you go four hours in any direction from Macau you can reach half of the worlds population - India, China, SE Asia. Beat that America!

The building on the right is the tallest building in China and is also a third higher again than the one on the left. Doesn't look it but the one on the right is several city blocks back. It's much, much higher in person.

This one was taken from the Vue Bar at the top of the Hyatt hotel on the opposite side of the bund. The views of Shangai are incredible, from the harbour to the city centre, and there's even a hottub. Well worth the entrance fee, of you're ever in Shanghai don't hesitate!

The gals before KTV. No more needs to be said really.

The stunning Fujian. Home to the oldest roundhouses and tea plantations in China. We had a tea tasting "ceremony" in one of the roundhouses where we got to taste - and buy - six different kinds of local tea. From black to green to ladies to men's. All good for you in different ways. All prepared and brewed in different ways too. Incredibly fascinating.

This is the oldest roundhouse in China at nearly 1000 years old. The biggest of these can have up to 300 rooms shared between many families. The ground floor is always kitchens, the second floor usually a living area and the third and fourth are occupied by the old and the young resectively. Each family has a vertical "slot" in the roundhouse rather than a horizontal "flat/apartment." These are incredibly basic living quarters. While residents may have cable TV or cell phones, the roundhouses themselves are dirty, old, falling apart and quite frankly grim on the inside. It's no way of life. I guess they are looked back on like the high rises are now seen in the UK. Times have moved on, but life in the roundhouse hasn't. One we visited had so many bones on the ground we almost walked out, and we woke up to the cacophony of dogs barking as one was being slaughtered on our first morning.

Mountain biking in the rain rounded off our last day in the middle of nowhere. The family we stayed with provided us with the bikes, transport, unlimited free water and even a party that evening. We were given permission to use the town stage and speaker system to throw ourselves a little "Leaving China" party.

In Macau we visited The Venetian, the largest casino in the world where, yeah you guessed it, they've built Venice. Canals and gondolas wind their way through a massively expensive shopping mall and around the casino itself. I managed to triple my money on a roulette table, but sad to say it won't be enough to pay for another six months of backpacking. Damn! It did however, pay for an expensive icecream, with change, while a group of us watched two of our team do the highest bungee in the world. Both the price and the bungee part put me off I'm afraid! Maybe in NZ!

Team Sticky Rice - because it's all we've eaten, and because we've looked after each other and stuck by one another for the last month. My trip would not have been as amazing with every single one of these guys and I wish them all the best in their coming adventures. Between us we have most of the globe covered in the coming months and I know there's a few sofas I can check in on from time to time.

So it's time to say goodbye to China. Again.

I stand by what I've always said. This country is hard to love. It's people are rude, disrespectful, impolite, impatient and have no idea what personal space is. They will gawk and shove a camera in your face. They will follow you around, hacking up phlegm and spitting it out beside you. They will deck you to the floor if it means getting somewhere two seconds faster. They will completely disregard you just because you're a westerner. Their toilets and public spaces are disgustingly dirty and their food is NOT as good as you think.

If you can get passed all the little things - which I know for a fact some of my friends and family couldn't - then you'll enjoy your time here. I know we've all been fed up of at least one aspect in the time that we've been here. I for one am sick of being treated like a circus animal, and if someone shoves a phone in my face to take a picture, I take it off them. You guys, I think some of you would get stuck on the showers above squat toilets, or the lack of doors on squats. I know for a fact some of you wouldn't cope with that. Oh, how we can laugh about it now.

But it's been 4 weeks of absolute wonders. I've seen things more ancient than you can imagine. More crazy, more opulent, more dirty, more grand and more unbelievable. Not to mention cute. PANDAS. We've had difficult hikes, relaxing bike rides, idyllic rafting, and some terrible singing. I've loved every minute of experiences and loved spending time with the nineteen others in my group.

I even know an incredible way to get rid of mosquito bites - sunburn them to hell. I had two before I suffered my sun stroke and they were gone within hours. Not recommended however. Do not do that at home. I have 14 mosquito bites at the moment, so when you're packing, remember that no amount of Deet is enough amount of Deet. Just saying.

This backpacker is checking out. I'm back in Hong Kong and ready for a new adventure.

I am genuinely sad to be parting from my group, but I know I'll see them again, whether in their native country or somewhere on the road in the coming months and I know we'll have a blast when the time comes.

But for now, it's goodnight. Farewell China. Next stop Bangkok!

S x

Chengdu, Xi'an & Shaolin

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province and the experiences just kept rolling.

We truck ourselves and all our stuff off our 25 hour night train and onto the packed Chengdu metro. It becomes clear then - and throughout our stay in Chengdu and Xi'an - that people here have never seen so many westerners, or a ginger in their lives. 

It's funny to notice the differences. They see a blonde and go "wow, amazing," but they see a ginger and go "what the fuck is that?!" It's clear they just don't understand. They're trying to work out whether I'm like the Koreans and have dyed my hair a crazy colour, or if it's real, and if it is real then 'oh my god that's unbelievable.'

So while you sort of get used to being a circus act, walking into a waiting room in Chengdu station and having around 600 people turn and stare, is something you find bizzarre to say the least.

Chengdu as a city isn't a great wonder to behold. It's another concrete jungle with apartment blocks being thrown up left right and centre, but we are only here for two nights before moving on again and we thoroughly enjoy our time.

Our first night we experience Sichuan Hot Pot. Where the oil (already seasoned and spiced) is brought to the table and put on the gas to cook. The outer ring is spicy while the inside isn't, and you can choose which to cook your food in. Our guide orders around 8 different things and they are brought, already sliced, and we slide them into our desired oil. The off putting thing about this meal is the crazy amount of oil. Not only is it cooked in it, you also have sesame oil in your own bowl to take the spice out of your food before you eat it. Let's just say it was a messy experience and I think the whole group agreed that it wasn't the best meal we'd ever had. But hey, it was something new!

Day 2. Where do I even begin to describe day 2 in Chengdu? The city is famous for a few things, but the most obvious, and the most beloved is that amazing black and white bear we as people just can't seem to get enough of. It was Panda time! One of the most exciting activities on the tour, I can safely say I probably annoyed my group by the sheer amount of times I said "PANDA, PANDA," in an excited chant on our way to the Panda Park. 

The Chengdu Panda Breeding Centre has researched the Giant Panda for over 30 years and thinks it's found the most sustainable way to save one of the oldest species on the planet. Did you know the average species life time is 5 million years, and that the Giant Panda is already at 8 million?

They are cared for, nurtured, watched closely, paired with hopeful mates, and in times when that isn't successful, artificially inseminated. The park now has just under 100 pandas living in it's expansive grounds from 2 weeks old to 20 years old.

I want one.

No, seriously. Kids ask their parents for ponies all the time. I want a panda. They're so cute!! However, another fun fact, they aren't soft and cuddly like you would expect. Panda fur is actually quite coarse. Bit of a disappointment, but still want one. And yes, while they didn't do anything other than eat bamboo at a rate you wouldn't believe, and sleep hanging from a tree, we all still had a wonderful day!

In the afternoon of panda day, half of our group took a trip to Leshan, an ancient city over two hours drive from Chengdu. Leshan's claim to fame is that it has the largest Buddha in the world, carved into the rock face overlooking the river. Another sight to behold. The pictures don't do this 23-story structure justice. It's almost like the two kings in Lord of the Rings if you can excuse me geeking out for a moment.

Our bus drops us off on the road at the head of the Buddha and our party descends single file down a staircase carved from the rock. It's slow going, but it gives you the best view of the Buddha itself. The bottom is literally selfie central but among all us tourists (mostly Chinese) there are two dozen Tibetan monks going through their praying ritual on their knees between the giant stone feet of the 1200 year old Buddha.

The only thing about descending 47 flights of stairs is that you have to climb back up!

We party the night away in the Jellyfish nightclub in Chengdu and pay for it the next day. So our final day is relaxed and hangover ridden. I drew the short straw and am sick all day, not able to keep anything down including water, so I spend most of my day lying on the sofa in my hostel while my group lunched and walked around the city centre.

At 9pm we board another night train - only 15 hours this time - and speed off North West again. Next destination Xi'an!

A more historic city, we don't see much of Xi'an only taking part in a 13km bike ride around the Ming Dynasty city walls. The most complete ancient city walls in China. We are based here for a sole reason - The Terracotta Warriors (below.)

The next day we try our hand at a public coach and spend 6 hours driving into the countryside towards Dengfeng, the home of the Shaolin temple and the ancient home of Kung Fu.

We are treated to a show and Kung Fu lesson at a local school, where our money goes directly to their studies and training. The kids are aged between 7 and 16, and are more talented than you would believe. Hand stands on two fingers, breaking cement blocks with one hand, and much more. Despite being bitten alive by mosquitos (I added 8 more fresh bites to my collection) we had a great night in the rural countryside. The next day we go to Shaolin Temple, trek up to Dharma Cave (reminds you of something out of Lost) and watch a professional Kung Fu show, even better than the day before.

Despite an exhausting day we head to Zhengzhou, 2 hours from Shaolin, and board our third night train. The hardest one so far. We board at 10.15pm and disembark in Beijing at 6.10am. Barely half the group have had any sleep and we arrived bleary eyed at our hostel so early we can't check in.

2 years later I am back in Beijing, the beating heart of this country, and all I can think about is crawling into my bed later. 

With some of my group at the Sichuan Hot Pot dinner. Much spice, so much oil and plenty of free watery orange juice for everyone!

One of our group thought we were having a group photo taken beside some giant blobs. It wasn't until we were walking away that she realised they were pandas.

My absolute favourite experience so far. I WANT ONE.

These little guys are around 1/2 months old. I WANT ONE.

The biggest Buddha in the world at over 70 metres, carved out of the rock face on the river at Yeshan.

The night before the day I was sick as a dog. Definitely wasn't self inflicted. Definitely wasn't more than a bottle of vodka involved. Team.

The first emperor of all of China, the Qin Dynasty (pronounced 'Chin' - hence China) unified six countries to create this one big one. He started building his tomb at the age of 13, the biggest in the world at 52 square kilometres and 200 metres deep. He decided he needed 7000+ terracotta warriors to protect him in the afterlife. His body has never been exhumed as legend says his body is surrounded by rivers of mercury. Good ruse if it's a lie. 2000 years ago the guy was responsible for the creation of the country we know as China, and for building 5-lane highways lined with trees that are still in use today. 2000 years ago! Take that Romans!

The kids at this school are either orphans or come from some of the poorest families in the region. Poverty here is more obvious than anywhere we have previously been, but statistically 500 million people in China have lifted themselves out of dire poverty since 2006. 9 years has changed this country irrevocably. This school relies solely on donations, so pictures and videos of westerners are welcomed to make them seem more legitimate. 2 of the students graduate in June, when 1 wants to join the army, and 1 is heading to the movies.

On our final day we visit Shaolin Temple, and hike up one of the neighbouring mountains to Dharma Cave where Dharma himself meditated for 9 years. The temple was originally Taoist until the Indian monk changed it to Buddhism. The temple has been destroyed more than 15 times in it's past, but still stands today. This statue is atop the mountain that took us around 45 minutes to climb. 

This backpacker is exhausted, so I'm skipping this morning's activity - The Temple of Heaven (as I've already done it) - to find a sofa to curl up on until I can check into my room.

S x