First morning and up to do tai chi at 7. Then after breakfast we went through the first of the three gorges - towering cliffs and sheer walls. Magnificent scenery which must have been grander before they built the dam and raised the water 110 meters.

We arrived at Wushan, transferred to smaller boats and ventured up a smaller tributary through Dragon Gate Gorge and then the Emerald Gorge. Again, the amount of new building, the amazing huge bridge constructions took our breath away as did the beautiful scenery.

At the end of the gorges we transferred into sampans and went further up the river seeing hanging coffins (thousands of years old) - where local wealthy people put their dead - as close to heaven as possible.

The water in the Emerald Gorge was really lovely and green unlike the muddy waters of the Yangtze.

We have since been through the second gorge Wu which I sadly missed as I fell asleep after lunch with a head ache. Janet said just as beautiful with some small coal mine loading facilities.

However, not to worry as the third gorge was just as beautiful with towering cliffs and new villages with the relocated farmers. Still staggering to think 1.3 million people were moved to allow for the dam.

Well the most interesting experience was at 7:00pm when we entered the 5 step lock system which lowered us over 100 meters to get past the dam. As we are in summer, we only needed to go through 4 locks which took about three and a half hours. Along with four other huge tankers we entered the first lock and the big gates shut. Operated only by gravity, we fell 20 meters in about 15 minutes, then the gates opened and we were into the next lock.

It was great entertainment and we stayed up to watch the process and we were out onto the river again. and of course we had to have a few drinks to help us pass the time!!