Sunday 7th September - day 18 Xian - chengdu We wake up at 4.20am for the train, 2 hours sleep and I'm resembling the walking dead. No packing or a shower done so we drag all the bags into the hall outside to pack so the others in the dorm don't murder us with all the noise. It's pissing down when we leave and are drenched by the time we flag a taxi from the main road, at the train station by 5.30am so we get a McDonald's breakfast as nothing else is open and ...

Saturday 6th September - day 17 Xian After talking about hua shan the past few days with a few backpackers who have been, we hear nothing but good things, so we decide to brave another hike. There's also a 0.3m plank path that winds around one of the peaks, it's one of the most dangerous things we've seen, but it's popular with tourists, and we both would like to give it ago. We Leave for the bus at 7.15 and make our way to the train station for the bus to hua ...

Saturday 6th September - day 17 Xian After talking about hua shan the past few days with a few backpackers who have been, we hear nothing but good things, so we decide to brave another hike. There's also a 0.3m plank path that winds around one of the peaks, it's one of the most dangerous things we've seen, but it's popular with tourists, and we both would like to give it ago. We Leave for the bus at 7.15 and make our way to the train station for the bus to hua ...

Friday 5th September - day 16 Xi'an Up early to make our way to the terracotta warriors. It's about a hour Away according to the hostel and we need to catch a bus to the train station (603) then swap and take another one to the site (306). We get to the train station, cross the road and walk to the eastern corner of the station to get the bus - which is more like a coach. The price should be 5rmb each, but naturally we are charged 7 each because we are western...

Thursday 4th September - day 15 Xi'an After checking in (Han tang hostel -50rmb) we decide just to look round the city today. We head down to the main square and take some pictures of the bell tower and venture through the Muslim quarter. We pay Into the Mosque, but it's not really worth the 35rmb, there's scaffolding covering the main pavilion and the rest is poorly maintained temples and courtyards after buying some crap and tat, we a lamb muffin/bun thing, w...