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Blog 1
Beijing
Awesome few days, ran ourselves ragged travelling the city on foot or by local bus and subway. City of contrasts; older Hutong areas (alleyways of single storied rows of dwellings) luxury villas and high rise apartments. Modern transport systems, wide roads and many people moving in the same calm orderly manner whether by bicycle (and there were many, most without gears and very old) on foot, or vehicle (from rickshaw to Rolls Royce)..
The sites were all on a grand scale, principly around dwellings of Emporers who ruled from about 79AD, always involving a hill climb or many steps up layers of temple buildings surrounded by acres of gardens and lakes. Highlights we're the Summer Palace and a day trip to hike on the Great Wall.
It is still winter so we have been thankful for warm jackets. There was snowfall a couple of days before we arrived and still patches in the shady places. The rivers are still frozen although patchy. Our first day didnt rise above 2 degrees and we suffered that day as our luggage did not arrive with us on our Singapore connection. Smog hung over the city, restricting views and emphasing the chill. Friday blew clear and bitterly cold gusts that blew over racks of bicycles.
The train to Datong was a nightmare too long to tell here. Picture a carriage with hard seats, more passengers than seats and no room for gear.
Datong
Luxury Hotel at backpacker price. We have slowed down. Orientated ourselves yesterday (a lot of walking) and today hired a taxi for the day and visited Hengshan Mountain Hanging Monastry and Yungang Caves. Both areas of historical significance in Buddhism. We are feeling a little 'templed-out' but the structures were awesome.
Datong is a coal mining area and we have played cat and mouse with trucks laden with coal as our taxi driver waved about overtaking or undertaking to make the best progress. Pretty hairy at times.
There is a phenomenal amount of building here. Towers of apartments and new highways.
Tomorrow afternoon we do battle with another train. This time a hard sleeper to Pingyao where we will arrive 0030 on
Tuesday. Nev assures me the accommodation is downhill from now on!
Lessons we have learned
Take daughters advice and pack extra pair of knickers. Thank you Chelsea, I chucked them in my hand luggage.
Don't take illegal taxi. It's a rip-off
Take a torch for reading maps after dark - neither of us has decent eyesight anymore.
Take a map with English instead of one with only Chinese - it takes too long to find where you are by trying to match the characters.
Do up zippers on pockets to avoid losing wallet - part of the train nightmare.
Get money out of ATM before you really need it - chances are the machine will be empty when you want to go to dinner
- comments
Anna and Dave Awesome guys, keep the reports coming in. And the adventure has only just begun. stay safe
Aaron Sounds like the Taxi rides are a bit like being on a tandem cycle in France with Nev behind the wheel with all the over and under-taking!!
Judy Just love these posts, keep them coming when able, do you want me to start a collection for Nev? lol - unless he got his wallet back I'm guessing the answer to that is "no". Great photos!!! - Oh dear it is time for morning tea and I must get back to real computer work.
Jenny and Rod wow! thanks for the lessons we have learned, and we are sure now that we don't ever want to go to China. may your beds be comfortable from here on and let the adventures roll..
Megan De Vries Hilarious. Love the lessons learned. Keep safe xx