China: Beijing and the Great Wall
Beijing was the first stop on our three week trip. We visited the Forbidden City in addition to our day trip to the Great Wall.
Email: Greetings from Beijing
Yesterday we went to the Great Wall. It is a portion of the wall that sees very few visitors. With all the buses and subway, it cost us Y66 or $7 per person. Pulling the whole thing off wasn’t easy though.
China: Luoyang
We left Beijing’s West Train Station at 12:45pm on Wednesday to begin our ten hour journey to Luoyang. We were able to get hard seats (for about $12 each) on a ‘K’ train, which is an express that makes very few stops.
China: Xian – Terracotta Warriors
It was a 5 1/2 hour journey on a double decker express ‘K’ train from Luoyang to Xian. The next morning we went back to the train station to catch the bus to the Army of the Terracotta Warriors. Nothing prepares you for the enormity of seeing the warriors in lines as you first enter.
China: Chengdu and Dali
After some rough traveling, we first visited the pandas in Chengdu and then relaxed in Dali. Among the highlights there was a visit to a local market.
Email: China Update from Kunming
We are now in Kunming, which is in the southwest corner of China, very close to the Laos and Vietnam borders.
China: Yangshao
Our last stop in China proper was in Yangshao, a short distance from Guilin. Here we enjoyed a variety of activities, including biking and hiking.
Email: Adventures in China – Travel to Yangshao
We were on a 30 hour train ride from Kunming to Guilin. The ride was very pleasant since we rode in the “soft sleeper” of the train, consisting of four berths in a compartment. However, because of the noise and bumps, sleep was difficult.
China: Hong Kong
Our last stop was Hong Kong, which we reached after an all-night bus trip from Yangshao to Guangzhao (Canton) and a hovercraft voyage down the Pearl River from there. We spent a day and a half in the area before flying back to Los Angeles.
Email: Greetings from Yangshao
It is Friday and we have been in Yangshao the last few days. It is a small town (for China) about 40 miles south of Guilin in Southern China.