Cosmos: Tanzania and Zanzibar
After two days on the train, we finally arrived in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. We splurged and stayed one night in a very nice Holiday Inn. After that we went to Zanzibar for three days.
Cosmos: Agra (Taj Mahal), India
After leaving our hosts in Mumbai, we took a 21 hour train trip to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal.
Cosmos: Sydney, Australia
We spent three days seeing the major city sights: touring the Sydney Opera House, walking across the Harbor Bridge and taking a harbor cruise.
Cosmos: Adelaide, Australia
To get to Adelaide, we took a 24 hour train trip aboard the Indian Pacific.
Japan: Tokyo and Nikko
After arriving in Japan, we spent the first three days in Tokyo. We visited several of the city sights, including the zoo, Ginza and Shinjuku. We also took a day trip to Nikko, which was a two hour train ride each way.
Japan: Hiroshima
Our first extended bullet train ride to Hiroshima was a great event. Once there, we spent time exploring the beauty of Miyajima Island and also visiting the important and sobering sights associated with the atomic bombing at the end of World War II.
Japan: Kyoto and Takayama
We began our second week in Japan by visiting Kyoto and the wonderful temples in the city. Also included in our time there was a day trip to Nara.
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.
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.
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.