Just Laaazin' on a beach...

Feels like ages since I last wrote, but maybe thats because we've covered so many miles in a short space of time! From the central west of China, down to the lush green south, across to Hong Kong and then (on the first flight of our trip so far!!) here to Thailand, from where we are flying to Delhi in India tonight. Phew.

From the Yangtze, we caught a taxi, then a bus, then an overnight train, then a taxi, then another bus until we finally arrived in Yangshuo, hundreds of miles further south, near Guilin in Guangxi province. The journey probably would have been more fun if it hadn't been 35 degrees or above, and if I hadn't filled my rucksack to tip 18 kilos on that shopping spree in Beijing. Hey ho, I won't go on about the less glamourous aspects to travelling!

In Chengdu, China, we visited the Panda Park, which is a breeding and research facility for the Giant Panda and also the little Red Panda. For us that means you can go and look at little baby pandas at close quarters! We didn't have much time in Chengdu and could only visit the park in the afternoon, which is nap-time for nearly all the pandas - they are so furry that the day time heat in the summer means that they spend most of the time indoors in air-conditioned rooms. However we did manage to see the giant panda babies all curled up, fidgeting and snoring in their sleep (so cute!!) and some big fatty pandas eating bamboo before sprawling out on the floor to sleep.

The point and shoot camera struggled in the low light I'm afraid:

The little red pandas are more active and happy to sit in your lap for a fee. And some apple bribery:

Actually I have the cutest little video of Steven holding a red panda but my blog doesn't like it so I can't show it to anyone now.

Yangshu, where we stayed in southern china has some of the most unique geology in the country, with huge limestone river cut hills towering above sleepy little farms. The town is relatively touristy for China, but still quiet enough to be relaxing, and surrounded by the dark green of these limestone peaks and the bright lush green of the rice paddies. Its so beautiful. We spent 4 days there not doing very much, but we did hire bikes one day and take a trip down the river on a bamboo raft. Most of the time it was just sooooo hot we could only really slope around looking at the view. Which was fine, because I feel like we haven't stopped much during the last 3 months!

Buses in China aren't designed for big white western men:

A little snap of an impressive water and light theatre peice we saw in Yanghuo, where fishing boats with little lamps filled the water, and the surrounding hills were lit up, all set to music:

A touch of smog.....one thing I'm not sorry to say goodbye to in China.



So for the last week we've been hanging out in Thailand, with my brother and his girlfriend playing hosts for us. We stayed in a beach hut on Koh Samet, reading, swimming and eating for 4 days, and now we are back on the infamous Khao San Road, escaping from the heat and the tie dye in a little air conditioned internet cafe.

Look at the cool tee shirt my brother bought me! I love it!!

Because the good news is that in Hong Kong, I bought myself a very swanky new camera, and a brand new lens! Both of which I treat like my babies. The point and shoot is still in action because camera and lens mark II aren't allowed out of the hotel. My main professional camera is safely tucked up in bed back in Cardiff, so this my second camera, but my only camera out here so I'm taking good care of it.

I'll leave you with a photo of Koh Samet, taken just before I went for a little dip in the sea. Ahhh, this is the life!

xxx