So it has been a while since my last post, but that is what happens when you are busy having fun.

Basically I have had a great 2 weeks and done far too much to put on here so below is an outline.
I spent a few days in Shanghai before heading out into the mountains, Shanghai is a cool city but not very Chinese and I didn’t feel as at home as in Beijing, my main complaint was that I got hassled a lot more by street sellers and scamming “students”.

After 3 days I took the night train to Huanh Shan (The Yellow Mountains) which are some beautiful and often misty mountains south west of Shanghai, on arrival it was a bit to misty but I got up the mountain by-cable car and then started the trek to my hotel with my big bag, what I hadn’t realized was that-it was an hour walk from the cable car to my hotel which with my bag and all the steps was a bit of a trek. Woke early the next day with all the Chinese tourists to watch the sun rise over the “North see of clouds” from the Refreshing Terrace” . I had two nights booked so my plan was to walk the long way down and then walk the short way up. The views were amazing but the 1200m of decent by steps killed me and at the bottom a mistake on a bus left me lost and wandering the streets of the town below. Luckily the friendly owner of a local restaurant came by on his motor bike and gave me a lift to his restaurant and then back to the mountain.

Headed back to Beijing via Shanghai and stayed for a little over a week, where I met up with a load of people I had met in Russia and Mongolia, so lots of fun and games (literally games). Did the sights as well of course, well some of them.

With Tibet off the cards for the near future I have headed down the west side of China and am currently spending a few nights in Xi’an (pronounced Shian)