Isn't It Ironic

Isn`t It Ironic, Don`t You Think?

Ni Hao Friends, (that is hello in Chinese)

Yep, last email it was all about aircon of the cold variety. It is like the weather gods said `If they want airconditioning we`ll give it to them`. And we got it in bucketloads . . . . of the natural variety. South East China decided to have a cold snap and I can personally vouch for the truth in the weather reports at the moment. It is bloody freezing!!! Does the heating in the room work? Excellent, we`ll take it.

So, we arrived without incident into the land of `Made In`. Everthing is made in China apparently. Point to note, there are Chinese restaurants everywhere and asking where China Town is, is highly unnecessary. We took the slow boat as well . . .

Our last few days in Vietnam were interesting to say the least. Our last bus trip from Hue to Hanoi was again very average. Do not travel with An Phu under any circumstances! The other companies may be just as bad but at least they won`t be worse. We arrived in Hanoi and found what we thought to be a good hotel right in the middle of the old quarter. We then got thrown out of the hotel because we failed to book a to book a tour through them. It was heated, aggressive and very threatening. Another strong recommendation - do not stay at Hanoi Spirit Hotel. We did end up meeting a really nice couple from England though who were also thrown out - we will definitely catch up with them when we get to Europe. We did a trip up to Ha Long Bay which was amazing. The scenery was beautiful even though the weather wasn`t great. Rob, we are chasing up your theory on the naming of Ha Long Bay - we will get back to you!! We really didn`t have enough time in Hanoi, it was a lovely city. Next time perhaps. . . . .

The border crossing into China was uneventful. We sort of followed two older Singaporean men - they were like Waldorf and Staedtler out of the muppets. Hilarious. Waldorf was wearing the most wicked pair of polyester flairs I have seen this side of an Op Shop. They both spoke Mandarin which is pretty handy in China. We were going to share a taxi with them to Nanning but it was too expensive for us. We caught a motorbikey thingamy and then a semi uncomfortable, crowded train. On the train we had a lovely conversation with a Chinese couple. No idea what they said (and vice versa I suspect) but it was a very pleasant exchange nonetheless. We arrived in Nanning quite exhausted. The city was huge, clean and very busy. It was also very cold. . . .I am starting to freak out about Siberia. . . . .

Buying a train ticket to Guilin was hilarious. There are no English signs and everything is very confusing in the train stations. The Lonely Planet proved its worth as we tried to translate the Chinese characters.

`OK, we are looking for a guy with a Christmas tree and two ladies dancing`

`Got it!! Train N804`

We bought our tickets and then ate good two minute noodles for dinner (made in China of course). As we headed to the train the next day we managed to answer the age old question -

What happens if you get to the end of the escalator and there is no room to get off?

A fifty person pile up of course! Hilarious but I don`t wish to repeat the experience. As soon as my ankle gets better it will be back the stairs for us! We managed to get to Guilin and then onto Yangshuo which is a really beautiful place.

Megs in Yangshuo

It is surrounded by very high limestone peaks and is bloody cold. We have a couple more days in Yangshuo and then we are heading to the Yangtze River. It will probably take us a few days to get there. We continue to leave our travels in the hands of the travel gods or up to dumb luck or as the Chinese say -

`Like a hunter waiting for rabbit to kill itself by running into a tree.`

That is only four Chinese characters. Who would have thought??? It is currently our favourite saying.

So far China has been fantastic and vastly different to countries in South East Asia. The food has been great and there are hardly any tourists anywhere. People just openly stare at us - I like to think it is because we are incredibly beautiful but I suspect it is because we are funny looking as well as being giants.

Anyway, that is all from the coldest place in the world.