Pictures from Southern China

Journey so far: .. Taiwan > Hong Kong > Beijing > Harbin > Yanji > Songjianghe >Changbai Mountain > Dandong > Dalian > Dandong > Chengde > Beijing > Datong > Hohhot > Huitengxile > Hohhot > Taiyuan > Zhengzhou > Xi'an > Lanzhou > Zhangye > Jiaugyuan > Jingtieshan > Jiaugyuan > Dunhuang > Urumuqi > Kanas Lake > Urumuqi > Kashgar > Tashkurgan > Karakul Lake > Kashgar (Kashi) > Hotan > Qiemo > Ruoqiang > Shimianquan > Golmud > Lhasa (Tibet) > Gyantse > Shigatse > Shegar > Everest Base Camp (Rongbuk) > Zhangmu > Borderlands > Kathmandu (Nepal) > Chitwan National Park > Gorkha > Bandipur > Pokhara > Lumbini > Kathmandu > Sunauli > Dehli > Kausani > Agra > Khajuraho > Varanasi > Calcutta (Kolkata) > Bangkok (Thailand) > Vientiane (Laos) > Vang Vieng > Luang Prabang > Phonsavanh > Vientiane > Bangkok (Thailand) > Siem Reap (Cambodia) > Phnom Penh > Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon (Vietnam) > Hoi An > Hue > Hanoi > Guilin > Yangshuo > Changsha > Yichun > Tangkou (Huangshan) > Yuangshan > Guangzhou > Hong Kong ...

We left Vietnam and travelled north, crossing the border in to southern China. We travelled across land to Guilin and Yangshuo. It was a crazy journey and felt like we'd never reach it, but finally stopped in Yangahuo and really felt the influence of the west! Nothing else in China was like this, a very unsuual place but magic as we needed that easy lifestyle as we came to the end of our time in Asia.... sob..sob :0(

In southern China we did a little tour of a famous rice terrace and went up one of the best loved mountains in China.

Kate and I freeze on the river boat ride that took us through the local karst forms.


The ladies on the rice terrace reputably have the longest hair in the world!


Kate does "a local" pose in front of the rice terraces perched on the mountain side.


Bit of Chinglish. It's everywhere and inescapable, but the government are trying to clean it up.


On top of Huagshan. We were greeted by snow-covered-trees and a chilly breeze blew through my beard. It was like being in a poem.


The sun set and then we ran back to the YH to avoid freezing or worse, falling off the mountain to our chilly deaths....


After 3 days on the mountain and avoiding falling off it we walked back to the cable-car to leave. On the way we had the remarkable luck of being in a snow fall. Kate said it was like being in Narnia, but she's mad about the chronicles.


Then it was back to Hong Kong for the epic flight to a new country!

MC