Dunno what happened both of us ended up with bunny teeth!! Bleah!

The ride out of Frankfurt was pretty smooth despite the so-called morning traffic. The ride in Germany was really boring, with not much to see on both sides of the road, so boring till I fell asleep. I didn't realise it until I snorted and it was loud enough to wake me up and my driver to notice!!! He looked into the mirror to check on me and I pretended like nothing happened! hahahahahaha...so embarrassing!!

We stopped after 3 hours for a break & pee stop and to my shock, we had to pay 50 cents Euro to use the toilet! Shiats! Bought this apple juice....was frizzy of course....what else?

Crossover to Switzerland was easy peasy, no need to chop passport oso. After crossing over, it's tunnel after tunnel..and I noticed the driver was driving very slow (100 km/h is considered slow in his standard!!) as they r really strict there with speed cameras everywhere!

Lunch stop was at Marche. I can't believe they allow customers to bring in their pets into the restaurant. Talk about hygiene...bleah! Good thing was, we didn't have to pay to use the toilet here! Phew..

The scenery became really beautiful as we draw nearer to the Italian border, with lakes and mountains along the road and of course tunnels...tunnels...tunnels...

Once we entered Italy, our driver sped up and we were almost flying!! (as you can witness thru the pic of the speedometer!) hahaha..

Upon reaching Florence it was pouring cats & dogs so I couldn't go out...stuck in the hotel, I had cupnoodles with my dried chicken meat (yes Amah lugged that along) and did some planning for my shopping the next day. Good thing the bus station was just 1 minute walk from the hotel! Cool!

The following was what I fell in love when I saw it on the display at the Florence store. However they didn't have a new one in stock so I bought this in Rome. Too bad for the sales guy at the Florence store cos he was really very patient and nice to me while I made him bring me all sorts of designs to choose from and at the end I didn't buy off him.

]]> http://jgontour.wordpress.com/?p=784 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:46:16 +0000 jgontour http://jgontour.wordpress.com/?p=784 We started the morning at the London Dungeon, bright and early. It is a theme park type of recreation of various 'scary' points in London's past - the great fire, the plague, Jack the Ripper etc. The highlights included:

• a dead rat in a glass case of actual rats - don't think they'd noticed him
• one of the actors threatening to kick R in the face if she continued to touch the door hatch - as we were waiting in line and getting impatient
• the 'hall' of mirrors - all turning so you couldn't tell where you were or what was mirror
• another actor as we arrived in her section asking for a break after this lot as she needed 'a poo'
• the boat ride through tunnels

From there we walked back to London Bridge station and decided to check out the Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret. Unfortunately there were works going on, but it was still fascinating with heaps of old surgical tools and information, and we were able to see into the old female theatre - despite the scaffolding.

We got home in time to finish packing and jump in the car to head for the Eurostar station. Paris here we come! It was all very painless and we arrived in Paris a couple of hours later. We caught the metro to Ecole Militaire and our hotel was not far away. We checked in and then went out for dinner and a stroll. We found a brasserie and had a tasty meal, including steak tartare for L, and frites all round, bien sur.

After that we strolled a little and came to... the Eiffel Tower! Which was blue!! We also saw a lovely art nouveau doorway on our way to the park that leads up to the Tower. The grass of the park was covered with Frenchies out with picnics which I thought was nice - that they enjoy the area even though its such a big tourist draw. At about 11pm the twinkly lights came on which were just beautiful. After walking under it and lying in the grass to watch it, we went back to the hotel - a big day ahead.

Arriving at the train station ready to go to work is often an experience which can test many people's patience. The shock of a sudden rush of people makes it clear that the shower you had taken that morning did not wake you up properly. Dreams of being comfortably tucked up in bed are quickly disturbed by the realisation that your train is flashing delayed. Annoyed and with a frown you go over to the  worker in the bureau and ask for a ticket, only to discover the price of travel has increased yet again. Was it not just the other week the price had been raised?

Driving to work can be no easier than public transport. The car is sat outside your house and as you quickly finish breakfast and grab your bag you remember that yesterday the petrol light had come on just as you turned into your road. Rushing out of the house with a sigh you drive to the nearest petrol station to find that there has been another  increase in fuel prices. Carrying on down the road to the next garage you hope that the fuel costs will be significantly lower, only to be rapidly disappointed. There is nowhere cheaper and so the only option is to fill your tank and clear your wallet. The feeling of frustration rapidly builds up, your bank balance is worryingly low and images of 'final notice' bills run through your head.

The continuous increase of anxieties facing people every day can acount for the pessamistic outlooks of many. So much time is spent worrying that the positive elements in life can be dismissed entirely. This is a great shame, as it can be hard to recognize the extent to which your life has become charged with negativity. During July 2007 I decided to take a month out of my busy working schedule to go to Thailand. It had always  been a place I had wanted to visit for a different type of holiday and to find out why so many people referred to this country as "the land of smiles". Determined not to  only look around the main tourist areas I decided that for half of my trip I would go into the poorest, most rural places to live with a Hill Tribe family. My desire was to experience customs that were far from the life I had become accustomed to.  

Arriving in Bangkok airport, tired from a thirteen hour flight, carrying a heavy backpack I made my way to the exit. Confused by the value of the Thai Baht I  attempted to work out the best deal for a taxi to my hotel. As I arrived at my destination I payed the driver, only to later realise the charge was significantly overpriced. Fueled by adrenalin I put my bag in my room and headed out onto the bustling streets, taking rides in "Tuk Tuks" and visiting temples- unprepared to waste any time. This fast paced, action packed schedule was how my time was spent for the first two weeks of the trip, visiting every place that attracted my attention in various guide books. 

As I travelled from one place to the next I met very different people, from many places around the world. They all had there own reason for coming to Thailand. There were those who were embarking on a journey of self discovery, others who were unhappy back at home and a significant amount who had come for the adventure. It was clear that the traveling experience enthused a significant amount of people and I wondered how or if their experiences would change them in any way when they eventually went back to their home lives.

At this stage in my trip I was overwhelmed at the idea of being over the other side of the world and was fascinated by the cultural differences, however, i by no means considered myself to be like a lot of the other people I had met. The things I were viewing daily were all  part of  another culture. As far as I could see I was simply a tourist who would visit, look around and then leave with a little extra knowledge of how people different to me live. It was difficult to understand those people who spoke about having their eyes opened and  whose experiences had been life changing. Although I was traveling in a culturally diverse group for much of the time, it took a while to realise we were discovering things collectively and that my English origin should not stop me from learning and adopting ways of various cultures. 

Having had an extremely busy and often chaotic two weeks in the urban areas of Thailand including Bangkok, Ayutthaya and Chaing Mai, I was ready to trek out into the rural areas of Chiang Mai,  to meet the hill tribe family I would be staying with. The trek alone was an experience i would never forget. Led by an extremely thin guide, I tackled the jungle with a few other travelers. We faced steep inclines followed by challenging declines and unbearably hot temperatures. As the jungle cleared and the surrounding terrain turned into paddy fields, I realised we were entering inhabited land and I soon caught sight of a small arrangement of wooden huts nestled in the hills.

We followed the river until we reached the Hill Tribe village. My guide pointed his finger to two small wooden huts on stilts situated very close to each other. They were at a slight distance away from the rest of the houses in the village and surrounded by mud which seemed to cover the parts of ground that were not long grass. I soon realized this was where we were going to be staying. A mixture of dread, excitement and intrigue came over me as the family slowly appeared from a dark doorway in the hut. As we cautiously walked up the steps to greet them, we were met with big smiles. Two children came running out, both under the age of five, wearing mismatched clothes and no shoes. My eyes scanned the room and i quickly realized the whole family lived in this one single room.

The family were not able to speak any English but enthusiastically signaled to us that we could stay in the hut next door. As we were redirected up the stairs of our new place of residence, i saw that my bed was the bamboo floor and my duvet, a mosquito net. For the first time on the trip i felt alone and admittedly a little frightened within my new situation.

It was dusk and the room looked gloomy. For a moment i started to ask myself what i was doing there. Thoughts of home flashed in my mind and for the first time i felt home sick. However, I was immediately put at ease as soon as I realised that the Thai family were doing everything in their power to make us feel comfortable. The whole family were working together to meet and greet us, creating a hospitable and friendly atmosphere. 

Having been left alone for the best part of an hour to unpack, bathe in the river and just relax, i soon noticed that an array of appetizing aromas were coming from the hut of the family. Extremely curious I  went onto the balcony just as the man was climbing the steps up to our hut with a large steaming pot. The lady followed closely carrying bowls containing food of all different colors. Even the children were helping with one bowl at a time. It became clear how this family had created a whole array of dishes especially for us, all with such enthusiasm. I could not believe where all the food had come from, there were all types of vegetables including potatoes, carrots and pumpkins - all of which had been turned into a curry. 

The people of the Hill Tribe were living in very simple huts, wore no shoes and bathed in the river, however, despite all this, they were still smiling. Not only did they appear content living in such a small space altogether, but they were kind enough to let visitors into their life and were thrilled to share what they had. After the meal, the children danced and sang for our entertainment and we taught them songs in return.

Staying in this environment made me realize for the first time on my trip that I could learn invaluable lessons from this incredibly different culture. Life back in England is often spent worrying about financial issues, when more time should be spent with family or friends. The Hill Tribe people seemed to place great importance on the family unit and enjoyed spending as much time together as possible, which can be a rarity in such a high speed British society. The Hill Tribes do not have luxuries as we know them in the United Kingdom. For instance, I saw one car in the entire village and that was under repair. Yet everyone i met greeted me warmly with a big smile.

 This part of my trip, without doubt taught me that we should value what we do have. We may face daily struggles, however, for the majority of UK Citizens hot water and electricity are easily accessible and are used without appreciation. Can we be ruled by negativity when our supermarkets are filled with a variety of foods and our beds are comfortable and warm? More attention should be placed on the enjoyable parts of life and we should recognise how some people do not have the basic comforts we take for granted.

Revellers wearing traditional white trousers and shirts with red bandanas celebrated the beginning of the nine-day festival by spraying one another with champagne, red wine and sangria.

Town councillor Uxe Barkos started proceedings in traditional fashion from the Town Hall balcony overlooking the crowd, yelling: "Men and women of Pamplona, all hail to San Fermin."Fireworks were set off to herald the festivities and the crowd responded by tossing people into the air to celebrate the Chupinazo.

Residents poured buckets of water over the crowd from their balconies to help cool down the revellers, while others took the more traditional approach of pouring red wine, sangria and sparkling wine over one another.

"I love it. I'd heard a lot about it, but seeing it in person is truly moving," said Australian Anna Stampy.

Held since 1591, the fiesta is famous for the nerve-wrecking bull-run, where participants test their skill and courage by racing alongside six fearsome fighting bulls along 800m of narrow cobblestone streets linking the city's stables to the bullring.

On the afternoon of each day, the bulls must face matadors in the ring.During the celebrations, police found the body of a young man who apparently died by falling 30m from an ancient wall, but the tragedy had no effect on the fanfare.

Since 1924, 13 people have been killed in the running of the bulls. The last victim was a 22-year-old American gored to death in 1995.

On our first proper day, we made our way into the city, first by bus, then via the Underground. While we were on the train in, we realised that we didn't know the name of the bus stop we started at, or the name of the suburb we were staying in. No worries I thought, we'll work it out when we get back from the city.
We had a great day and visited the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. The tower was chock full of interesting displays such as the Crown Jewels, White Tower and the Medieval Palace. We also got a guided tour of parts of the Tower from one of the Beefeaters.
After we had a look at the insides of the Tower Bridge (also worth a look) we needed to head back through the tube. It was rush hour and the Circle Line was packed. We squeezed onto the train where it was hot, humid and stinking from so many people in such a tight space. After changing onto our line back (which was less busy) and getting back to the station we tackled the problem of not knowing where we were going, except for the name of the small back street cul-de-sac we were staying at.
First we looked for the information kiosk, but that was shut. Then we bought a map, but found that is was only for the center city! Next we tried jumping on a bus we thought was going in the right direction and looked out for landmarks we recognised. This was working for a while until everything looked unfamiliar. We jumped off, crossed the road and got the next bus back to the station.
Next up, we borrowed a phone book to look for my Uncle's phone number to ask him, but his number turned out to be unlisted! Finally, we went into a dairy and the guy behind the counter was nice enough to let us borrow his local area map. We found the way to go but didn't trust our poor understanding of the bus system, so we walked the 2-3kms back.
Finally, after nearly 2 hours of pissing about, we arrived back having learned an important lesson: we were staying in Harrow Weald.

All our other excursions into the city have gone smoothly. We've seen sights such as The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London Eye, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tate Modern, The Museum of Natural Science, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace and Greenwich.

The streets here are really tight here. I'm glad we don't have a car, or we would have hit something by now.

Today we're heading off to Brighton to stay with my Aunt. Better go pack!

(一) 申請方式：

　　各縣市監理處負責申請國際駕照業務，一次可同時申請兩種或兩種以上車種駕照，
　　申請當日即可取得。

(二) 所需證件：

1.       右列身分證明文件任一﹝正本或影本﹞：國民身分證、軍人身分證、中華民國臺灣地區出入境許可證、居留證、旅行證、「台灣地區逐次加簽入出境證」、「台灣地區多次入出境證」、「台灣地區居留證」﹝無台灣地址者須檢附流動人口登記聯單﹞

2.       原領中華民國駕照正本

3.       本人最近六個月內拍攝之光面素色背景脫帽五官清晰正面半身黑白或彩色照片二張〈 須為二吋照片〉

4.       汽（機）車駕駛人審驗暨各項異動登記書[請至本處、北區分處或各公路監理簡易服務站索取空白書表,或本處網站下載]

5.       填具與護照上相同之英文姓名

6.       規費２５０元

(三) 監理處聯絡地址、電話及網址：

(四) 注意事項：

　　國際駕照自核准日起有效期限為三年，過期可再更新。不過，一旦國內駕照吊銷、停止使用時，國際駕照的效力也將消失。

　　國際駕照是供出國使用，但如果要在當地買車或定居的話，最好還是取得當地駕照。

有些國家並不承認國際駕照的使用。

Our place on the farm

The real test if a police force has changed lies in the public opinion. A name change and new crispy uniforms are hardly enough.
The Police in Northern Ireland has managed to make the transition from the overly partisan former Royal Ulster Constabulary to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, which is widely accepted by both Loyalists and Unionist. But it took massive changes in policing procedures, recruiting and the creation of an independent oversight body, the police ombudsman, under the leadership of the energetic Nuala O`Loan.

The Liberian National Police (LNP) has clearly failed in making this transition. The LNP has taken in many new recruits, all of which have been vetted to ensure that no one with a record of human rights abuse would end up in the new LNP. But the old spirit has survived, and so have the old ways of augmenting their salaries. They are still referred to as " 5 Dollar Police" by the public after the standard bribe or "cold water" extracted form taxi drivers for any alleged traffic violation.
Foreigners pay more. A missionary was hauled to the local police station recently and told that since he had no immigration papers on him he would be jailed for two days. His assurances that his papers were in order (they were) and that he could get and present them within half an hour came to naught. Knowing that he would hardly survive the police cell intact, he paid them off with 50 USD.

In most countries the usage of police car lights and sirens are strictly regulated. They can only be used if life or substantive values are in immediate danger, or in pursuit of criminals. In Liberia LNP uses these emergency signals to advertise that they are above the law. Driving in Monrovia one is frequently overtaken by LNP pick-up trucks with lights flashing and sirens wailing which are clearly not on urgent police business. I was once passed by a pickup truck. For sound, view and driving style the car could have been in hot pursuit, but is was loaded with rattan chairs, drawers, a mirror, in short the complete household of some important police officer. In most countries this kind of behavior would earn the driver a stern reprimand. Here it is seen as a right.

The main test for any police force is if the citizens actually trust the police to help them when they are the victim of a crime. LNP has for a long timed aired an embarrassing commercial using the "Ghostbusters" song from Ray Parker Junior, suggesting that they are indeed the answer. The commercial is really kind of funny because it is made so cheaply. At the end of the line " When there’s something wrong in the neighborhood – Whom you gonna call ? " a dissonant chorus shouts " ELL- ENN – PEEH".
In reality most Liberian who need help immediately see little reason to call LNP. And why should they? Dialing 911 in New York will get you a police dispatcher, no matter at what time you call. Calling the same number in Monrovia, will most of the time get no response at all. The phone just keeps ringing. Or you are faced with a police officer who, after you have explained to him that there is an armed robbery going on in your house, shouts "You are lying" and slams down the receiver. (1)
Calling a local police station does not help much either. You might be told that "there is no fuel in the car", and that you have to provide the fuel if you want them to come. (2)

Reassuring words to hear, especially considering the four guys with machetes outside hacking through your front door. International staff in Monrovia does not even bother to call LNP anymore. Instead they call UNMIL´s Zulu Base, where you will get an answer, and even support. The local population has increasingly opted for another way of protection. All over Monrovia "vigilante" groups or "neighborhood watch" groups are mushrooming. Their members are unemployed youths, in the age between 15 and 25. During the day, the go around and ask the residents for a small donation of 10 - 20 Liberian Dollars or a glass of tea, and by night they "patrol" the area armed with machetes.
As a response to the recent increase in violence Liberian Politicians and LNP itself suggest that the police should be re-armed with guns. This idea is strongly opposed by many UNMIL and CIVPOL internationals, most vociferously by those who work with LNP. One of them went so far as to say privately that if LNP would be re-armed the number of crimes committed with guns would increase substantially. Outgoing UNMIL Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Isaac Obiakor has recently backed that view. In an unusually candid interview he stated that re-arming LNP would no curb the increasing violence but might instead drive it up. He noted that re-arming LNP might leas to the public re-arming as well, and added, "I will say LNP do not necessarily need to be armed. Yes, except you want to start another war" (Arming Police is "Disaster", New Democrat, Monrovia, 04 July 2008, p.1)

There is one thing the General forgot to mention. Should LNP be armed with guns again, the price of standard bribes will go surely up. A man with a gun will no longer be content with 5 Liberian Dollars.

 
(1) This incident was described to me by a European CIVPOL officer working inside the LNP headquarter, who was on duty when the call came, and could not believe the reaction of the LNP officer either.
(2) see quotation from New Democrat Newspaper in this blog below.

An Airservices Australia spokeswoman said airlines were advised of the problem earlier in the day and it was up to them whether they continued with their flights, diverted or delayed them.

The problem was handled according to regulations, as were similar outages last weekend, she said.Pilots could navigate themselves through air space when necessary, the spokeswoman said.Qantas said the shortage last night delayed 17 flights Melbourne and Sydney flights.Flights leaving Melbourne between 8pm and 10pm (AEST) were delayed by about 15 minutes, a spokesman said.Planes were diverted around the uncontrolled air space.

No flights were cancelled and pilots remained in control of planes at all times, he said.Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) spokesman Peter Gibson said Australia had a shortage of about 20 air traffic controllers.

"Sometimes when controllers call in sick they simply don't have people to back-fill those positions and that means they have to close some sectors for short periods of time, up to a couple of hours," he said on ABC radio.

"They can either fall back on a set of procedures which revolve around the pilot broadcasting traffic information... so that other aircraft in the area can work out where they are and keep safely separated or the other choice is simply to fly around or delay the flights.

"Different airlines generally make different decisions on this. It depends very much on the time of day, how much traffic there is, a whole bunch of other factors."

Just some of the people that help us

 
For anyone spending a considerable period of time in China then Yangshuo will fill the same holes for them as Bangkok does for those exploring the whole of South East Asia.
 
That said Yangshuo does not want to be the first stop on your China itinerary. Bangkok is not representative of Thailand as a whole and neither is Yangshuo representative of China.

However if, you have spent the last 3, 6 or even 12 months trekking around China, being spat on, feeling confused, lost, isolated and ordering/receiving meals in restaurants and not getting what you expected - then Yangshuo is a lovely destination to break you back into the western world before you board your flight home.
 
Truth be told Yangshuo is not the real China. The real China is without doubt the hardest country I have ever travelled in, Yangshuo on the other hand feels like putting on your favourite jumper. Having spent the best part of 2 years in China myself, I put Yangshuo in my top 3 travel destinations.
 
The odds are you will have flown in to China via either Beijing or Shanghai - so you are going to be commencing your journey on the East coast, if you didn't/aren't then skip this bit.
 
 I would advise a route of either:
 
Beijing - Xi'an - Chengdu - Kunming - Yangshuo - Three Gorges cruise Chongching/Wuhan - Shanghai - Beijing - Home
 
Shanghai - Beijing - Xi'an - Chengdu - Kunming - Yangshuo - Three Gorges cruise Chongching/Wuhan - Shanghai - Home
 
Either way, which ever route you take, by the time you have wandered off the route numerous times to add on your own individual side trips you will have been in China long enough to appreciate Yangshuo by the time you reach it.

And reaching itself is quite straightforward despite Yangshuo not having either train station or airport (they would only ruin it).

Most people en route to Yangshuo are going to take the train into Guilin, some 20 km to the South. You might choose to fly into Guilin, but if you are taking internal flights in China then one of the following three statements fits you:

·        You are on a very tight time schedule.

·        You have more money than sense.

·        You take reckless risks with your own life.

You will also be implored to stay in Guilin, after all it is the “most beautiful place in the world”, if you want to stay then stay as long as you like, but the second you arrive in Yangshuo you will realise every precious second you spent in Guilin was wasted time.

I wouldn’t concern you with a schedule for the buses – like most buses in China, they leave when they are full. Expect to pay approx 15rmb don’t give anyone any money until the bus has started moving – a common scam is for people to get on the bus before it leaves and sell you a ticket for an inflated price. Journey time is about one and a half hours, there is a quicker bus that leaves from the Guilin bus terminal but by the time you find it etc. the journey time will end up the same anyway.

Another scam to watch out for is when the bus stops on the road outside Yangshuo, a guy gets on and tells everyone to get off as the bus is going elsewhere. You then end up paying them to take you the rest off the way and then end up staying at their accommodation too. The only place you should be getting off the bus is in the terminal at Yangshuo – which is an enclosed courtyard type of affair.

Despite the scams, my advice would be to take the bus. Firstly, you will have ample opportunity to take the Li River boat trip once you are in Yangshuo. Secondly, in winter the water level of the river drops and you can only travel the second half of the journey by boat anyway.

What to expect

Yangshuo is a very small town famous for its surrounding geography that gets 1.5 million visitors a year. The countryside is scattered with Karst hills – limestone hills eroded millennium ago when the whole area would have been under water. The beautiful Lijiang (Li) and Tianjila rivers run through it and nearby. Today the hills look as if some giant had haphazardly sown the hills whilst walking through the valley.

The town itself was established in the Jin Dynasty (265-420AD) and has developed into one of the foremost tourist destinations in the whole of China. Unlike Guilin development, although rife, is more restrained in Yangshuo – buildings are not allowed to go higher than six storeys for fear of blocking out the view that makes the town desirable. Also taxis are prohibited from the central area.

Initially popular with foreign tourists Yangshuo is becoming increasingly popular with Chinese tourists – just look for the flag/umbrella waving tour guide at the front of the horde of day-trippers coming towards you to disrupt your serenity. Fortunately as late afternoon approaches the crowds disperse.

The central road map of Yangshuo can best be imagined as a ladder lain on the ground. With Die Cui Lu (the more authentic) and Xiejie (West Street) as the two main uprights. The Li River is at the bottom of the ladder and the rungs are represented by a number of smaller streets that join the two main thoroughfares. Of the two main streets XieJie is the one with most of the tourist traps.

Be warned West Street is unlike anything else you will find in China, having a more commercial South East Asian ambiance whilst on Die Cui Lu you will see cages full of dogs waiting for slaughter that may just upset you enough to put you off your food.

Between the two main streets runs a small inlet down to the Li River and a lot of the prettier, quieter bars and restaurants are situated around it.

Most visitors to Yangshuo arrive via the town’s bus station at the top of the ladder. Situated nearby is the People’s Park, which is a great place to watch the locals playing card, knitting etc.

If you are ever unsure about anything in Yangshuo head to Lisa’s Café and speak to Lisa…what Lisa doesn’t know about Yangshuo isn’t worth knowing.

Daytime Activities

Some people will use Yangshuo only as a base for exploring the locality and rarely be seen in town from one day to the next whilst others arrive in town and only leave West Street when they depart town.

Whichever mind set you possess there is ample to keep you occupied. Par example:

A boat trip up the Li River – don’t leave town without doing this. Take your camera. Go home afterwards and amaze your friends with some of the best photos you have ever taken. Most people take the boat up river and then cycle or bus home.

Rock Climbing – probably the second most popular activity in town. There are over 300 recognised climbs around Yangshuo all rated between 5.6 and 5.13. Yangshuo has 5 climbing shops and Yangshuo climbers even have their own watering hole just off West Street.

Tyre rafting – rent a tyre and float down river.

Canoeing – erm, rent a canoe and canoe up or down the river…maybe both.

Caving – Yangshuo has an extensive network of caves open for exploring. Be warned though some of the guides are amateurish to say the least. Talk to your fellow travellers before making your choice rather than just sign up with the first person that stops you on West Street.

Mud bathing – usually done as part of a caving trip.

Hire a hot air balloon for an hour - quoted prices seem to range from £65/ 700rmb to £100/1300rmb approx per person per hour, but by far the best way to view the region.

Calligraphy – take a Chinese writing class.

Chinese cooking – practice your wok skills at the Yangshuo Cooking School and also at Cloud9.

Acupuncture – get to the point, sharpish.

Foot reflexology – sort your bodies ill humours just by letting someone play with your feet for an hour or so.

Tai Chi - classes are given in The People's Park each morning at 8AM. Otherwise there are also formal schools providing 'drop in' classes.

Volunteering — The Volunteer English Teachers program visits local schools to teach  children English.

Martial arts classes – classes are available in Tai Chi, Kungfu, Tai Kwon Do, and other martial arts at the Budizhen school at the top of West Street for ¥80 a day.

Café culture – gorge yourself silly on the local speciality “beer fish” or just grab a burger. Surf the net or just sit and watch the Chinese tour groups pass by.

Cycling – has to be the number one activity around Yangshuo. Expect to pay approx 20/50rmb for the day – get a map and off you go. Local attractions being: Jianshan Mountain, Moon Hill, Shutong Hill, Yangshuo Park, Xiongsen Bear & Tiger Mountain village. The lazier amongst you can upgrade to a scooter for 120rmb per day.

Shopping – Yangshuo is a copyright pirate’s paradise (like much of China) top up your CD/DVD collection for a tenth of the home price. West Street hosts a lot of interesting shops offering some nice pieces, but be warned – the majority will be counterfeit – don’t pay more than a third of any first price you are offered.

Night time activities

Many of the outlets that operate as cafes during the day become bar/clubs during the night. You might want to bear this in mind when picking your accommodation in the first place.

Other activities include:

Impression Liu Sanjie – is a show, which runs every night in the peak season and runs nightly during the high season. The show is set to music and is based on a film of the same name. The show is a son et lumiere with a cast of hundreds dressed in authentic costume. Like a lot of things in Yangshuo prices vary so be prepared to haggle. Some people do say the cheaper tickets offer a better/more panoramic view.

The night market – up by the bus station the market has lots to see and  any of the wildlife that you might have spotted during the day will make its way onto the menu here. Watch out for pickpockets though.

For something a bit different you can go out with a night fisherman and watch the ancient tradition of cormorant fishing – whereby the birds (with rings around their necks to prevent them from consuming their catch) are trained to dive under the water, catch a fish return to the boat and regurgitate it. Nice.

If West Street at night is a bit too noisy for you head on over to Die Ciu Lu where things are a little quieter.

Where to stay

I’m not going to single out any one particular place because good places go bad and vice versa. If you want someone else’s recommendation then get yourself a copy of the Lonely Planet. But unless you arrive on the busiest day of the year there will be countless accommodation options open to you ranging from budget places directly on West Street to some top end places just outside the town centre.

For a guide to prices I would say expect to pay :

Budget : 40 rmb for a room with shared facilities.

Middle :  50/ 120rmb private shower/Western toilet.

 Top  :  150rmb upwards. There are some excellent properties a bike ride from the centre – I’ll let word of mouth point you in the right direction.

NB At the top of West Street is the Paradise Hotel – I am going to do something I have never done and recommend against this hotel as it is exactly this type of mass tourism Yangshuo does not need. Apparently it is rubbish anyway and anything they offer there you can get outside its confines for half the price.

One last thing if you see THE little old lady, buy something and wish her well…you will know her when you see her…and if you tarry outside a café on West Street believe me, you will see her.

Hamilton Road Baptist team
Aberdeen Uni CU team

While you're at it, you should check out Jess Fairchild Conrads blog too. She's working up in Gulu with Invisible Children as a photographer, and her work is incredible. I'm hoping to get up for a few days to meet up with her!

Just some of the things we make thanks to the good old Ostrich

Revelation: Key to the Kingdom of Heaven

I was praising and worshiping the Lord early one morning in the prayer hut.  I was all alone basking in the glory of the sun shining through as I looked down over the base and further to the ocean.  The sun reflected onto the water like molten silver.  As I sang praises to the Lord the beauty magnified and it felt like the molten silver turned into a luxurious oil that was suddenly covering my body, filling me with the Love of the Father.  With my hands raised in praise I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Walk with me into the garden.”  In my spirit I could feel the presence of Jesus standing right next to me, His love radiating from Him onto me like the molten love of the sea.

We began to walk out of the prayer hut into the garden that was dry and brown.  We walked to a bench and He said to me, “Sit with me here.”  I sat down and tucked my knees into my chest and gently rocked side to side as if Jesus was holding me and rocking me back and forth like a small child.  I spoke to Jesus and asked Him why did everything have to be dead, why couldn’t we just be transported into the Garden of Eden right now?  He replied to me, “We are.  Just focus on all the life in front of you.”  Suddenly I began to notice all the small daisies hiding in the weeds.  The colors began to magnify.  In an instant small butterflies appeared and were fluttering about the flowers.  I had to touch a flower to believe what I was seeing and I reached down and put my finger on a petal and a small butterfly landed on my finger.  Amazed, I began to look all around.  All I could see were the trees and leaves that were alive, the flowers and vines that crawled through the dead grass and weeds, the flowers blooming amongst the thicket.  The colors…they were all magnified like glistening gemstones.  I sat there speechless, mesmerized at the beauty of God’s love like a firework display before my eyes. 

Then Jesus spoke to me.  He said, “You can always enter into the Kingdom any time you want to, all you have to do is focus on what is alive in front of you.  Death will always be all around, but if you can seek what is alive with life, then you will begin to witness the Kingdom of Heaven manifest here on earth.”

Then He spoke again and said, “Come walk with me.”  I got up and began to walk with Jesus back to the prayer hut where I first heard His voice.  We stood once again overlooking the ocean.  He said, “ This is just a glimpse of how wide and deep the Father’s love really is.  And He created it just for you.  Just focus on what is alive.”  And suddenly I stood there weeping and Jesus voice was gone, but the presence of the Fathers Love filled me to overflowing.

Just hope your day is going a bit better than this