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Yangshuo, China – Boat & Bike Rides

Another early morning and another packed itinerary. We kicked off the day with a bike ride. Now, I haven’t ridden a bike in a few years and am notoriously accident-prone whenever I get near two wheels, but Michael had reassured us that we’d be sticking to peaceful country roads with zero cars.

We were handed our bikes. Mine and Adam’s were clearly veterans of a bygone era, but they were the largest options available for two tall people. They were extremely basic, gearless, and fitted with brakes that were more of a polite suggestion than a stopping mechanism, though theoretically fine for a lazy cruise along dirt tracks. What Michael neglected to mention, however, was that reaching those tranquil country paths required a 15-minute survival dash through heavy, chaotic morning traffic on main roads.

There was no warm-up lap. It was straight from the kickstand into a bustling main intersection where traffic lights were treated strictly as optional decor. Those loose brakes faced an immediate trial by fire when a moped cut me off.

Against all odds, we reached the rural trail unscathed. I’d love to tell you it was smooth sailing from there, but smooth sailing or riding never happens when I’m involved. Within five minutes of hitting the trail, a rogue chicken decided it had had enough of this world and launched a targeted suicide attempt right in front of my front wheel. With my dodgy brakes proving useless, I relied on pure instincts and started yelling *”Ahhh!”* at top volume. It was all tactical, of course. The chicken got just flustered enough to scramble out of the way, allowing me to swerve and narrowly avoid plunging into the river beside the path.

With the local wildlife clear, I could finally take in the scenery, and it was genuinely breathtaking. Photos really don’t do it justice. We pedaled past lush rice paddies alongside the river with dramatic mountain peaks looming in the background. We had to stop every few minutes for photos because every angle looked like a postcard.

After an hour, we stopped by the river for fresh mango juice and watched the bamboo boats drift by. An elderly woman was selling flower garlands and trinkets for £1. Reasoning that anyone working at her age deserved a bit of support, I bought a garland. I originally assumed it was plastic, but when she handed it over, I realized it was made of real, fragrant fresh flowers woven together. I tucked it under my helmet as we set off again.

Did the flowers slip down over my eyes as I rode? Why yes, they did.

Did they cause another near-fatal cycling mishap? Remarkably, no!

Still, the bike ride wasn’t done with me yet. A short while later, as I slowed down to round a corner, the handlebar snapped clean off in my hand. Fortunately, I was barely moving so I escaped uninjured, though it was a bit of a shock. Michael rode over, inspected the damage, and declared that the bike must have been made in Japan, his go-to explanation for anything that breaks or looks questionable. He kindly swapped bikes with me, snapped off a piece of nearby bamboo, jammed it into the broken frame to function as a makeshift handle, and off he went. Good as new, and ready for another few hours of cycling.

We eventually finished our ride in a picturesque little village filled with souvenir stalls and shops renting traditional clothing for photo shoots against the mountain scenery. We had half an hour before our lunch would be ready, so after double-checking with Michael that it wouldn’t be culturally insensitive, Adam and I decided to dress up for some photos.

It was roughly 28°C, and after being wrapped in multiple heavy layers, plus a full cape for Adam, we were thoroughly warm and sweaty, but it was brilliant fun. I expected a quick snapshot, but we got a full-blown production. We were directed on exactly where to stand, how to tilt our heads, and where to place our hands. We quickly turned into a tourist attraction ourselves, with locals and Chinese visitors stopping to watch, take pictures, and shout lovely compliments. A group of teenagers on a school trip even grouped round up to take photos with us alongside their teacher. At this point, I am just praying we don’t end up going viral on Chinese TikTok.

We had so much fun posing that we ended up buying five photos. For the outfits, the photo session, and the prints, it set us back a whopping £12. Absolute bargain.

After picking up our prints and enjoying another delicious homemade lunch, we headed straight to our afternoon activity: a gentle cruise down the river on a bamboo boat. We had seen these all day in various sizes, from massive houseboats to tiny fishing skiffs. Ours was medium-sized, fitted with four comfortable seats, a sun canopy, and a quiet motor on the back. It drifted slowly downstream, offering a wonderfully peaceful tour. The shade and gentle river breeze were a very welcome relief from the humid heat.

Eventually, as all good things do, the boat ride came to an end and we were back on dry land in the village. We strolled through the market stalls and shops, which featured some incredible hand-painted artwork drying in the sun, including large hanging scrolls and ornate fans. Adam spotted a gorgeous fan decorated with flowers and koi fish arranged in a yin-yang design, which we picked up for around £30. I also picked up a beautiful woolen shawl for £4, which will come in very handy for Grace’s upcoming winter wedding.

Once the rest of the group finished their souvenir shopping, we headed back to the bus and returned to the hotel.

We had an hour to spare before the evening plans, which gave us just enough time to execute a mission: buy all the items we had eyed up yesterday but talked ourselves out of. Our main luggage was already bursting, but after checking our flight allowance, we realized we were permitted two pieces of cabin bags each and had only brought one.

We bought a spare suitcase for £6 and approached the market with military precision. In and out in under an hour. We bagged a soft toy for a friend’s newborn, a gorgeous Chinese dress, a stack of postcards, and a custom caricature of the two of us, all while getting back to the hotel right on schedule.

Michael had mentioned tonight’s optional activity earlier in the day. He described it simply as a play performed on the water with a mountain backdrop. Honestly, it didn’t sound all that thrilling on paper, but we decided to go along anyway under the classic “when in Rome” rule.

We were so glad we went. It turns out Michael had massively undersold it. Every single person in our group agreed it was hands-down the best show we had ever seen, even with the performance being entirely in Mandarin.

We sat in an open-air amphitheater overlooking the Li River. The backdrop consisted of actual illuminated mountains, and the cast featured over 600 local performers, including fishermen and villagers on bamboo rafts rather than professional actors. The production used incredible lighting effects, fire, massive floating ribbons of fabric, and water props. It was directed by Zhang Yimou, the mastermind behind the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, and it carried that same stunning scale, precision, and visual drama. Photos and videos don’t come close to capturing how grand it was.

We arrived back late and had some street noodles by our hotel and as the cherry on top of a great day the turned out to be delicious. Super soft noodles with juicy port and crispy crackling. We even got to add our own boiling water and spices so could have it exactly to our taste.

Today was truly spectacular and is going to be incredibly hard to top. It’s already midnight here and we have another full day ahead tomorrow, so we’ll see what adventures await. I’ll share all the details soon!

Love,
Alice x

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Yangshuo, China

After our final buffet breakfast on the cruise, our luggage was taken ashore by some remarkably strong porters using rope and bamboo back braces. Not only did it save us a task, but it was also genuinely impressive to watch. With us and our bags back on dry (well actually, very rainy) land, we headed for the train station for another long travel day. Another bullet train brought us into Yangshuo right around 3:00 PM.

We headed to our hotel to drop off our bags before our tour guide Michael took us on an orientation walk around town. Yangshuo is a countryside resort town known for its dramatic mountain landscape and stunning scenery. On the slightly less charming side, it is also known for the local tradition of eating dogs, which is one regional delicacy I don’t think we will be trying this trip.

One local dish we did try during our group dinner was beer fish: a local white fish cooked with light beer, tomatoes, peppers, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. It was very tasty, though it had a few too many bones in it for my liking. Adam was a fan, though. He has definitely been the more adventurous one out of the two of us on this trip, fully embracing the local culinary mindset. So far, he has sampled a whole assortment of pig parts, including ears, tongue, and stomach, as well as duck gizzards and various other unexpected organ meats. Michael mentioned that snake is also popular around here if we wanted to give it a go, so maybe that is up next on Adam’s plate. Michael even joked that he knows Adam and Eve could not have been Chinese, because if they were, we would all still be in the Garden of Eden. According to him, the moment they saw the snake, they would have eaten it before it ever had a chance to mention the apple.

After dinner, we walked over to West Street, the bustling pedestrian centre of town and a bit of a tourist trap that we managed to fall right into. We had a nose around the stalls and spotted a small mahjong set. Having enjoyed playing it the other day, we decided to buy one. We managed to haggle the shop owner down from 300 yuan to 230 yuan (around £23). Feeling pretty pleased with ourselves, we turned the very next corner only to see rows of stalls selling the exact same set, with Kathy from our tour group picking one up for 90 yuan (around £9). I would like to think she is just a world-class negotiator, but I think we are just total rookies.

We spent a bit more time wandering around looking at all the different shops, and I even bought an ice cream that turned out to be frozen yogurt. Scammed again. I really should have seen that coming given how common lactose intolerance is across Asia.

Once we were done perusing, we headed back to the hotel where Michael laid out the plan for tomorrow: a five-hour bike ride. Hopefully that includes plenty of stops along the way. If that is not knackering enough, we have also signed up for every optional excursion available during what was supposed to be our relaxing downtime. I suppose we can always relax when we get home.

Will tell you all about our next adventure tomorrow.

Lots of love,

Alice x

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Yangtze River – The Snowy Jade Cave

Today we enjoyed the luxury of a lie-in and a late breakfast (by cruise standards, at least) from 7:30 am. Immediately after eating, we docked and were bundled into a very old, janky-looking bus to head to today’s attraction, the Snowy Jade Cave. It is a large cavern filled with calcium deposits forming stalactites and stalagmites (the snowy part), some of which feature mineral deposits and green jade-like hues (the jade part).

First, we actually had to get there, which proved to be a heroic effort for our struggling vehicle. The poor bus groaned at every slight incline. At one point, we were moving so slowly that two other buses tried to overtake us simultaneously, right as a motorized rickshaw was coming from the opposite direction. It was a miracle we all made it through in one piece, although our hearing took a permanent hit from all the hectic horn-beeping.

Thankfully, we arrived safely and walked the final stretch to the cave entrance, accompanied by a few curious macaque monkeys. Exploring the cave was great fun. Some sections opened into massive caverns while others squeezed down to tight crevices we had to inch through. Naturally, almost every calcium deposit was named after whatever object or mythical creature it vaguely resembled, of course being China there were several dubious looking ‘dragons’. There was a lot of colorful lighting but sadly this time there was no smoke machine. We also got a kick out of the signs along the path, which transitioned from helpful safety advice to deeply inspirational life advice the higher up the steps we climbed.

After finishing the tour, we had some spare time before heading back, so we sat down to watch the local monkeys. The park authorities had tied large squashes up in the trees to keep the animals fed and close enough for photos, explicitly to discourage tourists from feeding them directly. Big signs everywhere warned that feeding the monkeys turns them into aggressive pests.

Unfortunately, a few Chinese tourists ignored the rules entirely, using peanuts to lure monkeys onto their laps for photo ops. This worked brilliantly until the peanuts ran out. The moment the snacks disappeared, the monkeys grew annoyed and started tugging at the tourists’ hair and clothes to demand more. The tourists managed to break free unscathed, but mere moments later, they were right back at it, randomly poking a monkey sitting on a handrail in the stomach. We decided to head off and leave them to it, as a painful lesson seemed inevitable and we had no desire to stick around to watch it.

We piled back into our janky bus and trundled down to the dock, thankfully without further incident. Once back on board after lunch, we had a free afternoon, so our guide Michael offered to teach us Mahjong. It turned out to be surprisingly easy to pick up, playing much like rummy or other set-matching games, though Michael did have to write numerical values on the tile suite with Chinese characters so we could read them.

The best part of the whole experience was the table itself. It featured a built-in automatic dice roller in the center to determine who started and where to split the tiles. At the end of a round, the center raised up to reveal a mechanism into which you swept all the tiles. The table then shuffled, sorted, and neatly stacked them back into rows before pushing them back up for the next game. It was extraordinarily snazzy.

The four of us spent about two hours playing. Michael seemed genuinely pleased that we enjoyed it so much, circling the table to check our hands and offer tips. A crowd of Chinese guests gathered around to watch us play, which added a touch of performance pressure. Luckily, everyone won a couple of hands, so there were no sore losers in the group.

Afterward, we retreated to our room and finally had time to sit back and relax on the balcony for a bit before dinner. It was a nice way to relax and enjoy the scenery without the crowds. We even saw a pretty waterfall.

In the evening we enjoyed our final dinner on the boat another buffet of Chinese food, however this time we recognised some familiar faces… Smiley potato faces that is! Not quite sure these are a Chinese delicacy but we still enjoyed them! After a few photos requested by the kind dinner staff we headed back to our room to pack.

Tomorrow we head to Yangshuo, making a stop off in Chongqing, the largest city in China and in fact, the largest city in the world! Home to 32 million people! Hopefully we don’t get lost…

Will tell you all about it soon, love Alice x

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Three Gorges, China

Today began with a 6:30 AM announcement that we would shortly be traveling through Wu Gorge. We quickly got dressed and headed up to the top deck’s outside section to take a look. It was as beautiful and breathtaking as you would expect, with mist clinging to the steep walls of the gorge and lush trees covering the ridges. The ship’s staff provided commentary as we passed interesting spots, pointing out 2,000-year-old hanging coffins, relocated settlements, and famous landmarks along the way.

At 7:30 AM, we went downstairs for breakfast before setting off on our 8:15 AM tour of the Lesser Three Gorges. We transferred to smaller boats, and then to even smaller ones, to explore narrower sections of the river. With more hanging coffins dotted along the cliffs, it was a wonderfully relaxing morning watching the mountains glide past. On the way back, our boat captain sang us local songs from his hometown, a place now displaced by the dam project.

We enjoyed another buffet lunch before returning to the top deck to witness our sail through Qutang Gorge. While it looked amazing, it is unfortunately not quite as thrilling to write about, as it was mostly more of the same stunning scenery.

Afterward, we set off on an afternoon tour of White Emperor City. We were not entirely sure what to expect because the guides seemed actively trying to dissuade us from going. They explained that it usually only appeals to Chinese tourists, as it is a historical spot famous for inspiring classic poetry taught in Chinese schools. We decided to join anyway. If a location is beautiful enough to inspire generations of poets, it is surely worth an afternoon spent wandering around, especially when the alternative is sitting on a stationary boat.

The guides then warned us that if we insisted on going, we should prepare for a pretty brutal climb up a lot of steps. Slightly apprehensive, we decided to brave it. A bus took us to a nearby coastal area, where we walked across a large bridge to an island. The site was originally a large hill, but the construction of the dam and the rising river level turned it into an island. The “White Emperor” refers to Gongsun Shu, a warlord who declared himself emperor after dreaming that a white dragon told him he would rule China. Sadly that dream never became a reality but the name lives on.

Once we reached the island, vendors were selling hiking poles everywhere, and a long queue had formed for people waiting to be carried to the top in sedan chairs by porters. We started to worry we had severely underestimated the trek, but the climb turned out to be entirely manageable. Although steep, the stairs were short-lived, and we reached the top in about ten minutes.

At the summit, we were rewarded with a striking yellow gate marking the entrance to the complex, yellow being the traditional color of Chinese emperors. Inside, various statues depicted historical scenes, though we lacked the context for most of them and sadly did not get much of an explanation even after asking questions. Many famous Chinese poets have visited over the centuries, leaving behind inspired works carved into stone tablets that were beautiful to admire, even if we could not read them.



We also spotted a stone statue with a reputation. Legend has it that rubbing his head brings wealth and good luck, while rubbing his back cures back pain. Naturally, we gave both a try. The local tourists were leaving cash offerings afterward, but since we did not have cash and the statue did not seem to accept Alipay, we will just have to hope he grants our wishes anyway.

Next, we viewed a display of the 2,000-year-old hanging coffins up close. Some are full-sized, while others contain only bones, and it remains a mystery how they were placed so high up the cliffs. Chinese visitors were tucking money into the display because in Chinese culture, coffins symbolise good luck and prosperity. The Mandarin word for coffin sounds identical to a phrase meaning “to be promoted and get rich.” Since the coffin display also lacked an Alipay scanner, I am keeping my fingers crossed for good luck regardless.

Our last stop was a balcony from where you could see a view of the gorge that is actually painted on the 10 yuan note, so obviously we stopped for a photo of two.

On the way back from the city, our guide bought us some small plums to try on the bus. They were incredibly sweet and juicy, serving as a lovely starter before dinner.

After dinner, we were treated to a performance by the ship’s staff. It felt a bit mean to make them put on a show after a hard day’s work, especially after learning their schedule consists of six straight weeks of work followed by just one week off. The show was fun, if a little odd. It mostly consisted of dances by staff members who had clearly zoned out and were simply going through the motions.

There was also a segment where all guests celebrating birthdays were called on stage, asked to give a speech, and blew out birthday candles together. Shortly after, an audience member volunteered to sing Beijing opera. To be fair, he could definitely sing and certainly had a serious set of lungs on him. However, opera is an acquired taste at the best of times, and Chinese opera involves a lot of high-pitched screechy instruments and vocal stylings. Blasted at ear-numbingly loud volumes, it was safe to say it was not a crowd-pleaser among the Western guests.

After the grand finale, it was straight off to bed. Another early start awaits us tomorrow. I will tell you all about it soon.

Love,
Alice x

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Yangtze River, China – The Three Gorges Dam

After 12 hours of travel, involving a bus, two trains, and even a gondola to haul us down to the boat, we finally arrived on board our home for the next three nights: a much fancier than expected cruise ship. After a hectic week and a half on the road, we were looking forward to a few lazy days sailing along, casually viewing the Three Gorges and the famous Three Gorges Dam. However, a quick scan of the itinerary handed to us upon boarding revealed that relaxation was off the menu. Breakfast is served from 6:30 to 7:30 every morning, and every single day is packed with activities. Admittedly, some are optional, but since we are only in China once, we naturally signed up for every single one.

The next morning, following a quick buffet breakfast, we boarded a coach for our “Tribe of the Three Gorges” tour. The trip promised a look into the lives of a Chinese ethnic minority tribe living along the Yangtze. We were taken to a 14 square kilometer cultural park built to preserve traditional Ba and Chu ethnic lifestyles, ancient river customs, and classic stilted buildings.

One of the main attractions was a staged reenactment of a weeping wedding. Traditionally in these mountain regions, getting married means moving to your husband’s village. Given how difficult travel between villages used to be, brides might not see their families for long stretches. This led to tearful goodbyes, which eventually transformed into an actual wedding ritual. Brides would wear weeping veils over their faces and try to cry as much as possible for two weeks leading up to the big day, operating on the belief that the more you cry, the richer you will be after marriage.

The village itself was beautiful, featuring old stilted wooden buildings nestled against the main river and along smaller tributaries. The water was remarkably clear, and wildlife was everywhere, including a very cute group of monkeys lounging on the river rocks. Seeing traditional boats with giant sails alongside people dressed in vibrant traditional clothing was certainly cool.



That said, it did feel a little like the locals were cosplaying their own culture. Everyone was wearing wireless microphones while pretending to go about daily tasks like washing clothes in the river, except they washed the exact same shirt for an hour straight. There were fog machines under the bridges, massive speakers scattered everywhere, and the weeping wedding demo devolved into a spectacle featuring dramatic host battles, audience participation, and water pistols. It felt a bit like Punch and Judy. I suppose it has its place. China is a modern country moving forward at full speed, and I do not expect the tribe could survive on fishing forever. This setup lets them stay in their village and keep their traditions alive, even if it felt entirely surreal and bizarre to witness.

In between the dramatics, we managed to get our local guide on her own to ask a few questions, which is when we learned the really interesting details. For instance, married local women wear large baskets on their backs to carry children, while unmarried women wear smaller baskets to gather flowers. When an unmarried woman finds a man she likes, she offers him those flowers, and if he accepts, they marry. If she proposes to an outsider, he must first move to the village and prove he can cook and clean for three months before the wedding can happen.


We also learned about their belief in hanging coffins as high up as possible to bring loved ones closer to heaven. Some of these coffins are visible way up in the cliffs, and our guide admitted they have actually lost the knowledge of how people managed to get them up there in the first place. All in all, it was a very fascinating morning.

In the afternoon, after a quick lunch, we headed off to tour the Three Gorges Dam Museum. Seeing the giant machinery used to construct the dam and hearing about the international collaboration involved was genuinely impressive. The exhibits detailed the river’s history prior to construction, highlighting past floods and local wildlife like the Chinese paddlefish (now extinct), the Chinese Sturgeon (critically endangered), and river dolphins. Unsurprisingly, the dam disrupted their natural spawning habits and habitats, though our guide casually mentioned they are now farmed elsewhere, so it is not an issue.

This seemed to be a recurring theme throughout the tour. Many of the less pleasant details, such as the forced rehoming of millions of people, were left out entirely. I suppose that mindset is partly why China can charge ahead with such massive infrastructure projects, having completed the world’s largest dam in just 17 years.

A lot can change in 17 years, though. Due to rapidly rising national power demands, the dam that was originally designed to supply 30 percent of China’s energy now only provides about 3 percent. Still, that remains an impressive feat, providing green power to over 100 million people.

After the museum, we got an up close look at the dam itself by riding the boat lift. There are two ways for vessels to pass through: a system of massive locks that takes three to four hours for large cargo ships, or the ship lift for smaller boats. As the name implies, the lift raises or lowers the boat and its surrounding water across the 80 meter height difference. Watching the massive counterweights move and the giant metal spiral gears turn was incredible, and we covered the distance remarkably fast. Soon, we were back at the top of the dam, sailing off to reunite with our main cruise ship.

After dinner, the final event of the day was the captain’s speech and dance performance. The speech was an absolute trip. The captain was walked in to blaring music like a professional wrestler making an entrance. He gave a speech that seemed like a fairly standard welcome message, yet other guests were standing up, videoing, and scrambling to take photos. As he left the stage to even more blaring music, people swarmed him for selfies. Maybe he is some kind of major maritime celebrity we did not know about?

By that point, we were completely exhausted and left the party to the rest of the guests. Another big day of touring lies ahead tomorrow. I will share all the details soon!

Lots of love,

Alice x

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Emi Shan, China – Hikes & Hot springs

We awoke to the sound of monks chanting and ringing bells at 6:00 AM. After a rather uncomfortable night on a rock-hard monastery bed, it was actually quite lovely to lie there tucked under warm blankets against the crisp morning air, listening to the monks morning routine unfold.

Eventually, it was time to pack up, admire the misty mountain backdrop as the sun came up, and enjoy a breakfast of chicken broth and noodles prepared by the monks. Once we finished, they kindly signaled the directions for us to meet up with our guide via mime and after a bit of back and forth we deciphered: turn left, walk until you see a big tree, and head down until the path flattens out. Armed with bamboo walking sticks and our backpacks, it genuinely felt like we were embarking on a pilgrimage fueled by noodles and vague instructions.



It took about 20 minutes to reach the flat section where our guide was waiting. The other four members of our group had opted to stay in a hotel about a 40-minute walk away, having decided to skip the monastery’s rustic sleeping arrangements. Walking to meet them turned out to be my absolute favorite part of the trek, feeling like a well-earned prize for surviving the hard beds.

Along the way, we stopped at another small, impressive monastery where the monks seemed to get fewer visitors, making them far more keen to chat and insistent that we say a prayer. Daniel and I were promptly volunteered as our group’s representatives. We were taught the proper way to kneel and bow to the gong, which involves leaning forward with hands in a prayer shape, moving your palms upward on each side of your head while pressing your forehead to the ground, returning to a kneeling position, and repeating the whole sequence three times. I was so focused on getting the choreography right that I completely forgot to actually say a prayer. Fortunately, we had already left little blessing cards for our families’ health and happiness at a previous stop the day before, so I figured that would suffice as my default divine wish.

After leaving the monastery, we wandered through the forest to a river gorge with soaring stone walls and crystal clear water rushing underneath. It was stunning. We spotted what we thought were ancient rock carvings depicting legends about the origins of Buddhism, though our guide gently informed us they were not quite as historic as they looked. They were actually molded cement added to the rocks 25 years ago and simply weathered to look old, which was quite amusing.

We continued along the river, passing waterfalls and crossing delightfully weathered old (well old looking, apparently you can’t actually be too sure!) bridges, and arrived at a picturesque pagoda situated right where two rivers meet, it was stunning and if I hadn’t have taken the photos myself I could have sworn they were edited to look that good!

More peaceful forest trails followed, filled with wildlife and birds, making for a wonderfully relaxing morning. Eventually, we reached the scenic lake where the rest of our group was staying, and they joined us for the final leg of the walk down the mountain to the bus station. When we asked if they had enjoyed all the lovely sights along the trail the evening before, we learned they had simply taken a more direct route in the dark, which made me feel a bit better when they informed us that their hotel had a hot tub, at least we had the beautiful walk!

The final stretch to the bus stop was still beautiful although busier, I remain endlessly amused by the fact that China always has Wi-Fi hotspots no matter where you are. Even halfway up a mountain, you can still get online and people walk along glued to their phone. We reached the station, headed back to the hotel by 10:00 AM, and realized we had already smashed our 10,000 steps for the day.



After a much-needed shower and a quick sort of our laundry (the less glamorous side of traveling), we sat down for a simple lunch of dumplings in broth and egg fried rice, eagerly recounting our monastery adventure to the others. We also got to try a new fruit, Pomelo which tasted like a much sweeter, and in my opinion nicer, grapefruit and is apparently the ancestor of many other fruits including butter orange and grapefruit.

After lunch we had a bit of downtime and a solid hour of catch-up sleep before we headed out at 4:00 PM to the local hot springs at a nearby hotel. The facility featured several hot pools scented with lavender and jasmine, cooler soaking options, an ice bath, and even a pool with tiny fish that nibble away at dead skin for an extra fee.

Adam and Daniel bravely tested the ice baths, while I happily played the coward and stuck to the scented thermal pools for a few hours. They worked absolute wonders on our sore muscles.

Properly relaxed and already ready for bed, we stocked up on snacks and fruit for our upcoming train journey, grabbed some super-noodle-style pots for an easy dinner, and headed straight to sleep.

The following day, which is today as I write this, is entirely dedicated to travel. We took an hour-and-a-half train back to Chengdu, followed by a seven-hour train ride to our next stop, Yichang, the gateway to the Three Gorges, and we are currently two hours into that journey. I will tell you all about it soon.

Love, Alice x

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Emi Shan, China – Temple stay

We woke up at 5:30 to discover that today would not be a good hiking day, the forecast was thick fog and a lot of rain, but sadly for us we’re on a tight schedule so we would be hiking regardless!We kicked things off with a bit of sightseeing by taking a bus up the mountain. Honestly, I am still not sure if it was more or less stressful navigating the sharp mountain turns when you couldn’t see more than a foot in front of you. Thankfully, we made it to the top in one piece. From there, we shuffled along in a massive queue toward the cable cars. The path was lined on both sides with vendors selling bamboo walking sticks, prayer beads, warm clothes, snacks, and pretty much anything else you could possibly think of. I thoroughly enjoyed the abundance of free food samples. Ribs and corn on the cob seem to be the go-to hiking staples around here.

When we finally reached the cable car, my nerves of how hard this hike was going to be started kicking in, especially after spotting several people in line clutching small oxygen canisters and masks. We hopped into a little cable car to ride up toward the peak. Because of the pea-soup fog, we couldn’t see a single thing on the way up, but at least it saved us from a grueling uphill slog in the rain.



Once off the cable car, we continued on foot toward the temple at the summit. As it turned out, my anxiety about the “hike” was completely unnecessary. The biggest hazard was simply trying not to get poked in the eye by a sea of umbrellas. The trek was really just a mildly steep walk up a fully paved path. It was wild seeing people using oxygen spray cans and even hiring porters to carry them up. I thought I was out of shape!

Eventually, we reached the temple. Even in the gloom, it was an impressive sight, though I was a little bummed we missed out on a clear view. On a sunny day, it must be incredible. A big flight of stairs lined with intricate elephant carvings leading to the giant, shimmering gold Stupa. Sadly for us the stupa was mostly obscured in fog but we did get glints of gold peaking through and managed to see the bottom which was still an impressive scale. We wandered around the surrounding buildings until we were thoroughly soaked, then took the cable car back down to grab some lunch.

Adam spotted his very first monkey in the wild on the way down. We spent a good while snapping photos, keeping a respectful distance since they can get a bit feisty. Right after that, we rounded the corner only to encounter about thirty more of them scattered along the trail.


After many more photos and another tasty lunch, our group split up. Half wanted to head back to the comfort of the hotel, while the rest of us opted for a more energetic trek. Once again, calling it a “hike” was generous. It was essentially a pleasant three-hour stroll with a few stairs thrown in, but the best part was having the path mostly to ourselves. I am starting to gather that strenuous walks are not particularly popular here.

For me, this afternoon’s walk was the highlight of the day. The rain finally cleared up, the fog lifted, and for three hours we soaked in the quiet scenery. We passed through peaceful rural villages and caught glimpses of daily life. People were tending to their vegetable patches, gathering around tables for cards and mahjong, and selling traditional herbal remedies. At one point, we even saw two men carrying a large branch with a buzzing bag suspended from it, which turned out to be a live beehive.

We paused at a few small monasteries along the way, including one that was practically overrun by monkeys. It was so popular with the locals that a security guard was stationed outside armed with a slingshot just to keep them at bay.

As dusk settled in, we were given a choice: sleep at a nearby monastery or walk another half hour to a proper hotel. Adam, myself, and two others decided to embrace the adventure and stay at the monastery. The beds were hard as rocks, the windows were just holes in the wall covered by bin bags, and the bathroom was communal. It was a cold and decidedly rustic night, but hey, who needs luxury on a honeymoon? Besides, how often do you get the chance to sleep in a Chinese monastery?!

We spent a lovely evening at a small open-air restaurant further up the path. After a good deal of miming and pointing at the menu, we managed to order a delicious spread of food. We ate under cover while listening to the rain fall outside, enjoying a cozy meal together. Afterward, we wandered back to the monastery for the night. I’m writing this right now, tucked under a massive pile of duvets on a rock-hard mattress!

Tomorrow we will wake up when the monks start their chanting at 6am and them make our way back down the mountain.

Tell you all about it soon, love Alice x

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Leshan and Emishan, China

Our private bus ride from Chengdu to Emei Shan began with a two-hour drive to Leshan, a town best known for its famous giant Buddha carved straight into the cliffside overlooking the junction of three rivers.

At 71 meters tall, it holds the title of the largest stone Buddha in the world. It took over 100 years to complete, construction of it began in 722 AD under the leadership of a Chinese Buddhist monk named Hai Tong. He believed the Buddha’s presence would calm the treacherous waters that kept wrecking local shipping vessels. He was beyond dedicated to the project, when funding for the project was threatened, he allegedly gouged out his own eyes to prove his piety and sincerity.

Bizarrely enough, his plan actually worked. The sheer volume of stone rubble dumped into the river during construction altered the currents and genuinely made the water safer for boats, though the Buddha’s watchful eye surely helped too.

You can hike up to the carving but to get the best view of the entire statue, you have to view it from the water, so we hopped aboard a bit of a rusty old junker of a ferry boat. Seeing it from the river was incredible, and really let you appreciate the scale and what a giant undertaking it must have been. It was also a nice feeling to tick another UNESCO World Heritage site off our list.


After taking in the view, we piled back onto the bus to head toward our base for the next few days, Emei Shan. A 3,100-meter-tall mountain, the highest of the four sacred Buddhist mountains in China and supposedly the birthplace of martial arts. We navigated some extraordinarily twisty roads before finally arriving at a green and misty little town at its base. It was so peaceful and quiet, well, quiet for China anyway.

We fueled up with another tasty meal that bridged the gap between a late lunch and early dinner. Feasting on an array of dishes, notable dishes included a tasty fish and some DIY pork buns. Afterward, Michael took us on a casual stroll around the village to check out a few local temples and Buddhist carvings. Shortly after, we turned in for an early night, knowing we had a serious amount of trekking waiting for us the next morning.

Will tell you all about it soon, love Alice x

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Chengdu, China – Giant Pandas

Another early start this morning as we loaded the bus for the Panda Research and Breeding Center at 7:00 AM, arriving around 8:00 AM. In the wild, pandas are typically found at elevations between 1,200 and 3,700 meters, where temperatures are a bit cooler than down here on the ground. So because of the heat, they tend to be active in the mornings at the institute and then hide away for the rest of the day. Although “active” seemed to mostly mean short shuffles between different spots to eat before another nap. Honestly, that is the exact level of physical activity I can get behind.

The pandas are kept individually in large habitats. When we first started walking around, I wondered if we would even be able to spot them. Since pandas are such a huge tourist draw, it turns out you just look for a massive crowd and there is your panda.

It is pretty amusing how rangers are stationed all around the park holding signs asking everyone to be quiet, yet their main job seems to be yelling at people to keep moving so traffic does not grind to a halt, or breaking up fights over pushing and shoving. People are very keen to see these animals. It is no wonder there is not much breeding going on in the wild because they do not get a single moment of peace.

That being said, we were lucky enough to see plenty of baby pandas, which were delightfully clumsy and adorable.

After a morning with the pandas, we headed back into town for a group hot pot lunch. Hot pot is a traditional type of communal dining where bite-sized pieces of thinly sliced meat and vegetables are cooked in flavored broths in heated bowls on the table. Michael ordered for the group, and he went a tad overboard. We ended up with several plates of rice, beef, lamb, and potatoes, alongside two types of broth: a fiery spicy one and a rich mushroom one. It was an absolute struggle to finish it all, yet the entire feast came out to a grand total of £6 each, drinks included!

Once again, the food was incredible. The waitress kindly skimmed off about 90% of the peppers and chili paste from the spicy side before pouring in the boiling water, and we were super grateful she did. It was still wildly spicy, but thankfully manageable and oh so good. The Michelin-star noodles are still just barely clinging to the top spot on this trip, but the hot pot is now a very close second!

Unfortunately Adam wasn’t feeling up to it but after a necessary food-coma recovery session, a few of us ventured out to the theater to catch a variety of traditional Chinese acts. The lineup included a musician playing the erhu, several music and dance performances, a classic opera scene, acrobatics, shadow puppetry, normal puppetry, a comedy skit, and the famous face-changing routine. It was fantastic entertainment, and they even had English subtitles on either side of the stage so we could follow along.

My favourite act had to be the shadow puppetry, the woman was amazing, not just in making the animals themselves but also with the movement of them, she even made some of the animals blink! A great performance and to top it all off, our ticket unexpectedly included a complimentary back massage, which was a surprising bonus and wonderfully relaxing. Safe to say, I definitely felt wined and dined!

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Chengdu, China

Today was another travel day, up at 7am for an early exit from the city and onto another four-hour bullet train. It is crazy how much of China we have managed to cover in just one week. You can really tell from the change in scenery outside the train window, as we are starting to see many more rice paddies and even a few small villages with no high-rises in sight.



For the first time, we are also seeing a lot more children about. It is probably because it is a Sunday, but all the kids we come across seem fascinated by these “big nose people,” as our guide Michael calls us. I always smile back at the inquisitive faces. While on the train, I made friends with a three-year-old through a fierce competition of waving and sticking our tongues out at each other. Her parents seemed quite keen to interact with us too. They asked for photos with their daughter and even sent her over with a bag of baked goodies to sweeten the deal. As if I would have said no to a photo before, but definitely not now with snacks involved. After we had our photos taken, we tried the coconut balls, chestnuts, and a type of walnut bread that the dad explained, via Google Translate, was made in their village. Everything was very tasty, and the family seemed pleased when we shared the treats around our group. A few stops later they got off, following many rounds of goodbyes and blown kisses from my new little friend.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. We arrived at the hotel around 2pm and headed straight out for a tour around the city. We were taken to see a famous statue of Mao in the old town, where Michael treated us to a local snack of rabbits head, that of course I was the first to try!

After, we headed to the People’s Park for a wander. The park was absolutely jam-packed with life. It was almost overwhelming, with stalls selling arts, crafts, food, and pretty much anything else you could think of. There were groups dancing, people singing, bands playing, tea drinkers chatting, checkers players concentrating, and others practicing calligraphy. It was so lively and fun to walk around.



My favourite part was the dating profiles. There was a fence filled with hundreds of dating applications, alongside a few mothers holding actual billboards advertising their single children, conveniently colour-coded by sex with phone numbers provided at the bottom. It was fascinating to walk along and read them, with the generous help of Google Translate, of course. Alongside the wall sat a row of fortune tellers, ready to guide singles toward their future matches using palmistry and psychic readings. We spent some time taking it all in and picked up a few art prints to take home before heading back toward our hotel.

Michael had previously pointed out a local noodle place near our hotel and recommended we try the food, especially their dessert. It was closed when we walked past at 5pm, but when we peeked through the window, we saw it was actually Michelin-recommended several years in a row. We decided to drop off our purchases and head straight back at 5:30pm when it reopened.

We had not realised quite how popular it was. We arrived at 5:30pm on the dot, and there was already a queue. We joined the line, moved up quickly, and had to make a split-second decision on our food after catching a glimpse of an English menu for all of five seconds. I went for the Dan Dan noodles, a mix of pork, peanuts, spring onion, and Sichuan pepper. Adam went for a squid and chicken soup, and we shared a side of chopped chilli and cowpea wontons. Boy, did it deserve the awards. It was delicious and easily knocked the Chinese burger off the top spot to become both of our favourite meals of the trip. I was very tempted to order a second bowl of Dan Dan noodles, and only the massive queue outside stopped me.



We did, however, try some of the recommended dessert that Daniel, who joined us for dinner, had ordered. That brought us right back down to earth. Adam declared it the worst thing he has eaten in China, and I was not a huge fan either. I was hoping for something sweet after hearing the word “dessert,” but the tofu jelly and red bean paste was not particularly sweet at all. It mostly tasted like plain soy and gritty beans. Safe to say we will definitely be back to the restaurant, but we will probably skip dessert next time.

Tomorrow we will hopefully be seeing some giant pandas! We will tell you all about it soon.

Love, Alice x