20/09/2004
First of all we must apologise for the lateness of our first update - our attempts to get on the internet earlier in the week were thwarted by unbelievably slow Chinese internet access. But we have managed now from Xiahe, in remote north west China, a Tibetan outpost.

Turning Japanese
After a tearful departure last Saturday we headed to Japan bound for our overnight stay coutest of JAL. We were impressed. Just like Kath and Kel we never actually left the airport in Osaka, but we had a jolly good time. Levels of customer service exceeded all our expectations, as did the shower spray, temperature control, phone and TV control on the toilet.

We headed to Beijing with our stomachs filled from our hearty Japanese all you can eat brekkie. We would love to return and spend more time in Japan.

One big smoggy city - Beijing
Didn't manage to get any clear blue sky pictures here, a thick layer of smog and haze clung to the skyline. Pollution on the ground isn't much better either - we'll have to get used to everyone smoking in Asia after a relatively smoke-free Australia. We only had two full days in Beijing but in that time we managed to cram in the following:

• Temple of Heaven. Large gardens in the heart of the city. People flying kites and playing cards.
• Wandering through the hutongs. These are the back streets and where the normal Chinese people hangout and shop. You can get great street food here.
• Summer Palace - a worthwhile break from the city. An entire royal village built on a lake.
• Great Wall walk. Jinshanling - Simatai. This is 3 hours north of Beijing and a less tourist part of the wall. It was a pretty tough 4 hour walk with lots of ups and downs, but great training for trekking in Nepal.
• Forbidden City. After the Summer Palace this was a bit 'samey' but we guess a 'must-do' ticked off on the tourist list.
• Mao's mauseleum.This was very entertaining, we moved very quick in an orderly line. While the Chinese rushed and barged to buy plastic flowers which would be picked up and resold the next day. He looked tanned and plastic - very strange.
• Silk Market - this is shopper's heaven or should we say Bargainer's heaven, as you really have to work the price. We managed to get Andrew a fake Diesel t-shirt for 30 yuan(AUS $5.50). The seller started at 140 yuan.
• Introduction to overnight trains. We were in hard sleeper, 6 to a section, 3 on each side with no seperate compartments from the rest of the carriage. We could hear lots of phlegmy throat clearing and spitting. We had the middle bunks and suprisingly managed to fall asleep. People in the compartment next to us started smoking and when Andrew pointed out the no smoking sign, they laughed and replied 'no smoking' and continued sucking on their cigarettes.

We are in a group of 12 people and everyone is enthusiastic and really friendly, a great bunch to travel with. We are 9 Australians, 1 Kiwi and 2 Brits and our Aussie leader, Clare.

Shopping mad in Xi'an
Xia'an was a case of warriors and shopping and we thoroughly enjoyed both. Could have done with a couple more days as there was so much to see and do. Xi'an in a modern, cosmopolitan city and much easier to get around than Beijing. We spent our first day out at the Terracotta Warriors. This lived up to all our expectations.

In 1974 a farmer was digging a well when he discovered part of a terracotta warrior, now the site is a huge tourist complex. All the warriors were broken when unearthed and were pieced together by archeologists. The halls containing the warriors are huge, but fascinating at the same time.

The following day we attempted to get on the internet - a very frustrating experience after1.5 hours we had no luck trying to update the website. We met the others from our group who had been a shopping spree in the Muslim Quarter of Xi'an. So we took ourselves off and had a bargaining ball. We collected the following booty:

• A silk purse
• Chopsticks and silk placemat set
• Chinese stress balls (Andrew's choice)
• 4 seasons paintings
• Terracotta warrior bottle opener
• Name stamps - stone blocks with our names carved in chinese.

Getting cultural in Xiahe
It was a long tough journey to get to Xiahe, an overnight train and very bumpy seven hour drive on bad roads - but as the cliche goes - it was worth it. This town is far removed from the hustle and bustle of Beijing and Xi'an and we are more than ready for this. Just one road in and out of town - only 4 or so restaurants and certainly no bars or clubs.

The town is dominated by the Labrang Monastery, housing over 2,000 monks. It's a huge site with monks wandering around everywhere - lots of praying, bashing of drums and cymbals. We had a go at spinning the hundreds of prayer wheels which span the outer walls of the monestary complex. We get stared at a lot here, but we do our fair share of staring back as the people look so interesting and their faces tell a thousand stories of hardship. This area used to be part of Tibet and apart from the Chinese writing you would still think you were there. It is a much more placid, calm place and we don't get much hassle to buy things. But the poverty level is so much more visible, a real eye opener. In the market the stalls are full of second hand clothes and shoes in a state beyond repair.

Toilets
hmmmm - they are as expected; dank and dire. We started off well in Japan with a 5-star loo but ever since then it's been down hill. We stayed in tourist class hotels Beijing and Xi'an, we were shielded from reality with Western style toilets. Now we're in Xiahe, the reality is pretty harsh. One of our group, Kim from Darwin had to buy a face mask to go to the toilet - I think that says enough. You have to roll up your trousers too as the floor is wet and lumpy. We have antiseptic lotion for our hands after every visit, all toilet roll and sanitary bits go in a basket and the water pressure here is so low that your numbers 2's just sit for the flies in the porcelain bowl. We prefer the wooden dump platforms so your waste drops into a big hole.

People
At times they have been dismissive and unfriendly, but at other times they have gone out of their way for us. We are slowly becoming used to the hacking and spitting. But the smoking isn't getting any easier, we are finding the local people more friendly in Xiahe.

Everyone in our Intrepid group is great, we always have plenty to laugh about, toilet habits are a fave conversation at the moment. A slap is given on the back for a 'solid'.

Food
Hawker or street food has featured high on our 'good taste' list.

Beijing: Don't know the name but apparently a Beijing street food. Hot fried bread patties with spinach and spring onions - yummy for 1 yuan. Eating dumplings (steamed and boiled), with pickled veg and beers in a local cafe for a couple of dollars.

Xi'an: Dumplings again and also eating in the Muslim quarter. We had gorgeous lamb kebabs with an aubergine and cucumber dish. Also discovered these sweet potato patties containing honey and sultanas, sounds strange but really works.

Xiahe: Egg fried rice - keeping it plain and simple.There are lots of people getting funny tummies in our group so we are keeping it plain. We're fine so far...

Landscape
Beijing was really built up, each block in the city was 1 km square, a very large city and we got very sore feet. Xi'an was more compact but still built up and with slums and side streets. Xiahe is a breath of fresh air, a town surrounded by hills on the edge of the Tibetan plateau 2900m high. A very rural area and with many nomadic Tibetans in town shopping for saddles and other equipment.

Weather
I think we've experienced everything apart from a suntan. Beijing was in the 30's, and very hot and sticky but the sun was masked by smog. It was always a relief to be in air conditioning. It also rained for a couple of hours. Xi'an was a little cooler with a breeze but still t-shirt weather. Xiahe is like a different country. The fleeces and hats are out - temperatures are around 10 degrees. We don't have any heating in our room but our sleeping bags are doing a good job.

Health Update
We've both had a bit of stomach ache but no runs yet. Zoe had a headache when we gained height at Xiahe but this has gone away now. Others in the group have been making good friends with the squat loos but this has evaded us so far.