Travelling North

After leaving the backpacker haven of Yangshuo, I travelled north using any mode of transportation I could find and using any method of communicating I could think of. The language barrier is massive here! Mostly I end up pointing wildly at the phrasebook and nodding blindly. The village areas were amazing however. I reached the Yangzi river at Yichang and took a 36 hour passenger boat up the river to Chongquing.

Dragonback Rice terraces. Really nice area in the Hunnan province but it almost felt built for Chinese tourists. These "Traditional girls" were not even part of the entrance fee!

Fantastic sunset up on the terraces.

Great advice.

Chengyang, another touristy "Minority Village". Beautiful place though.

The Wind and Rain bridge.

A real village person. Hurrah!

People doing Tai Chi underneath an enormous bridge.

The Three Gorges dam. Shame about the heavy pollution in air.

Heading up the Yangzi river

I had great company in my cabin. A dinosaur archaeologist and an English language student. I could blabber English to them the whole time. Great!

Hiking in Emei Shan - a Holy Buddist mountain 3100 m high. I met some German guys in the hostel and headed up with them for some hiking. We stayed in a monastery at 2000m and froze our butts off! Great views and funny monkeys everywhere.

Marcus with his share of the fourteen blankets we divided between the three of us!

Onto the Mainland

Time for the next stage of my Asia tour! Flying from Delhi to Hong Kong was a massive culture shock. From the dirty but dynamic Indian capital to the rigid, futuristic city of Hong Kong - is there any greater contrast! A few days in Hong Kong to procure a visa for China then across the border to Shenzen for the start of my four weeks in the land of bamboo, Ti Chi and Tsingtao.

Gleaming towers make a fantastic backdrop for grass and ponds of downtown Hong Kong park.

The historic Victoria Peak tramway.

Hong Kongs tacky but entertaining sound and light show - the largest of its kind in the world.

Hong Kong is not just concrete and steel. I took a day-trip out to Lantau island to see a big Buddha and this monestry.

Hiking on Lantau island

Had to check out the new Bond film on the day it was released. Chinese subtitles and all.

Off to China!

First stop: Yangshou, home of some otherworldly karst landscape.

Spot the climber! Yangshou is the next big climbing mecca.

You give me no good coin!

Having fun with some english students at the language school. Everyone wants to practice their english on me, ahh!

Sampling the local catch with some Spainiads I met.

Mobbed by the 'Countryside Tour'. It's unbelievable how many domestic Chinese tourists there are everywhere. Love that booming economy!

Crossing the Li river on a bamboo raft.

I ordered a bowl of noodles and got enough to feed two families!

Which fish would you like with your meal tonight sir?

Rabbits, ducks, snakes and even dogs at the local farmers food markets.

Incredible India

Good things always come to end and I am sad to leave my home of two months. After a lot of difficulty in reaching it going to the Taj the effort was definitely worth it in the end. Even for the most cynical of Kiwis this is an incredible monument. Spine tingling i must say! A great way to end my time in this incredible country.