Yangshuo - Enter the Dragon!

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It took nearly a day to get to Yangshuo in total, 2 hours from Hong Kong to Guangzhou on the train, then another train to Guilin which took 13 hours and then a bus for another hour. By the time we got there we were surprisingly refreshed in spite of our long journey. On train to Guilin over night we stayed in a soft bed carriage, and a very comfortable bed at that. It was a lot easier than we had expected to get arround. With the help of the guide book and Chin-glish speakers we managed a smooth transition in a country not renowned for simple travel.

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Yanshuo is a lovely village nestled in amongst an array of distinctive peaks. The markets on West Street are very lively and a great hangout for travelers. The first week of May is a very busy time of year due to the national holiday. Amazingly, we bumped into an old friend from youth theatre, Freddie Grinter, which was a big surprise to say the least! We hired some bikes on my birthday and cycled over to the Mud/Water caves. They were really nice and very atmospheric. Inside the caves the guide would point out how the different rocks look like: a beautiful woman washing her hair, an elephant or even a brain. You need a bit of imagination but it is all good fun. In the middle of the tour there is a mud pool and mud slide. Really fun! There is nothing quite like spending your birthday covered in mud in a cave in a remote part of China. Later that day we went out for lots of food and drinks and visited a chinese disco. The music was so crazy, it was like being trapped inside a game of Tetris!

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On Sunday, Leanne & I, did a cruise down the Li River in a bamboo boat. It was very picturesque and beautiful. After that we went for another cycle ride which as always was a bit hairy.

Monday was a bit different. Leanne, Freddy & I just went for a lovely long walk for a few hours. We waltzed through a number of poor villages along the river and enjoyed pleasant conversation along the way.

Overall, we had a lovely time in Yangshuo. It is a beautiful little spot and is easy for english speakers to get by without much trouble.