So it's been a while, apparently the blogger website is blocked in China so I have been incomunicado for a couple of weeks now. As you may imagine, I have been a little busy...
The Great Wall of China, although feeling like an eternity ago was an awesome experience, I had a two day hike which lead to massive blood blisters, exhaustion and such amazing views, as well as a most magnificent evening in a Tibetian ranch where I had breakfast overlooking the Great Wall, it was amazing and so completely breathtaking.
The day I did the 10km hike it was such a hot day, it would have been about 35 degrees and I think I nearly died, but luckily my local guide took me on a short cut where I cut off about 8 towers and walked along the valley which was also so cool, and gave me the oportunity to see the wall from a different angle which was great.
So, had another couple of days in Beijing visiting everything I could including the birdsnest, forbiden city summer palace, old city wall and of course the mongolian embasy.
Met my group in Beijing and then we headed off on the tour.
Overnight train to Xian, and then Terracotta Wariors and wander around the city.
Two night train journey to Turpan, SOOOOO hot, about 42 degrees, melting in the desert.
From Terpan another overnight train through the most amazing terain and 29 tunnels to Kashgar. Loved Kashgar, animal markets and other markets, such history, and a really interesting town.
From Kashgar we crossed the boarder into Kyrgyzstan, possibly THE MOST beautiful country I have ever seen, even better than Uganda!!!
The scenery has been completely amazing every day, and so completely mind blowing. First night we stayed in Yerts near Tash Rabat an old Caravanseri on the silk route, just as we arrived there was a massive thunderstorm and hail which remained on the ground until morning. Our host family in Tash Rabat were so lovely and it was a fantastic introduction to the country.
From there we have travelled all over Kyrgyztan and the people have been so welcoming and hospitable and it has just been awesome.
We are in Osh for 2 nights and then it is off to Uzbekestan for a week, I have been given the impression that the internet there is worse than here and so this may be my last post before moscow.
Most of our accomodation in Kyrgyzstan has been home stay which is the best way to see a country and the families have been so entirely wonderful, I definatley reccommend a visit to this country.
I just remebered a very interesting evening we had in the Chichkan Valley. We stopped at a guest house as it was purely a stop along the way, during the day we had passed the president of Kyrgyzstan driving in the other direction and when we arrrived at our accomodation we hound that he had been there, so the locals were still celebrating this amazing event and they invited us to join them, as it turned out there were a few dignitaries still there such as the govenor of this particular area of Kyrgyzstan. He then gave us a toast and we had to do shots of Vodka after each toast, his toast was about the Kangaroos in Australia that he had learnt about in school, so I did my bit for international relations and presented him with a little clip Koala :) He was so impressed!
Anyway I had better go now as I don't want to loose everything that I have just written.
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