New start

Leaving Xian was a tearful event, as it meant splitting up with the original group. We're only 6 from the original group now; me, Mike, Rachel, John, Ray and Liz. I really miss the others!!! We've got a new truck, Gertie, and a new guide, Ant, and a new driver, Adam. There are also 4 new people, so 10 altogether, which is an okay number.

Anyways, left Xian and headed for Mt. Kongtong which is the most sacred mountain in Taoism. There are lots of small temples on the top of lots of steep steps which were quite exhausting to climb up. Luckily I got some rest on the way as I had to pose for pictures with a few chinese people... The top provided some great views over green hills and vast countryside. Had a bushcamp at the lake at the bottom of the mountain where our new crew demonstrated their great cookingskills.

Can't really remember the right order of everything we've done in between then and now, but one day we went to a chinese disneyland kinda thingy where I went camelriding and took a zipline across a river which was great fun. We've also camped in traditional yerts (not quite sure about the spelling, you know the big round tents from Mongolia), in Inner Mongolia which was fun. We hired some horses and went for a ride which was nice, only the horses weren't exactly racehorses and our guide didn't seem like he was keen on going any faster than walkingpace. Anyways, it was nice to get out into the countryside. My bum was sore for a couple of days though as the saddles here are a tad harder than the ones I'm used to...

One night we went out for a hot-pot, which is a big pot cut in half where one half has a very hot soup in it and the other a mild soup and you have a heater in the middle of the table and heat up the soup and then you order different things which you cook yourself. We had meatballs, beef, bamboo and two types of mushroom and it was delicious! I must say, the food here in China is AMAZING!!! I'm stuffing myself at every meal and I would become seriously fat if I was to live here! They seem to have so many great sauces and marinades it makes everything taste delicious. I'm going to miss it when I get home!!

Right now we're in a city called Datong, which they seem to be rebuilding, all at once. Because of this there's a powecut across half the city which resulted in us staying in a hotel last night with no power and no water. And of course our room was on the 6th floor with no elevator. I'm glad we're not at altitude any more. And that we decided to change hotels tonight. Today we went to some caves which were really old with Buddhafigures carved out inside. Some were quite impressive! There was also a huge Buddha, about 20 meters tall which was impressive. Afterwards we went to a hanging monastery, which is a monastery which is built on a cliffwall in about 490 a.d. It has been rebuilt later though because it was destroyed at one point, but it was still very old and pretty. And a bit scary as it seemed to hang in thin air.

Driving further tomorrow towards Chengde, and then next Monday we'll be in Beijing!! Hope you're all having a great midsummernight. Hugs from China!