Our Exciting Easter Trip to China

    Dear Louisa, The following is our travel log of China. We were very fortunate to spend two wonderful weeks last Easter in China organised by China Odyssey Tours.

     Our exciting trip started in Beijing. We were promptly met by our guide and brought to our hotel. We spent out first evening roaming the streets of this splendid city. Wangfujing Street showed off its array of food which was eagerly devoured by the locals. We weren't tempted by toasted centipedes, locusts and other unmentionables! Next day Ting Ting, our guide, took us to Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is a marvel to behold and a paradise for photographers. Ting Ting has a comprehensive knowledge of the entire city and filled us with abundant information. Let your eyes feast on Chinese Lions, Roof Guardians, Bronze cauldrons as you stroll through outer and inner courts and pass halls and temples of harmony.  You will struggle to take it all in. Later we visited the Temple of Heaven. It again was a feast of beauty, culture and history. That, my friends, was only the opening day of our tour.

     Next we journeyed to The Great Wall its self.  What a feat! I couldn't believe my eyes when I lay sight of it for the first time. We were ferried to its lofty ramparts by cable car. Our strong walking boots on we embarked on a life long dream to walk the wall! I didn't realise that the wall had so many different levels and so many steps! Do a bit of practise walking daily before you go so you will be fit enough to enjoy the whole experience. Weather can vary greatly so have proper clothing with you. It was coldish on our trip but did we enjoy it. It was so good I can hardly believe it that I have actually been there. It was probably the highlight of the trip for me if you pardon the pun!  

     We left Beijing with heavy hearts as we had had such a great experience there, all thanks to our guide Ting who was a friend and travel companion. We had seen the Terracotta Warriors so many times on TV, but it was lovely to see them in reality. I would suggest spending less time at the site and more in Xian itself. The Ancient City Walls are amazing. You can walk them as we did or hire a bike and cycle around them. Looking over the walls, we saw the city people performing their early morning exercise in the public parks. These walls are the largest and best preserved in the world. The Bell Tower was literally across the road from our hotel. I must mention that Xian is a wonderful place to shop as it has many shopping centres and market.

     Next our journey took us to Guilin. Here we visited the Longji Rice Paddy Fields which are synonymous with China. As we passed through Longsheng we saw thousands of ducks swimming merrily away while the sleepy looking water buffaloes ploughed the water logged fields in their age old manner. While at the rice paddy region we encountered many ethnic groups including the Yao women with their long long long hair. They are reputed to have the longest hair in the world. Their shampoo cost must be enormous! Gulin town itself is very pretty situated on a lake. Our only disappointment was that we didn't have more time to spend there.

     We continued our trip to Yangshuo. That included a boat trip on the Li River. This area is spectacularly beautiful. It rained during our boat trip but this caused the area to be enveloped in a misty eeriness. It made for some wonderful photographs showing rising peaks and pinnacles from clear waters. The countryside all around is peaceful and idyllic. A local farmer family made us very welcome here opening up their home to us and offered us their hospitality. I will always remember their simple unspoiled lifestyle and their happy beaming smiles. We stayed in Yangshuo and while there don't forget to visit West Street if you want traditional souvenirs to bring home. If you want an experience to rival any Broadway show the go to the Sanjie Liu Water Show. It takes place nightly. Its stage is the lake with the mountains its backdrop. A truly fabulous jaw dropping performance! See it to believe!

At last but not the least, we ended our tour in Shanghai. We arrived in the evening and saw the city dressed in lights. The New York of the East!  It is a very cosmopolitan city with architecture and infrastructure to match any city world wide. You name it and it has it. We enjoyed a very comprehensive tour of the newly refurbished Bund, the Oriental Pearl Tower, Nanjing Road and the Yuyuan Market. Eating at night is a pleasure. The city had hundreds of restaurants giving birds eye views of the city by night. We did an over night trio to the canal towns. Firstly we visited Suzhou and had a trip on The Grand Canal. The following morning we went to Tongli another water town which we much preferred. It was beautiful. We thought we stepped back in time. So if we had to pick I would say Tongli and do it as a day trip from Shanghai. This would save you breaking up your stay in Shanghai which involves booking in and out of hotels etc.

      I have only given you a flavour of our holiday. All I can say is go and taste for your self. You can only come away happy and fulfilled. Food in China is mouth watering. They cater for every taste. Their produce is so fresh and cooked deliciously! Eating out is extremely cheap. We were amazed by their prices, selection, variety, consistency and service. And beat this they will not accept tips!!! The waitress returned our tip one night and said no thanks as it was not allowed! Their public parks are well worth a visit. You will see people exercising, dancing, chatting, playing games, playing cards, dancing and suddenly a group will meet up and burst into song or entertain you with a few tunes!

     As for China Odyssey Tours, I can only sing their praises. The company was most professional. The guides we had were at all times informative, courteous and great ambassadors for the company and for their country. Their drivers were always most helpful and very punctual. Their vehicles were always top class. Our tour organiser Louisa came to visit us. Where else would you get that kind of customer care. She came bearing gifts! Above all we will always remember them for personal care and broad smiling faces. My only regret was that we had to leave, our two weeks melted away so quickly but the memories will last a life time. 

     My advice is to go now. I will visit China again and again if fate allows. Well done China Odyssey Tours. Also well done Louisa. You company must be happy to have you.

 Love and Best Wishes,

Winnie