We've arrived safely in Xi'an and have also arrived at the worst hostel we've ever stayed at although the staff are friendly enough...think of Bradford/Hull and Peterborough and multiply by 1,000 for badness and you're not even close. Jen has continued her adventurous eating streak by trying something esle she never has before - a 'Big Mac'. Quite a delicacy out here...the plan is to stay here for a couple of days - go to see the Terracotta Warriors and then head down to Chengdu - we're having a hell of a time cancelling the flight from Shanghai - pretty sure we wouldn't if we weren't foreign but hey...at the moment they're telling us we need to go nack to where we purchased them (Hong Kong), even though (and catch this for irony) the whole reason that we're no longer need the tickets from Shanghai to Shenzhen is that we can no longer fly out of HK...

That aside nice to see you are all writing getting your own back for when we've posted 'it's 35 degrees here' etc... by telling us all about the UK weather. It's 10 degrees here (if that) and raining - you know that really fine drizzle that soaks you to the bone... Had the best meal yet last night (not at McDonalds) at our hotel - 8 quid for 3 chinese courses and a couple of drinks - magnificent...