Russia Day 15
Novodevichy Convent
The final full day in Russia - we'd be seeing the waxy-like body of Lenin, and other sights surrounding death.
Russia Day 8
Trans-Siberian Express
Boarding the Trans-Siberian Express, we began our overnight journey to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.
China Day 15
Shanghai to Beijing to London
Another late night and another early start; but it was time to head home.
China Day 14
Shanghai
Although tired after the flight delays, we had a day a day of exploring Shanghai and another long day.
China Day 13
Yiecheng to Shanghai
It was unexpected having to leave the boat early as we wouldn't be able to pass through the dam due to a decision made by the Chinese government. Instead we'd now be taking a bus the rest of the way to our next destination.
China Day 12
The Three Gorges
It was the busiest of days onboard the boat with an optional excursion to pay for in the morning, and then another in the afternoon.
China Day 11
Shibaozhai Pagoda
The day started with being told our excursions would be different to what was planned, and with no explanation of why. At least we'd still have something to see though.
China Day 10
Chengdu to Chongqing
Travelling from Chengdu to Chongqing to board a cruise ship for the Yangtze river, we got to see some of then more rural side of the country once more.
China Day 9
Pandas and a Night at the Opera
Today we got to see Giant Pandas and Red Pandas; the latter of which at least in the Internet-age have been nicknamed 'Firefox's. The day ended with a night at the Sichuan Opera.
China Day 8
Guilin to Chengdu
Another day with a bit of travelling so that by midnight we'd be in Chengdu for the next set of sights. During the day the most memorable part was cruising along the Li River.
China Day 7
Xi’an to Guilin
We got to see some of the sights in Xi'an itself, and then towards the end of the afternoon headed to the airport for our flight to Guilin. The lateness of the flight, and the delay, meant we couldn't get an evening meal before reaching the hotel. By the time we got there it was close to midnight, and my new suitcase was broken.
China Day 6
The Terracotta Army
Another day, and another of the big sights of China. This one was the terracotta army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The entire day was centred around this; but it was worth the time.
China Day 5
Beijing to Xi’an
We flew from Beijing to Xi'an and were welcomed into the city with a ceremony. After some drama involving our luggage, we went to a Tang Dynasty show.
China Day 4
The Great Wall of China
For this day we were a little further out of the city: visiting the Summer Palace of Empress Ci'Xi on our way to the Great Wall. Only our second day in the country and we were already on to our second "big" sight of the country.
China Day 3
The Forbidden City
Our first full day in Beijing was spent looking around the Temple of Heaven, experiencing Chinese tea traditions, and then returning to the centre of the city. From there we went through the infamous Tiananmen Square to reach the Forbidden City - the centre of Chinese power for centuries.
China Day 2
Arriving in Beijing
Weary from lack of sleep, we arrived in Beijing and checked into the hotel. Over the road was a Starbucks which was perfect to keep us going for several more hours. It was a quick break though as we'd got the opportunity for an optional tour of a nearby hutong.
China Day 1
London to Beijing
Another adventure starting with a late flight meant another meal at Heathrow airport. Whilst there we were surprised to be met by a representative from the tour company who would then be assisting the group for the entire trip.
China
Trip Preparation
After returning from Peru it was decided that we would visit China, however due to one thing or another the plan to go there got delayed. So in the year that the Olympics arrived in London after having been in Beijing, we had planned to head off to Beijing and see some of the Eastern parts of China. Time to plan!
India Day 6
One More Flight
A couple of hours after arriving in Dubai, we were all feeling tired, but could now board our flight to London Gatwick. This arrived around 07:20, and from there we headed back to Leicester - finally able to relax after a busy week.
India Day 5
Heading Home
Our final day was a little shorter than those before, as we really only had the morning to wrap things up. It was late afternoon when we headed to the airport for the long journey back to the UK. The first leg of this was an Emirates flight to Dubai, that would land just after midnight. One colleague however was not feeling well, suffering with a case of what people call ‘Delhi belly’.
India Day 4
Mistaken Identity
It was another day of work, but this time we asked if we could have our lunch with the rest of their employees, which meant we got to try their buffet. In the evening we were taken to another restaurant, and after this one we posed for yet another group photo. One of many over the week. One of them asked if they could have a photo taken with me, as despite wearing a Superman t-shirt, they thought …
India Day 3
Aspiring
Today I had to dress for work - shorts and a t-shirt were out of the question if I wanted to make a professional impression on our hosts. It felt warm again today, but the clouds from yesterday lingered on. Breakfast was mostly dishes that looked like curry, but it felt too heavy for this early hour. I picked at what I could and then readied myself for the day ahead. On our first full day in Chenn …