Chongqing (Pronounced Chong Quing) and on to Xi'an

Well the boat ride is finally over - cruises are fine but 4 days on that river boat was just long enough thank you!!!

The gorges we have travelled through on the boat for the past few days have really been spectacular and jaw-dropping sights to see - it was absolutely beautiful through the gorges section of the Yangtze River.

Had a terrible nights sleep last night after weighing anchor in the middle of the river under this amazing Sydney Harbour like bridge although this one flashed different colours on and off and in the distance some building was - you might say 'lit up like a Christmas tree' but in reality it was lit up like an aircraft carrier!!!! Anyway flashing lights, aircraft carriers and we're in the middle of the river for the night in this Gigantic city of Chongqing - as already mentioned 30 million people in and around the municipality. 1am and the anchor comes up and we head to dock, clunk, bang, thump, shake - grrrrr..... couldn't get to sleep for ages after that so have been tired and grumpy all day today - not a good look for me!

It was bags out before breakfast and they magically disappeared whilst we had breakfast and an hour later we lumbered off the boat over some wobbly gang planky stuff with little chinamen saying 'me take bag', me take bag' etc! No thanks - go way!!! Those that did take them up, ended up paying for the privilege of course!!

Onto the bus with carry on luggage and off to see the Panda Bears at the zoo - amazing little creatures they were - really wanted to give one a cudddle but just not the done thing I don't think. All they did was sit there and eat bamboo - gluttons! There were heaps of them, not just 1 or 2 so after watching for a while, we took a stroll around the zoo - a little on the dirty side for a zoo but have begun to understand one thing about this place - it's big, smoggy, busy, dirty and never stops. There's just SO MANY PEOPLE!!!!!!
I don't think many of them have seen many 'white people' before - we seemed to be the 'ohhh, look at them' figures of the day for some!

Okay, on to lunch after the zoo to some supposedly fancy hot-pot restaurant but 16 of us decided it was all to hard and ended up slopping things in the pot and generally seeming to make a mess everywhere! Unintentionally of course but not something any of us would run back for!

Off to the airport and once again a handful of boarding passes are handed out - great stuff this not having to check in bags etc.A one hour flight to Xian - yes another huge city full of smog - oh no, says our tour guide, it's not smog, there's lots of dust has come down from way up north and seems to ahve made our city very misty looking for the past few weeks' - codswollop!!!! They thing we are dumb! It's pollution full on and seems to cover the whole country - in fact it really is disgusting but then I could go on and on here - so won't!

An early dinner (more food!!!!) as the restaurnat is on the way to the Sofitel where we are staying and the traffic is chaotic so rather than have to come out again we head for the early dinner.

Have now checked into the Sofitel - luxury here for a couple of nights after the river boat! Not that that was bad but we have a real toilet again and a BIG bed - heading that way very shortly. AND - we're back to broadband!!! Not full web access yet though, sorry Jill!!

So until next journal - keep well everyone!!! We both are.

PS Marg - sorry but you wouldn't like China - there's way too many of those squatting toilets - I think of you every time I have to use one!!! Canberra will be so much nicer of course!