Dongfang Hotel Liuzhou

... to a couple of people who spoke a little english. Throughout the night they had live singers, a DJ and dancers and later in the evening a few of us (with the encouragement of the dancers) in the group started a konga line around the club which was a little random. After a little more dancing (and alcohol) we headed home in the early hours. Tonight was really great and the Chinese definitely know how to party!

... lessons. I was so impressed by KOTO's philosophy that I did all I could to support the place and sample the students' absolutely delicious eats! Reminds me a lot of the French Culinary Institute's restaurant back home (L'Ecole) although more humanitarian focused. After 3 days in Hanoi, walking and biking the streets and getting insanely lost in the Old Quarter, we rounded out our last evening with a traditional Water Puppet Show and a final meal together as a ...

... were obviously being better looked after than the groups that were taken to the mediocre hotel restaurants. They had quite a feast of the restaurants' specialties. Unfortunately, when our vegetable pizza arrived it was a bit burnt on top and we had to send it back. They were quite happy to make us another one so long as we didn't mind waiting twenty minutes. No problem, as we had plenty of time. Suddenly Yoong shrieked. I looked up and saw a lady behind her holding a long ...

... Dragon Bridge, where we were met by a young man on a white motor scooter. Dan and I both squeezed on the back of his scooter, and the three of us bumped along down an unpaved road to a dock layered with bamboo rafts. A sun-burnt boatman with a wide-brimmed hat situated us and our plastic bags full of beer and water on two deck chairs mounted to a flimsy-looking raft. Minutes later we were off ...

Hello from our second stop in China, Yangshou. Described as a legendary backpacker hangout we couldn't help but stop in and check this place out. Probably a bit soft of us given we only have a week in China and will only take in 3 places of interest but hey, when we can get some nice food and wine who's to argue?! Yangshou is a great, laid-back place to explore the surrounding villages in the ...

... tidy. After 4 hours or so we reached Nanning and had lunch in a KFC style place at the bus station. It was so good, made a great change to all the Asian food we've been having. After lunch we boarded another bus for another 4 hour journey to Liuzhou, and this bus was 5 star. Instead of the usual two seats either side of the aisle, there were 2 on one side and 1 on the other and each car was like an armchair. Truly luxurious. More prefect empty roads and the journey ...

I had breakfast at a local café in the centre of Yangshuo this morning. Apparently this relatively small village is becoming something of a tourist hotspot- a number of foreign tour companies are based here, so there are more restaurants, t-shirt stalls and internet cafes than you would expect for somewhere of this size. That said, there are a few older buildings mingled between the hotels, and atmosphere is fairly relaxed. I get the impression the place is popular ...

... at around 1.30pm, and our bags were taken to the hotel directly from the boat by a man in a pushcart. I normally feel terrible about things like that, but I'm ashamed to say that for once I was secretly glad, given how hot it was :-) After checking into our hotel (very nice), I took a walk around town and bought some more bottled water. It's a hassle carrying it around, but when you're only in a country ...

... and taking a few pictures we went back down the hill to her house. Soon it was lunchtime. We dined on rice, cooked fish, and some greens of some type. Hung Yen took a liking to Frank and thought he needed a little assistance with his meal. She took these small fish and took the meat off the bone and fed them to Frank like he was a little kid. Frank was a good sport and did not protest. After lunch Hung Yen said she would take us to the river across the valley. She ...

... by the driver to translate where I wanted to go. My train was not leaving till 2:30am, there were earlier ones but this was the cheapest with it arriving in Chongqing at a decent time to get down to the dock and find a boat. There did not appear to be much to do or see in Liuzhou, although I was not really looking, so apart from having some steamed dumplings at a nearby eatery most of the time was spent waiting in the train station having staring ...