We left the hotel with bags packed at 8.30am; one of the nice things about Guilin is that everything is close at hand, and we were at the Reed Flute caves before 9am, and before many of the tourists. The Caves are so called because the reeds that used to grow outside the caves could be played to create the sound of a flute and in times gone by that is exactly what used to happen. The Caves were open to the public in the early 60s and since then have been a mecca for tourists, both nationals and overseas.

Reed Flute Caves

There is a winding staircase down into the Caves which are lit magically. The main cavern can hold over a 1000 people, and is huge! The stalactites (holding tight to the ceiling!) and the stalagmites are truly amazing and have taken over 700 years to form. In true Chinese legend, all have a name, from “curtains” easy on the imagination to “Centipede scared of the Mirror”, slightly more challenging on the imagination. We take a steady walk through the caves and Susan, the local guide, stops with a pointing torch to describe each area fully and enthusiastically.

Our next stop is Guilin airport for the flight to Shanghai. It is a two and a half hour flight which, to put it into perspective is the same as us flying from the UK to the Balearics; that gives you a further view of the colossal size of this country. The UK would go into China around thirty three times! The flight is on time and we arrive in Shanghai in time to shower before dinner, and head off through this colourful city.

We have a birthday in the group, and as nothing is too much trouble for Jason, our national guide, he organises a birthday cake, a truly sticky chocolate affair! We all share willingly in this delight and toast the birthday boy, before a speedy return to the hotel for an early night to prepare for the sights of this amazing city tomorrow.

This morning was a real treat and insight into Chinese life. Just outside the town of Yangshou, up some very narrow lanes we stopped to take a look at the paddy fields and meet some local Chinese farmers with their water buffalo – machinery isn’t good in this region and so buffalo are the work horses of the local farms – they are around 800 Yuan each, £80 to us. Sounds like great value but could be half a year’s salary!

Mrs Li in Yangshuo

From here were went further down the lane and met Mrs Li; she has an arrangement with Wendy Wu Tours where she allows us into her house – she is a widow, with three grown up children but she was widowed twenty years ago and had to bring them up and farm her land at the same time. I guess this was a way of making her money and food go further.

I was incredibly humbled, it was not contrived in the least and she was really proud to have Westerners in her house, she showed us round and then left us to wander at leisure. The main focus of the “lounge” area was the small temple at which she prays every day. We were there on a very damp day, but it was not warm.

From here we made the hour transfer to Guilin for a superb lunch, and a visit to the South Sea China Pearl Museum. Interesting but of course the intention was to encourage us to purchase! The gentlemen in our group, unbeknown to us, did have a sweep as to who would buy, who would buy first, and the number of items each of us would buy!

View from Mount Diecai

After our retail exertion it was only right that we should have some physical exercise and so we were taken off to Mount Decai. It isn’t really a mountain, but it offers a fantastic panoramic view of the city, via a stone stairway up one of the limestone “humps” so synonymous with Guilin. Apparently there were five hundred steps, I didn’t count them! I can say though that the view was worth the climb.

Susan, our local guide, found a gem of a restaurant for our dinner this evening. Set in the charming pedestrianised section of Guilin, five minutes walk from the hotel, The Left Bank is a very pretty, gleaming restaurant with, as the name would suggest, a French Chef! We were treated to a Western meal and it was truly delicious, and beautifully cooked.

Tomorrow we visit the Reed Flute Caves, before our lunchtime flight to Shanghai. We are all looking forward to the next leg, but we are all feeling that time is now moving on very quickly indeed.

The journey from our hotel to the dock for the cruise on the Li River takes around forty minutes, and our local guide, Susan, uses this time to give us some information on the area and its tourist attractions. It has long been a tourist magnet for Chinese people to spend some time away from the cities, and experience the beautiful countryside, and this becomes more evident as we board our boat, one of many at the side of the river, where at least half of them are occupied by Chinese tourists.

Li River scenery

The downside is that the weather has taken on the tone of an English summer, that is, it is pouring with rain – there is an upside however, it is warm rain! We have reserved seats on the boat, and make our way to the top covered inside deck, ready for our scenic trip down the Li River. The river eventually runs into the Yangtze, and has leading off it one of the only canals in China, a 37km stretch originally used for moving cargo but now only used for leisure.

It is clear that the scenery is amazing, there are many of the limestone “humps” that have become synonymous with this region either sides of this wide, fast flowing river. We can only see one layer of them though, even though apparently in many cases they are one and two deep. So famous are they that the five finger “humps” are depicted on the 20 Yuan note.

The fishing villages that have sprung up along the riverside now also work for the tourists and many of them offer rides on the bamboo boats that we saw yesterday evening used for the cormorant fishing. We continue downstream where we eventually meet the town of Yangshou – it is still raining! The hotel is a twenty minute walk from the docking area, or a 15 Yuan ride in an electric golf style buggy.

Not a Wendy Wu Tours hotel!

The hotel is really central and the town is bordered all round by more of this amazing scenery. Our free afternoon is used to explore this lovely town where there is normal Chinese life (even a dentist working on a Sunday) and a market for the tourists which I have to say is all in good taste!

When in Yangshou there is the option of the open air show of local singing and dancing where the stage is erected floating on the river, with theatre style grandstand seating. Apparently an amazing show, however, on our visit the weather is inclement so we decide to give it a miss and instead take in the night shopping after dinner and a drink in one of the many local bars; all very civilised and incredibly relaxed and safe.

A 5.15am alarm call was a little painful this morning, but with lots to look forward to over the next couple of days, the group soon rallied and were as cheerful as ever at China Southern Airways Gate 13 at Kunming Airport, to fly to Guilin.

Guilin stands for Forest of Cassia trees and in the month of September the city is in full bloom with a fragrant aroma of the blossom in the air. As we transfer from the airport to the city, it is easy to see why with these trees lining every street for the whole of the 20 minute transfer. The other identifying factor is the odd shaped “humps” which Susan, our new local guide, described as mountains! They are indicative of the rock formations in the area and are made primarily of limestone but they form the oddest skyline, and look in many cases just like sleeping camels.

It is a Saturday afternoon and the city is lively as we arrive at around 4pm; the hotel is on the banks of the Li River on East Liberation Street, right in the middle of the action. Although tired from a day of travelling I could not resist taking a walk out to see the Chinese young population undergoing their Saturday afternoon retail therapy. It was very busy but with a lovely atmosphere in the pedestrianized area of town, and as a female alone, I felt thoroughly at ease.

Cormorant fishing in Guilin

Our evening entertainment was to see the cormorants fishing for their masters’ income of fresh fish. The rafts are no more than bamboo pipes strapped together, and the fisherman uses it as his raft to paddle along the shore with his four Cormorants on board – they are sent to fish, and return almost immediately with a catch. The fishermen seem to leave them for a few minutes before removing the fish from them and tossing it into the basket. They seem to work hard for the few fish that they are in fact fed at the end of the session. It is fascinating to watch, but difficult to capture on film!

After a seventeen hour day we all call it a day on our return to the hotel, but en route it is easy to see that the city is still buzzing – it is tempting but another early start for a full day cruising on the Li River means my bed wins!

Chinese hotpot in Kunming

Today was essentially another travelling day, back to Kunming, before a Saturday flight to Guilin. However, the lovely Jason gave us a last chance to wander the pedestrian shops and stalls of Dali before we had lunch and left for Kunming. The whole group were by this stage feeling very at home in Dali, and we all took off in different directions with different purchases in mind! It was great fun to “share” goods purchased and prices paid over lunch! Chopsticks, silk scarves, Chinese style pyjamas, plus a Chinese haircut!

We had a swift lunch and hit the road for the four hour trip back to Kunming. It soon passed and we arrived in Kunming in time to visit the flower market and the coffee importers. The flower market was a hive of activity and colour, with some local folk clearly buying for their own home and some Chinese groups buying flowers presumably as a gift to take home. Either way it was very interesting to observe.

Much of the coffee in China is imported, however, behind the flower market is a coffee tasting and purchasing market where you can buy coffee from the local Yunnan province. At the entrance you get a small tasting cup and then proceed through the aisles to taste the different coffees. There were some really interesting combinations such as coffee with coconut essence added and one with caramel; perhaps not for the purist but enjoyable nevertheless.

Chinese hotpot

Dinner was a “cook your own” affair! At each place setting was a clear “soup” on a small methylated spirit stove, and in the centre of the table was an array of mushrooms, five types in all, and some very thinly sliced meats and pork balls, with some other vegetables such as pak choi, and cabbage. You then simply wait for the “soup” to come to the boil, and add ingredients as you see fit. On the side is a dipping sauce similar to a satay with peanuts, soy sauce and a little chilli. This apparently is the Chinese hotpot…..it was really tasty, and of course very social.

An early flight tomorrow, with a 5am alarm call, means that everyone is keen to get to bed early, and get off on the next stage of our exciting and epic tour – we are off to Guilin and the Li River to watch the famous cormorants catch fish, and enjoy more fresh country air and lovely scenery.