This was a very mixed "holiday". Some of it was excellent whilst other parts were less so. First, the roads in the Chinese cities are very good, big highways, no potholes. They are also gridlocked, traffic lights every 150m, takes hours to get anywhere and they are plagued with the electric motor bikes, no licensing, no regulation, no registration, no training. They are lethal!
Shanghai hotel very nice but out of the centre so took hours to get anywhere.
City interesting and modern, loved Tianzifang but would have liked more time there.
Suzhou hotel very nice but only one night, excursions very good, if somewhat crowded. Hangzhou hotel awful, poor food, nothing in English in room, no idea how to operate stuff and no English speaker at the desk. Trips around Hangzhou varied and interesting. Guilin river cruise to Yangshou very special then bullet train to Chengdu. Visit to giant Buddha, 2;30 bus ride there, 2:30 bus ride back for a 15 minute boat ride to see the Buddha, very impressive but most of the group refused the 500 stair hike around the Buddha so it was a long day for little reward. Panda visit, who doesn't like a Panda? Unforgettable! Xian, Terracotta Warriors, busy but not too crowded, also unforgettable. Bullet train to Beijing... why were couples seated apart? Clearly the booking was made after the local population had their go at it. Beijing, horrific traffic but major sites covered and none failed to impress, next day The Great Wall, an early start but worth it as there were no crowds until leaving time...beware! Locals like to take a rest on the steepest parts and just sit in the middle, they express surprise if someone nearly falls over them or asks them to move to the side. Departure well handled and transfer etc all went well.
Now we are home we need a holiday to rest up!