Arrived in Xi’an by air and after our first delay of the trip. Now we have been all the way across Russia on the train without a minutes delay so we were actually shell-shocked when we arrived at Shanghai airport to be told of a 3hr delay!
Whilst waiting in the airport at Shanghai we were conversing with the hostel in Xi’an. They clearly said (I have the emails!) that the airport -> city bus does not run later than 18:00 and we would therefore need to take a taxi or use their service. I replied asking for the collection. Once in Xi’an there was, of course, no one to collect us. I spoke to them on the phone and they had not understood my email so we were on our own. Fortunately Karen was in a determined mood and to our joy we found the bus was still running and after an hour journey we arrived in town! A short walk later we found a joyous hostel!
The hostel was well thought out – it had both a cafe that served food & beer and a basement bar, which unsurprisingly, sold beer! Each night you got two vouchers per person for a free beer and a coffee in the morning – champion! We settled in!
The next day we planned to walk around the city atop the city wall. Now this wall was not quite the Great Wall and had been totally restored but it was and enjoyable stroll – though we decended half way around to visit the train station – that was a sight – people, bikes & taxi’s everywhere, not to mention the buses – but we survied, but plenty of people did the chinese thing: staired at us, particurally Kaz. We decided against the DIY trip to the terracota warriors and opted for the hostel tour – a great decision.
That night we ventrued into the Muslim district of Xi’an to find dinner – another good decision. We wandered amongst the market stalls, sampling some food before opting for a resturant recommendation. We ate like kings and payed a poorpers fee – brilliant!
For our tour money we got: transport there & back, an English speaking guide (her first trip!) and new friends! The army was truely spectacular, it has taken them 45 years to restore 8,000 warriors and they still need to discover 79 chariots (only two discovered & restored to date) so this site may be evolving for some decades ahead – but since they have uncovered one pit – some warriors restored and positioned, others laying in pieces, I think they should leave well alone. The building for pit 1 is a shame – looks like an airplane hanger!
On the way back we elicited another beer voucher from the guide and once back at the hostel we began a night of drinking with our new friends (Adam, Cat, Cass & a doggy!) – some we will definitely meet again first in Shanghai, maybe in Laos? Adam played that night in the bar with his guitar – much better than the local chinese performer and we got happily merry!
With much planning done over the last few days (too much to do, too little time): do we go to Guilin/Yangshou? What do we do in Thailand/Laos/Chambodia/Vietnam/etc and little bookings made, we are now bound for Chengdu & panda’s!
But the drizzle would not dampern our spirits and after simply jumping a cab from the Helsinki airport to the hostel, we were determined to get from the ferry port to the hostel, Karen was over the moon