Guilin to Yangshuo can only really be done properly by going on the boat, although the price has almost trebled in the last five years. The scenery is spectacular and it’s so good to finally leave the city for a while and get back to nature.

We got up really early but as it turned out there was no need because the bus arrived nearly an hour after we were told it would.

The bus ride was painful once again for the ears. The tour guide kept on taking from the point where we were picked up until the last passenger boarded.

For forty minutes we were a captive audience with no where to go. After all the up selling spiel we then had to listen to the souvenir spiel, although she didn’t mention too much in English about that…….. but man did she drone on and on and on. I was really tired and just wanted to shove a sweaty sock into her mouth to shut her up, or better still throw her off the bus.

The bus was going so slow so that she could get through her routine before we arrived at the jetty. Thankfully the tour guide on the boat showed a bit more decorum and spoke quietly in a normal voice and only every so often to highlight some of the sites along the way.

The scenery speaks for itself and so I’m not going to begin to try and do it justice because I’m not sure I can.

The sun was out and the sky was blue and it was in such contrast to my last trip five years ago when it rained and I froze my arse off and so for me it was like seeing it for the first time in all its glory.

After we arrived we had one of the best coffees of the journey