China Trip

Leave Melbourne @ Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine Airport), Australia

2007-11-09T00:50:00.000Z

Off to China

Arrive Singapore/Changi International Airport @ Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

2007-11-09T05:05:00.000Z

Hi All, we made it to Singapore what a long flight have to consider going first class if want to do this all the time.

It's 26 degrees here and very humid. Had an iced coffee and quick look around the airport, flight leaves in 2 hours so have to go and find the departure gate and get on another plane for six plus hours.

Having a great time so far and will log on again as soon as we can.

Cya !!!

Depart Singapore/Changi International Airport @ Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

2007-11-09T08:45:00.000Z

Off to Beijing

Arrive Beijing, China @ Beijing Capital International Airport, China

2007-11-09T14:01:22.000Z

Well we made it through another 6 1/2 hour flight but we are now finally in Beijing.

Arrive Hotel @ Novotel Xinqiao, China

2007-11-09T16:30:00.000Z

Well made it to the Hotel about 1 1/2 hours from the Airport. All checked in now and ready to hit the sack as was to excited to sleep on the plane and now were exhausted.

http://www.novotel.com.au/3641/detail/default.aspx

Off to Great Wall and Ming Tombs @ Novotel Xinqiao, China

2007-11-10T08:00:00.000Z

Well had a great sleep except the humidity took a few hours to get used to, had a nice buffet breakfast on the 4th floor restaurant in the hotel and now ready to meet our tour guide Nancy who will take us out to see/walk the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs. Found out later that we had to visit a Goverment sponsored factory on every tour we went on (oh well bit late now) it wasn't too bad actually just would have been nice to be informed. This time we went to the Jade Factory so here's a few pics of the carvings.

Badaling Great Wall, China @ Badaling Great Wall, China

2007-11-10T09:53:23.000Z

Badaling Great Wall is situated in Yanqing County, over 70 kilometres (43 miles) north of Beijing. It is the most well-preserved section of the Great Wall, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). This section with an average altitude of over 1,000 meters (3,282 feet) is the outpost of the Juyongguan Pass. The mountain slope is very steep and the roads are tortuous. These features made it a military stronghold. Badaling Great Wall is like a strong dragon winding its way along the mountain ranges.

The Great wall originally functioned as a fortification. As early as the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), Qinshihuang, the first emperor of Qin Dynasty unified the whole nation and began to build the Great Wall to protect China's borders from the intrusion of the northern nomadic tribes. Most parts of the preserved Badaling Great Wall were built and reinforced during the Ming Dynasty to defend the capital against the intrusion of these Mongolian people. The structure of the wall consists of huge bar-stones and bricks. The inside of the wall has been formed by tampering earth and small stones, which makes the wall very firm and strong. Internally, the wall is about six meters (20 feet) wide, which would allow horses to gallop five abreast. A number of small holes have been drilled on the wall to allow archers to shoot arrows. There is a barrel-drain and a moat both inside and outside the wall. In a word, military fortification has been paramount in the consideration of every wall detail.

The signal fire platforms were an important part of the whole fortification of ancient China. A signal fire platform is actually a blockhouse that was built on the top of the wall. It was used to send warning signals. Since the Ming Dynasty, the amount of smoke and gunfire released conveyed specific military information about the enemy. One release of smoke with one shot of gunfire signified 100 enemies; two smoke releases with two shots of gunfire meant 500 enemies; three smoke releases with three shots of gunfire indicated more than 1,000 enemies. Once one signal platform fired a beacon, the others would follow likewise so as to alert the command as to the strength of the enemy.

As a landmark erected at the top of a group of mountain ranges, Badaling Great Wall has also witnessed many significant historic events. The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty toured there, Yuan Taizu, the first emperor of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) passed the Badaling Great Wall and took control over the whole of China. Empress Cixi fled from there to the western part of China in 1900 when an alliance of eight western countries invaded Beijing. At present, Badaling Great Wall stands still there recording the hardship and bitterness that Chinese people have endured in the past 2000 years. It is a priceless cultural heritage of humanity.

Badaling Great Wall was the earliest part of the great Wall opened to tourists. It has drawn tens of millions of tourists both from home and abroad. More than 370 foreign leaders and celebrities have visited there.

Ming Tombs, China @ Ming Tombs, China

2007-11-10T14:07:07.000Z

50 kilometers northwest from Beijing City lies the Ming Tombs - the general name given to the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. Because of its long history, palatial and integrated architecture, the site has a high cultural and historic value. The layout and arrangement of all thirteen mausoleums are very similar but vary in size as well as in the complexity of their structures.

It was originally built only as Changling, the tomb of Emperor Zhu Di and his empresses. This is the most magnificent of the tombs. The succeeding twelve emperors had their tombs built around Changling.

Only the Changling and Dingling tombs are open to the public. Changling, the chief of the Ming Tombs, is the largest in scale and is completely preserved. The total internal area of the main building is 1956 square meters. There are 32 huge posts, and the largest measures about 14 meters in height.It inhumes Emperor Zhudi, the fourth son of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. Travel China Guide recommends the Lingsi Palace in its second yard as really deserving a visit. This is unique as it is the only huge palace made of camphor wood. It covers about 1956 square meters. The ceiling is colorfully painted and supported by sixteen solid camphor posts. The floor was decorated with gold bricks.

Unlike Changling, Dingling is under ground and about 27 meters deep. It is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun, the thirteenth emperor who occupied the throne the longest during the Ming Dynasty, and his two empresses. The main features are the Stone Bridge, Soul Tower, Baocheng and the Underground Place, which was unearthed between 1956 and 1958. The entire palace is made of stone. The Soul Tower is symbolic of the whole of Dingling and it forms the entrance to the underground chambers. The yellow glazed tiles; eaves, archway, rafters and columns are all sculptured from stone, and colorfully painted. The entire construction is stable and beautiful!

Served by three stone doors, it is divided into three Halls consisting of five high palaces - the front, the middle, the rear, the left and the right palaces. The Gate of the Tomb, the Gate of Eminent Favor and the Lingxing Gate all have the same structural form.

The front hall, considered the square of the Palace, has no building within it. No special artifacts remain in either the left and right palaces that are about 7 meters high, six meters wide, and 26 meters long. However, each has a centrally placed white marble coffin bed, the surface of which is covered with gold bricks. On each bed there is a square hole filled with loess. This is the so-called "Gold Well". A paved path leads to the central hall where there are three white marble thrones. Incense, candles and flowers were set in front of the thrones. Before each of them, there are glazed 'Five Offerings' and a blue china jar that would have been filled with sesame oil to be used for lamps. The rear hall is the main and biggest part of the Palace. The coffins of Emperor Zhu Yijun and his two empresses are in this palace. There are also some precious items displayed with these coffins; among them is the gold imperial crown, one of the world's most rare treasures.

Kung Fu Show & Opera @ Liyuan Theater, China

2007-11-10T17:17:13.000Z

Tonight we went to see a Kung Fu show.

http://www.chunyi-kungfu.com

We then went to see the Beijing opera at Liyuan Theater which was very different. Beijing Opera is the quintessence of China. The largest Chinese opera form, it is extolled as 'Oriental Opera'. Having a history of 160 years, it has created many 'firsts' in Chinese dramas: the abundance of repertoires, the number of artists, opera troupes and spectators.

Beijing Opera is developed from absorbing many other dramatic forms, mostly from the local drama 'Huiban' which was popular in South China during the 18th century. It is a scenic art integrating music, performance, literature, aria, and face-painting. Certain rules are set up and regulations are standardized during many artists' long practice on stage. Different from regional plays, it is stricter on the variety of the workmanship. The combination of virtual and reality - a special technique of expression, keeps it largely free from the restriction of time and space on stage performance. Beijing Opera has had many interesting names since it came into being, such as Jinghuang, Daxi, Pingju, Jingxi.

http://www.qianmenhotel.com/en/liyuan/

Visit Tiananmen Square @ Tiananmen Square, China

2007-11-11T09:00:00.000Z

Today we walked from the Hotel down to see Tiananmen Square & the Monument of People's Heroes. Very busy place with heaps of people trying to sell you souvenirs.

Located at the center of Beijing City is Tiananmen Square, where you can visit Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and see the national flag raising ceremony. Thousands of people come to the Square every day. It is the must place to visit in Beijing City.

At the north end of the Square is Tiananmen Tower. Initially built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D.- 1644 A.D.), the Square was the front door of the Forbidden City. The most important use of it in the past was to declare in a big ceremony to the common people who became the emperor and who became the empress. Until 1911 when the last feudal kingdom was over, no one could enter the Tower except for the royal family and aristocrats.

The granite Monument to the People's Heroes is just at the center of the Tiananmen Square. Built in 1952, it is the largest monument in China's history. ' The People's Heroes are Immortal' written by Chairman Mao is engraved on the monument. Eight unusually large relief sculptures show to the people the development of Chinese modern history. Two rows of white marble railings enclose the monument, simple and beautiful.

West of the Square is the Great Hall of the People. This building, erected in 1959, is the site of the China National People's Congress meetings and provides an impressive site for other political and diplomatic activities.

77th District Shopping Mall, China @ 77th District Shopping Mall, China

2007-11-11T11:40:00.000Z

Then we went to the 77th District Shopping Mall very busy just like going to Chasdstone at home except alot of brands never heard of before.

Visit to the Forbidden Palace @ Forbidden Palace, China

2007-11-12T09:30:00.000Z

We hopped in a taxi this morning and went to the Forbidden Palace for the day. It is an amazing place and the history and uniqueness is really amazing.

Lying at the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City, called Gu Gong in Chinese, was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now known as the Palace Museum, it is to the north of Tiananmen Square. Rectangular in shape, it is the world's largest palace complex and covers 74 hectares. Surrounded by a six meter deep moat and a ten meter high wall are 9,999 buildings. The wall has a gate on each side. Opposite the Tiananmen Gate, to the north is the Gate of Devine Might (Shenwumen), which faces Jingshan Park. The distance between these two gates is 960 meters, while the distance between the gates in the east and west walls is 750 meters. There are unique and delicately structured towers on each of the four corners of the curtain wall. These afford views over both the palace and the city outside. The Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The southern section, or the Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The northern section, or the Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. Until 1924 when the last emperor of China was driven from the Inner Court, fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty and ten emperors of the Qing dynasty had reigned here. Having been the imperial palace for some five centuries, it houses numerous rare treasures and curiosities. Listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987, the Palace Museum is now one of the most popular tourist attractions world-wide.

Construction of the palace complex began in 1407, the 5th year of the Yongle reign of the third emperor of the Ming dynasty. It was completed fourteen years later in 1420. It was said that a million workers including one hundred thousand artisans were driven into the long-term hard labor. Stone needed was quarried from Fangshan, a suburb of Beijing. It was said a well was dug every fifty meters along the road in order to pour water onto the road in winter to slide huge stones on ice into the city. Huge amounts of timber and other materials were freighted from faraway provinces. Ancient Chinese people displayed their very considerable skills in building the Forbidden City. Take the grand red city wall for example. It has an 8.6 meters wide base reducing to 6.66 meters wide at the top. The angular shape of the wall totally frustrates attempts to climb it. The bricks were made from white lime and glutinous rice while the cement is made from glutinous rice and egg whites. These incredible materials make the wall extraordinarily strong.

Since yellow is the symbol of the royal family, it is the dominant color in the Forbidden City. Roofs are built with yellow glazed tiles; decorations in the palace are painted yellow; even the bricks on the ground are made yellow by a special process. However, there is one exception. Wenyuange, the royal library, has a black roof. The reason is that it was believed black represented water then and could extinguish fire.

Nowadays, the Forbidden City, or the Palace Museum is open to tourists from home and abroad. Splendid painted decoration on these royal architectural wonders, the grand and deluxe halls, with their surprisingly magnificent treasures will certainly satisfy 'modern civilians'.

Depart Beijing @ Beijing Capital International Airport, China, China

2007-11-13T11:40:00.000Z

Flight has been delayed 3 hours due to bad weather so trying to find something todo in Beijing Airport - not much around if you only speak english. Coffee is really expensive over here like $5 for a cuppachino but a 600ml Coke is only 90cents thats nuts. Anyway got to go other people are waiting to use the free internet. Hopefully give you another update when we get to Xi'an.

Extra Night in Beijing @ Olympic Airportel, China

2007-11-13T12:30:00.000Z

Flight was delayed till the next day due to heavy fog in Xi'an so we were taken from the Airport to the Beijing Olympic Airportelwhich was about 15 minutes from the airport. The hotel was okay they were still renovating it, we had to wait until we were called for our flight. They called us at midnight but then sent us back to our rooms as the weather was still bad and we didn't end up leaving until next morning.

http://www.azgyjd.com/index.php?Locale=en-us

Arrive Xi'an Xianyang Airport @ Xi'an Xianyang Airport, China

2007-11-14T13:35:00.000Z

Arrive Hotel @ Mercure on Renmin Square Xi'an, China

2007-11-14T14:45:00.000Z

The Mercure on Renmin Square Xi'an is a comfortable, elegantly appointed hotel, featuring 111 rooms, as well as dining and meeting facilities. Located in the grounds of Renmin Square, in the heart of the commercial and government district, the hotel is minutes away from the major shopping centres and cultural sites.

http://www.renminsquare.com.cn/en/mercure/

Visit Banpo Village Museum @ Banpo Museum, China

2007-11-15T09:00:00.000Z

The Banpo Museum is located in the eastern outskirt of Xian City, Shaanxi Province. As the first museum at the prehistoric site, it was built at the base of the excavations of the Banpo site. Since it opened to the public formally in 1958, two million people have visited it.

The Banpo Site is a typical Neolithic matriarchal community of the Yangshao Culture dating back about 6,000 years. At that time, the Banpo people used tools made primarily of wood and stone. Women, the crucial labor force, were responsible for making pottery, spinning, and raising the family, while men fished.

It was really interesting to see that much history.

Terracotta Warriors @ Terracotta Army Museum, China

2007-11-15T12:10:28.000Z

The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum, Lintong County, Shaanxi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.

Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had begun to work for his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC).

It was great so see all the warriors and how perfectly alligned they all stand.

Moslem Street & The Great Mosque @ The Great Mosque, China

2007-11-16T09:00:00.000Z

Moslem Street has a long history. It is said that in olden days, foreign diplomatic envoys and merchants lived here then they married and had children, so gradually the population increased. Today, most of the inhabitants of Moslem Street are the descendants of those immigrants. All the Moslems here are the pious and devout followers of Islam so they form a tight knit community, which maintains its own culture and traditions to this day even in such a modern society.People here are very familiar with each other because they were companions when they were children and then they grew to adults together and still then one after another they got married and had their own children. As time goes on, definitely they will become older and older or even pass by together.

Walking along this twisted, narrow street which is aligned with stores on both sides, you can see that Moslem men with white hats sit inside the stores and talk leisurely with each other. In front of the doors of some stores, old men with white beards sit on the cane chairs enjoying the tender touch of the sun and having fun with the little children running along the street. The main goods of these stores are authentic hand-making Moslem food which tastes very good. While still there are small stores selling the special local products of Shaanxi Province and yet others provide you with exquisite souvenirs.

The Great Mosque in Xian is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Islamic mosques in China and its location is northwest of the Drum Tower (Gu Lou) on Huajue Lane.

According to historical records engraved on a stone tablet inside, this mosque was built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). This was a result of Islam being introduced into Northwest China by Arab merchants and travelers from Persia and Afghanistan during the mid-7th century when some of them settled down in China and married women of Han Nationality. Their descendants became Muslim of today. The Muslim played an important role in the unifications of China during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Hence, other mosques were also built to honor them.

In Xian, it is really well worth a trip to see the Great Mosque, not only for its centuries-old history but also for its particular design of mixed architecture - traditional Muslim and Chinese styles.

Bell & Drum Towers @ Bell Tower, China

2007-11-16T10:57:50.000Z

The Bell Tower, is a stately traditional building, that marks the geographical center of the ancient capital. From this important landmark extend East, South, West and North Streets, connecting the Tower to the East, South, West and North Gates of the City Wall of the Ming Dynasty.

The wooden tower, which is the largest and best-preserved of its kind in China, is 36 meters (118 feet) high. It stands on a brick base 35.5 meters (116.4 feet) long and 8.6 meters (28.2 feet) high on each side. During the Ming Dynasty, Xian was an important military town in Northwest China, a fact that is reflected in the size and historic significance of its tower.

The tower was built in 1384 by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang as a way to dominate the surrounding countryside and provide early warning of attack by rival rulers.

The tower has three layers of eaves but only two stories. Inside, a staircase spirals up. The grey bricks of the square base, the dark green glazed tiles on the eaves, gold-plating on the roof and gilded color painting make the tower a colorful and dramatic masterpiece of Ming-style architecture. In addition to enhancing the beauty of the building, the three layers of eaves reduce the impact of rain on the building.

On the second floor, a plaque set in the west wall records the relocation of the tower in 1582. When it was first built in 1384, it stood near the Drum Tower on the central axis of the city, and continued to mark the center of the city since Tang Dynasty and the following the Five Dynasties and the Song and Yuan Dynasties. As the city grew, however, the geographical center changed. Therefore, in 1582, the Tower was moved 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) east of the original site. Except for the base, all parts are original, and history tells us that the relocation was accomplished quickly and inexpensively, making it a truly notable achievement in the architectural history in China.

Originally, the northwest corner of the tower housed the famous Jingyun Bell from the Tang Dynasty. Legend has it that although nothing had changed in the tower, the Jingyun Bell fell silent during the Ming Dynasty, so the current bell, a much smaller one weighing only 5 tons, was cast. The original Jingyun Bell can now be seen in Forest of Stone Steles Museum.

The engravings on the doors of the Tower reflect the decorative fashion of Ming and Qing Dynasties, recounting popular stories of ancient China.

On each side of the base, there is an arched door 6 meters (19.6feet) high. In the past, vehicles were allowed to pass through the arches and under the tower, but as the city has grown the volume of traffic has become too great, so a bright, spacious pedestrian subway has been constructed under the tower. The entrance to the tower is from this subway.

A fenced-in area around the tower is planted with grass and flowers. In early spring, the tender plum blossoms and bright new grass surrounding the old tower provide a harmonious contrast. Not far from the Tower, modern shopping malls and a brightly decorated square reveal the prosperity of the city. When night falls, lanterns hung from the eaves illuminate the tower, making it even more enchanting.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda, China @ Big Wild Goose Pagoda, China

2007-11-16T13:48:32.000Z

Originally built in 652 during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it functioned to collect Buddhist materials that were taken from India by the hierarch Xuanzang.

Xuanzang started off from Chang'an (the ancient Xian), along the Silk Road and through deserts, finally arriving in India, the cradle of Buddhism. Enduring 17 years and traversing 100 countries, he obtained Buddha figures, 657 kinds of sutras, and several Buddha relics. Having gotten the permission of Emperor Gaozong (628-683), Xuanzang, as the first abbot of Da Ci'en Temple, supervised the building of a pagoda inside it. With the support of royalty, he asked 50 hierarchs into the temple to translate Sanskrit in sutras into Chinese, totaling 1,335 volumes, which heralded a new era in the history of translation. Based on the journey to India, he also wrote a book entitled 'Pilgrimage to the West' in the Tang Dynasty, to which scholars attached great importance.

First built to a height of 60 meters (197 feet) with five stories, it is now 64.5 meters (211.6 feet) high with an additional two stories. It was said that after that addition came the saying-'Saving a life exceeds building a seven-storied pagoda'. Externally it looks like a square cone, simple but grand and it is a masterpiece of Buddhist construction. Built of brick, its structure is very firm. Inside the pagoda, stairs twist up so that visitors can climb and overlook the panorama of Xian City from the arch-shaped doors on four sides of each storey. On the walls are engraved fine statues of Buddha by the renowned artist Yan Liben of the Tang Dynasty. Steles by noted calligraphers also grace the pagoda.

As for the reason why it is called Big Wild Goose Pagoda, there is a legend. According to ancient stories of Buddhists, there were two branches, for one of which eating meat was not a taboo. One day, they couldn't find meat to buy. Upon seeing a group of big wild geese flying by, a monk said to himself: 'Today we have no meat. I hope the merciful Bodhisattva will give us some.' At that very moment, the leading wild goose broke its wings and fell to the ground. All the monks were startled and believed that Bodhisattva showed his spirit to order them to be more pious. They established a pagoda where the wild goose fell and stopped eating meat. Hence it got the name 'Big Wild Goose Pagoda'.

Depart Xi'an @ Xi'an Xianyang Airport, China

2007-11-17T11:30:00.000Z

Leaving Xi'an and on to Shanghai

Arrive Shanghai @ Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China

2007-11-17T13:30:17.000Z

Well we are now in Shanghai the travel agent didn't rearrange our transportation after being stuck in Beijing and extra day so we had to get a cab to the Hotel that was a tad expensive 600 Yuan but about average for an hour trip (works out at just over 90 AUD).

Arrive Hotel @ Pacific Hotel, China

2007-11-17T15:00:00.000Z

Now at the hotel alot older than i though but still reasonably nice, no coffee in the room so mum not too happy. Mum went out to the 10 story shopping complex next door and found coffee and a whole heap of different takeaway food for dinner. I think we will have an early night as the flying does get to you and will get up early to go exploring tomorrow.

Went shopping in Shanghai @ Shanghai, China

2007-11-18T11:42:00.000Z

Today we went for a walk in the Shanghai people's park was very nice and clean, then we had coffee and a guy sined our shoes even though we didn't want it done. We had a quick lookaround the street near our hotel and found some Tibetan's selling stuff at a market and i got mum a paryer bowl and she got some jewlery. There is Shanghai's Wax Museum next door so we are going there after lunch.

More Shopping @ Shanghai, China

2007-11-19T13:27:00.000Z

Hi All not much to report today as all we are doing is shopping in the biggest shopping malls most of them are 10 stories tall or more. How much shopping can you really do. Any way we are off to Hong Kong tomorrow will give you an update when I get a chance.

Depart Shanghai @ Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China

2007-11-20T00:00:00.000Z

Arrive Hong Kong SAR @ Hong Kong Inter-National Airport (Chek Lap Kok Airport), Hong Kong S.A.R., China

2007-11-20T14:30:00.000Z

Arrive Hotel @ Guangdong Hotel, Hong Kong S.A.R., China

2007-11-20T15:30:00.000Z

http://asiatravel.com/hongkong/guangdong/index.html

Shopping in Hong Kong @ Hong Kong Science Museum, Hong Kong S.A.R., China

2007-11-21T10:00:00.000Z

Today we had a free day in Hong Kong so we just went walking around Kwaloon. We found the Museum of History and the Science Museum which were excellent and free too. We only had to pay extra to see the Dinosaur exhibition which was really cool. We spent the rest of the day shopping in the back streets of Kwaloon in the shopping arcades. Tomorrow were off to Disneyland. Yippe !!!

Hong Kong Dinsneyland @ Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong S.A.R., China

2007-11-22T10:00:00.000Z

Today we went to Disneyland and it was excellent we saw a 3D interactive show, live stage show of the Golden Mickey's (like the Oscar's) and saw the Lion King story on stage. They also had the whole place set up fro Christmas and it was spectacular even with bubbles comming down from the roofs like snow. We went on Space Mountain which was so cool (a rollercoaster in pitch black) and thestreet parade and fireworks show at the end of the night was just the icing on the cake.

Tour of Hong Kong Island @ Victoria Peak Lookout, Hong Kong S.A.R., China

2007-11-23T09:00:00.000Z

Today we went on a tour of Kong Kong Island the second biggest after Lantu (where the airport and Disneyland are). We went up the 119 year old calbe car tram to the top of Victoria Peak (450ft above sea level) and then we went to the Aberdeen fishing village where we went on a sanpan tour of the bay and to see the way the fishermen live. We then went on a tour of the Hong Kong Jewllers and then finished the day off at the Stanley Markets which are a bit like Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne.

Depart Hong Kong @ Depart Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong S.A.R., China

2007-11-24T13:30:00.000Z

Arrive Singapore @ Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

2007-11-24T17:20:00.000Z

Arrive Hotel @ Novotel Clarke Quay, Singapore

2007-11-24T18:30:00.000Z

http://www.novotel.com/novotel/fichehotel/gb/nov/5993/fiche_hotel.shtml

Breakfast at the Zoo @ Singapore Zoo, Singapore

2007-11-25T06:00:00.000Z

Today we went for breakfast at the Singapore Zoo and had the Orangutans come down for thier breakfast too there was a baby orangutan that was so cute. Then we went and saw the Polar Bears feeding and went on a ride around the zoo tram.

http://www.zoo.com.sg/index.htm

Night Tour @ Raffles Hotel, Singapore

2007-11-26T18:00:00.000Z

Today didn't do much as it is so humid and we had a huge rain storm for a few hours which cooled things down a bit. Mum went to see the temples and i just relaxed at the hotel for a while. Tonight we went on a tour of the city. We had dinner at a hot rock restaurant by the harbour where you have to cook your own meal on a really hot rock. We then went to the shopping distric which really isn't that cheap, and finnished the night off drinking Singapore Slings at Raffle's Hotel in the Long Bar. Raffle's is the most expensive 5 Star Hotel with on suite costing S$6,000 per night.

http://singapore-raffles.raffles.com/

Sentosa, Singapore @ Sentosa, Singapore

2007-11-27T07:01:12.000Z

Today we went to Sentosa Island which was like a theme park. We went on the 4D Digimax Show to see a pirates movie them we went on the Cineblast an interactive logride roller coaster. We also went in the skytower, the images of Singapore exhibition and climbed the Merlion and trecked Dragon's Walk. We then went to the underwater aquarium where you can walk under the water with the shark's and fish swimming above you and finished off on the Cable Car back to Singapore City. Was a very busy day, we are now heading out to Changi Airport to catch our flight home.

http://www.sentosa.com.sg

Depart Singapore @ Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

2007-11-27T16:12:00.000Z

Well were back at Changi Airport waiting for our flight home, i can tell you i'm not looking forward to the 7 hour flight but wil be good to get home.

Arrive Melbourne @ Home, Australia

2007-11-28T04:10:11.000Z

Finally we have made it back to home soil, what a trip!

Arrive Home @ Home, Australia

2007-11-28T07:15:00.000Z

Well we are home now and started unpacking. We managed to bring back almost 100kg in luggage and about 60kg was souvenirs good thing they don’t check how heavy your hand luggage is. Anyway have to say that was a trip of a lifetime and can’t wait for my next adventure overseas something a bit shorter next time as it’s just so much to take in. Thanks for following my trip and feel free to add comments if you would like some more information about anywhere we went.

James