It’s another early start today - 8 am flight to Shanghai, followed by another flight to Beijing… spent around 12 hours in total in transit either being on the plane or twiddling our thumbs at the airports…

We had a whistle stop tour at Shanghai airport, which has some of the most confusing maps I’ve ever seen. We got lost a few times (not of our own fault, I’d like to add) and if not for Ko Bu, well, we might still be in Shanghai searching for the right terminal.

We were too busy sleeping to notice how Shanghai was like, even from the air (Ko Bu disputes this version, he says he was reading but I saw him sleeping), but we did see Beijing from the air, from the last seats on the plane (and we checked in early too!). The flight was bumpy but the views (when I did get glimpses) were very nice.

Beijing looks very big and sprawling from above, with lots of crazy high-rise buildings, like Singapore on steroids when it comes to flats. It isn’t that much different on the ground either, with lots of neon signs and busy streets.

The weather has turned nippy - it was about 5 or 6 degrees this evening, and we’re staying at a friendly little hostel called The Red Lantern House in the centre of town. We have a room with ensuite bathroom but the hot water doesn’t seem to be working…. ooohhh oooohhhh…..

Had a great dinner at Lotus Street at supposedly the best duck restaurant in town (according to Alex, a friend of Vic’s - friend from Vietnam days - who now lives in Beijing building wind turbines) called Quan Ju De. It was very good duck, and we demolished two full plates plus assorted side dishes in 45 minutes (we got to the restaurant late, like, 9.15 and the staff were itching to go home by 10.00).

The plan tomorrow is to do the Great Wall and with time, nip over to the Forbidden Palace too. It’s cold but good.