It was an early start to get to the station for the 07:30 train to Fujian that meant getting up at around 05:00 to check out of the hostel and get on the Metro for about an hour or so (and it was already busy) to ensure we were at the station in time for boarding the bullet train. It was a long sitting down journey, trying to sleep, at least for the first part. The train although travelling at close to 250 km/h in between the endless stops, didn’t arrive in Fujian until about 16:30. The cost of these bullet trains is ridiculously cheap, only about £16 for effectively a 1st class comfortable seat. Every time we came out of a tunnel the scenery changed from a flat urban landscape into more mountainous regions, it was quite a sight.

Waiting for us at the station was the next guide and a small, cramped mini van which had barely enough leg room for a dwarf. On the 2 hour journey to the dinner stop, the guide insisted on playing really bad R&B, shitey, whiney karaoke music. I honestly do not know how the diver could concentrate with that blaring out… maybe I am just too old? After dinner we were squeezed back into the van and it was another 40 minutes of that music to put up with as well as lots of twisting and turning roads until we reached our guesthouse. The guesthouse was something very different indeed. It was a Fujian Tulou, basically a large mud round house with 4 or 5 floors in which the Hakka and Minnan ethnic minorities still live in, with each family occupying a floor. Some of those families offer rooms to guests and tourists so it was a pleasure to stay there. They even had WiFi.

The village is fairly quiet and remote with a few hotels and bars, and a river flowing through it. I couldn’t see much at night but we wondered down to a bar and had a few drinks where they made a really nice passion fruit cocktail with local plum liquor and whisky too. Somehow it tasted just like sherbet lemons.

Next morning after a decent lie-in we transferred to a different guest house where we had breakfast of steamed buns and scrambled eggs, orange juice and bizarrely Coca Cola. Then it was a short walk to another round house to sample about 10 varieties of tea. Some were really nice like the green tea, burdock tea and black tea, whilst others such as the Jasmin tea tasted like a pot-purri air freshener. The ground floors of these round houses tend to be small shops and family run businesses whilst the families live on one of the floors above. It was here that I realised why people looked at me oddly when I asked for coffee at breakfast as this region is famed for its tea growing. I also tried some variation on peanut butter sweets and also some sesame seed jelly which again were really nice.

After a quick walk around the UNESCO world heritage site village and taking in some of the views, it was back to the guest house for a little rest before a 20 minute walk to a quiet spot in the river where we could have a swim. There was a pool being filled with a natural waterfall surrounded by gentle rocks and forest. The water wasn’t crystal clear but it was clear enough and shallow enough in places to lay on the rocks and let the cool water flow over but equally deep enough in places that you could jump in of the rocks and not touch the bottom. It was a great way to spend the afternoon cooling off.

Before dinner, we got into the van and drove up the mountain to watch the sun set over the tea plantations. However a storm was imminent, and clouds with thunder and lightening blocked the view so it was really a wasted effort.

Next morning, the sky had cleared and it was a perfect day for a quick bike tour. Fortunately is was mostly downhill and there was a support van with us carrying water, etc. Stopped off at a nearby village and visited its temple and then carried on for another hour or so until we reached the biggest roundhouse in the region. Just time for a quick walk around and then press on to the village for an ice cream and to meet the van which would drive us back to the guesthouse.

The afternoon was free time to sit and relax before catching the night train to Guangzhou East where we would board a public bus to take us to Zhuhai, the border with Macau. It was a bit of a rush to get from the night train to the bus and we barely made it. Crossing the border was straight forward enough and I got the exit stamp in my passport.

In Macau, we dropped our bags off at one of the huge casinos and then explored a couple of them which seemed a hybrid of casino, shopping centres and hotel. Visited Galaxy and the Venetian both huge complexes.

Fortunately here in Macau the public transport is free, all paid for by the casinos so it was easy to get around. If I’m being honest I could have done without all the casino faff as super typhoon Mangkhut was about to hit Hong Kong and Macau. Lots of the building were preparing for the worst and applying tape to the windows. Only had a few hours here and in the old town but that was more than enough. At around tea time, we caught the hydrofoil ferry back to Kowloon and although they issued typhoon warnings and advised to expect a rough crossing, it was actually really fast and smooth. It only took an hour and there was plenty of space.

So back in Kowloon where my China adventure began and checked into the the same hostel as before. During the night you could hear the winds getting up but the worst of it was to hit the next day. I checked out of the hostel early and made it in time to a hotel, just 2 minutes walk away, but already the rain was lashing down and the winds were strong, blowing signs and trees over. Disaster struck as my umbrella I had borrowed from the hostel blew inside out and then was wrenched from my hands by the wind. Fortunately my room was ready before the scheduled check in time and was able to stay safe up on 17th floor, away from any flooding. However when the winds blew, the whole hotel began to sway and I could see the light fixtures and coat hangers swing too. Looking out of the window I could see various objects being blown around and tiles dropping onto car windscreens. Luckily the night before I had bought some provisions from a local shop so was quite happy.

The typhoon passed south of Hong Kong so we missed the worst of it. The following morning there were lots of trees down and mess everywhere but the clean up operation began almost immediately and life returned to normal.

I have done a complete circuit of China now, albeit spending a brief amount of time in each place, but it is a great place to visit and I would recommend it to anyone.

Really pleased I got to see the pandas, the Terracotta Warriors and the Great Wall but there is so much to see and do. Couple of advisories though, bring a roll on deodorant as any flammable spray ones or insect repellents are confiscated at the metro stations with airport style security and try and avoid August / September as it is so hot and humid. I really want to return, but perhaps in winter.