Sunday June 14 - Ping Liang to Xi'an

Tamar woke us at 6 am by walking around our camp-site and banging on some pots and pans with an old wooden spoon. There is a feeling of excitement and sadness on the Truck today as we near Xi'an and the end of our 4 1/2 week segment Kathmandu/Xi'an. We have been through a lot together: the tough cold times of Everest, the breaking down of the Truck, and the health struggles with altitude. The group in its entirety has at all times been cohesive, supportive, fun-loving, and great companions. We wish them all well with their lives and their further travels from Xi'an to Beijing, Shanghai, HongKong, S. America, the US, Norway, etc etc. The road to Xi'an was paved, straight and fast - of course, it still had the odd patch of dirt over a bridge, or where there had ben a mud/rock slide on the road. As we neared Xi'an, it became less mountainous and we ended up in a fertile valley approaching the city. We had one stop in a gas station; a brand, new, huge, building for a shop, restaurant, and badmington court but absolutely no one it it....and the snacks were stacked on the shelves minimally, and in perfect order. We arrived in Xi'an around 1:30/2:pm and checked into an amazing hotel right in the centre of the walled city. First thing we did was to go and eat, then we walked down all the little streets around the area, ostensibly looking for a laundry and internet but also just enjoying the ambience created by the energy of the people. Its hard to believe this is a communist country; its almost a "US-wannabe" atmosphere. Consumerism at its height; a lot of ads show Western people, fashion is huge, both for men and women But there's a contrast. The wide avenues, shopping malls etc. are frequented by fashion-conscious young people driven by the glitz and glamour and the manipulative advertisements. The tiny lanes behind the main avenues, where the vendors shops are tiny - or on the street, are inhabited by another world more intent on survival. We eventually came across The Bell Tower Youth Hostel and went in there to check on Internet and laundry; seemed an obvious source to us...and it was. Laundry Y25 a bag and Internet Y6 an hour. Perfect! Also, fabulous atmosphere, pub, dining, and general relax area. Typical hostel - like some we had stayed in in South America. We are amazed that most of the "tourists" are Chinese from other parts of the country, and the kids in the hostel were largely young Chinese. We reported back to our group who were delighted to find beer at Y10 as opposed to Y44 at the hotel The hostel became our "tryst". We had our group dinner in the evening meeting around 7:30 pm. Myles, our Chinese guide took us to a fabulous restaurant specializing in Peking duck. The food was fabulous: red pork, a beef dish, chicken and peanuts (a little hot spice!), a fish dish, an aubergine/vegetable mix, rice, all delicious and very similar to what we would find in a good Chinese restaurant in Canada. I've even mastered using chopsticks, so all is good! After dinner, we wandered around looking for some where to go for a drink. We ended up in a few unsavoury joints before 4 of us left the group and sat down at one of the street tables where the chap had the beer on the table before we had time to hit the bench seat! Much more fun!!