Goodbye China

Shared taxi to airport with Saskia. Huw and Nan waved us off. China Eastern to Chengdu where we left Saskia at the mercy of the pandas. Got a bus to other terminal but we could have walked as it wasn’t far. Much security - had to collect bags the check them in again. 10 hour flight to Amsterdam. Watched “The favourite”:, disappointing, then Richard E Grant camping it up in ‘Can you ever forgive me?”good. Finished with binge of episodes of Little Big Lies, vg then a bit of Maria Callas but could not sleep. V tired but had to go through several screenings even though in transit in Amsterdam. The mahjong sets were of particular interest and each layer of tiles in the box was gone over. Could have had a good meal in China for the price of a coffee!

Despite having time left on our Chinese visa we won’t be returning. We’ve had a very interesting trip, but we did find it too touristy for us. (I can’t remember seeing any western tourists,p in Yunnan, and it was the off-season, but even so, the Chinese were there in large numbers). However, the high gorge walk and the walk into the rice terraces were quiet, and we saw some beautiful places, met nice people and ate tasty, very cheap food.

Last flight out of Amsterdam delayed so did not reach Newcastle till 11.15.

On the go for 27 hours, 3 flights, 1 metro and finally an hour’s drive to home. Very weary!