"Home Sweet Home!"

Touched down in Penang on Sunday night; what a relief to get away from the freezing weather in Beijing!

Day 1:

PEN-HKG-BEIJING. Upon touch down, we took a taxi to the hotel and immediately asked the hotel if they could help us purchase the train tickets to Datong. Luckily we got the soft sleeper seats, but couldn't secure the return tickets.

Day 2:

A bright and sunny day awaits! The weather was superb, clear blue sky. We went to Tiananmen Square, and onwards to the Forbidden City. The place was spectacularly beautiful and also DAMN HUGE. We walked 5 hours straight and couldn't even finish it! The subsequent trip to Beihai Park had to be cut short because our feets couldn't take it anymore and it got dark at 5PM.

Day 3:

Supposed to be Badaling Great Wall, but opted for something less punishing for our feets! Went to the Summer Palace. Unfortunately the temperature dropped drastically that day and it was also hazy. Pure suffering when the wind blew :D And also the Summer Palace was also SUPER HUGE. Wanted to complete the Temple of Heaven today also, but we wouldn't do justice to it if we rushed it through. Ok, straight go to Beijing West Train Station to take the train to Datong.

Day 4:

The train ride is an adventure by itself! The soft sleeper was a room with 2 double-decker beds. Reached Datong at 3AM, rented a hotel room to rest properly. Rented a taxi for the day to finish both the Yungang Caves and Hanging Monastery. The weather that day was the WORST ever. The Hanging Monastery was in a valley and the wind was blowing like mad. All the winter clothes also cannot help!

Day 5:

We managed to get the train back to Beijing, but it was hard sleeper! It was like a military bunker style 3 deck bed (so 6 in each compartment!) Arrived in Beijing, rest till noon before we went to the Temple of Heaven. The weather turned nice again. Skies were clear and less chilly. Thankfully we spent 1 whole day here because it is really a magnificent temple and an icon of China. Later that day we went to the Olympic's Bird Nest stadium. We were way behind schedule by this time :P

Day 6:

The Great Wall at Badaling. Surprisingly the weather was soothing up in the mountains, even with all the wind blowing. Getting to Badaling by public transport was one challenge by itself! People will try to do anything to con you to go to their tour. Even taxi drivers also don't want to send us to the bus station. Yeah, go figure! We spent 4 hours in the Wall, and walk until legs all injured..hahha.. we underestimated the challenge of the Great Wall :-S Again, we slipped behind schedule and couldn't go to the Ming Tombs.

Day 7:

OMG, the last day dy! Do we go for the Ming Tombs or what?? No more fooling around, on this day we finished FOUR places: Yonghegong Lama Temple, National Centre of the Performing Arts, Beijing Zoo and Hutong Tour! Haha... desperate dy :P

Day 8:
BEIJING-HKG-PEN. So happy to be back in Malaysia :D

Summary:

I have mixed feelings about the trip. Felt like mission not complete; missed out on the Ming Tombs, Chuandixia and Jinshanling Great Wall. Perhaps another visit on another time? BTW, we took over 4000 pictures, so hope to get these published soon! :P