Japan

The Land of the Rising Sun rated on top of our list of favourite places. Erwin had wanted to visit Japan for many years. While the country was not on our original itinerary, we were so pleased to have had our world trip culminate here.

The friendliness and openness of the Japanese people impressed us time and time again. They've changed a lot since WWII... We loved the natural beauty of Japan, the fabulous geisha tradition and the fabulous fresh sushi. Most of all, though, we absolutely loved the onsens.

The best hot spring we enjoyed was Karukaya Onsen in Hida, just outside Takayama in the Japan Alps National Park. This outdoor onsen is stunningly located amid majestic Japanese mountains, and complete with rocky caves and bubbling fountains. It was our first mixed-gender hot spring (most onsens have separate facilities for men and women) and we were grateful to the lovely Japanese couple who showed us the ropes. They also engaged us in an interesting and amusing conversation. Despite the language barrier, we managed to communicate quite well.

Communication is rarely a problem in Japan (unlike China), as many Japanese speak at least very basic English. Those who don't will make every effort to communicate and make you feel welcome, wherever you happen to be.

The only downside in Japan (unfortunately there is one) is the expense. Japan ranks among the world's most expensive countries. There are a few ways to save money: buy a Japan Rail Pass before you arrive in the country - Japanese shinkansen (high-speed trains) are fast and efficient but very costly- and book accommodation as early as possible.

Tokyo



Nikko

Kyoto

Takayama

China

A different world

We spent 6 weeks in the People's Republic. After a short time in the country, we came to refer to it (not exactly affectionately) as "Stinky China". We could also have called it Over-populated China. Or Smoggy, Polluted China. Or Uncivilised China. Our frustrations while travelling throughout this vast country prompted many names - none of them flattering.

There are many things we disliked about China. In short, we found that its people are rude and uncivilised, cities are crowded and heavily polluted, and foreigners wishing to volunteer their time are viewed with suspicion. There were a few good things . . .

Beijing
The Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City are must-see sites. But the best thing about Beijing is its proximity to The Great Wall. We hiked the 10-kilometre route from Simatai to Jingshanling, which because of the steep and stony trail took us about four hours to complete. The wall at Simatai is only partially repaired so it affords a more genuine impression of the original wall. The views during the trek, including sharp peak after sharp peak, are fantastic.

By the way: There are certainly not 9 million bicycles in Beijing. Not sure where Katie Melua got that idea.

Qingdao
We were looking forward to a few nice days on the beach. Unfortunately, the coast was covered in algae and the whole city smelled of rotten eggs. But the beer was good.

Shanghai

This dynamic city has an interesting combination of modern and old architecture. Some neighborhoods are lovely, including the charming French Concession with tree-lined streets, crumbling European buildings and upmarket boutique

s.

Hangzhou

The Chinese Tourism Board incessantly promotes this city. 'Come to Hangzhou. Discover the mystery of China.' Marco Polo even once claimed that Hangzhou was the most beautiful city in the world. That was a long time ago. We didn't discover any mystery to Hangzhou, but it was the nicest place we visited in China. The city is quaint and picturesque.