Night view from Hotel room window in Hong Kong

Tour Finished

Well very sadly the tour finished yesterday and we flew to Hong Kong to meet Adam who arrived a couple of hours before us and Jess & Matt who arrived a couple of hours after. Staying on the 35 floor of the Langham Place which has magnificent views over HK (will post a night & day picture later). The holiday starts now as touring is bloody hard work at times and while you see a fantastic amount it could not be called relaxing. Adam had a great time in Vietnam, couldn't get over how cheap it was and how much he liked the people, food and culture. 

Our tour group of 20 Aussies & Kiwis was also excellent, no one over the whole tour was ever late or went missing and I never heard a cross word spoken between anyone. I couldn't get over how well travelled the group was and I doubt you could mention one place in the world that some member hadn't been to. The average age would have been over 65 but all where fit and energetic and some were a real barrel of laughs. 7 couples ' 2 sets of sisters (all widows) and two female single supplements in group. 

Shanghai

Big day in Shanghai today, Shanghai Museum first then visit to the Bund, after lunch we went up 88 floors in the Jin Mao Tower to the observation deck, then a ride on the Maglev (magnetic levatation ) train to the Airport and back. After that it was off to the French Concession for a drink before dinner finished with a night cruise on the river. Pictures in sections.

Russell

The French Concession Area

Night Cruise

The Bund Side

Pudong Side

Interesting Bridge Access

Maglev Train

Shanghai to airport, 31 kms at top speed of 431 kms per hour, drops to 360 when passing the other train returning, pass each other in 0.1 seconds. Cost $10 NZ each way. 

Jin Mao Tower

Lift goes 88 floors at 10 meters a second. Takes just under 40 seconds for 340 meters. In the centre you can look down from 88 floor to 56 floor which is lobby of Grand Hyatt Hotel. 

Tower from outside

Lift floor & height indicator

Shanghai Tower being built next door, will be 560 meters when finished

Looking down the Hyatt atrium, room corridors all the way down

The Bund from Tower 

The Bund

The old mainly British area of a Shanghai built 1880 to 1938 and looking across river to Pudong area built in the last 17 years. 

The building just left of the bottle opener is the one we went up. 

Financial market Bull on Bund

Silk Factory visit in Suzhou

Silk worms eating Mulberry leaves

Machine unrolling silk cocoons 

Spread silk for duvet inner (guess who has a new summer duvet inner)

Sights around Suzhou

Suzhou is now a high tech centre about 100 kms west of Shanghai but in the past was know for its gardens & canals. It is the start of the Grand Canal from Shanghai to Beijing (longest canal in world) built over 2,000 years ago with parts still in use today. 

Sight from Suzhou gardens and streets

Suzhou - Marco Polo called it the "Venice of the East" - over 1,000 years old

Random Photo's from around Guilin (Hastings sister City)

Reed Flute Caves - very much like Waitomo. 

Another Bloody Pearl Factory - Laureen will have no money left for HK !

They opened a fresh sea oyster for us and out popped this pearl. 

Cormorant Fishing at night - Sorry very dark and can't use flash. 

View from our Hotel