Author Archives: anna

Hangzhou and some Emperor Longjing Tea

The outer city high-speed rail terminal of Shanghai came as something as a surprise to us, though given the investment China has been inputting into its rail links over the past few years it probably shouldn’t have. It was light, … Continue reading

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

On the Trail of J.G. Ballard and New Wave Art in Shanghai

The overnight train from Hong Kong to Shanghai was very comfortable and fast, a pretty standard sleeper train that goes at 160km/h with four person berth cabins, a toilet at the end of the corridor and an open plan sink … Continue reading

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Among the Karst Peaks of Yangshuo, Guanxi Province

The moment we arrived at the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat, we knew we were somewhere special. We were dropped off by taxi on a deserted, wet mountain road which wound its way through immense karst peaks (irregular limestone formations) that dominated … Continue reading

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

From the City to the Mountains by Train and Bus

When it came to navigating our way through China, we knew that we wanted to spend some time in the more rural countryside outside of the power and manicness of its cities. We were due to meet Alex’s parents in … Continue reading

Posted in Travel | Leave a comment

Hanoi

We stepped off the train in Hanoi at 5am in the morning and were greeted by the chill of a misty platform which was quickly filling up with taxi and tuk-tuk drivers. We had been advised to always go with … Continue reading

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Night Herons and Elephants of the Forgotten City in Huế

Huế is a town with a rich history and a turbulent past which has dragged it through everything from the feudal dynasty of the Nguyễn Lords in 17th-19th centuries through to the Tet offensive and massacre at Huế by Communist forces in … Continue reading

Posted in Travel | Tagged , | 2 Comments