(From our trip in April 2018)

This morning we were to go to the Xian train station and board our fast train to Beijing.  I had bought our tickets online but there was no “print at home” option unfortunately so the tickets had to be collected from a specific counter at the train station.  The intructions were a little confusing and I was a little concerned about how this process would go given our limited Chinese.  I mentioned this to our tour guide Bryan Bai  yesterday who we had booked our private driver with.  Bryan organised for the driver to arrive early so that he could park at the station and come in and help us collect the tickets.  When we walked into the station all I could see was chaos.  The ticketing counters were packed with what can only be described as organised mayhem.  It was impossible to know which line to go into for pre purchased tickets since there didn’t appear to be any sort of “lining up, waiting your turn” type system.  For a rule follower like me this was an anxiety producing scene.  Thank goodness for the driver – he just pushed and shoved his way to the front of a counter with a “just hand me the tickets and noone get’s hurt” attitude!  Forget Superman, Batman and Thor….this guy was my super hero.  Without his help we literally would not have been able to collect the tickets so I’m super duper grateful.

(From our trip in April 2018)

Today is a bucket list day for me for sure.  I have wanted to see the Terracotta Warriors for years and years and I am finally going to.  It’s a funny thing, ticking off a bucket list item.  You build it up so much in your mind beforehand it’s always a toss of the coin as to how good it will be.

To ensure that we had the best experience I started hunting online for an amazing private guide months and months before our trip.  I was trawling the Trip Advisor forums and kept seeing this man’s name pop up as an amazing guide.  Over and over I saw Bryan Bai’s name referred to with ooh’s and aah’s but I could never find a web address for him or a spot for all of his reviews online.  It was like trying to find a superhero who didn’t want to be found.  It was really quite frustrating and eventually like the true stalker I am, I messaged someone on the forum who raved about him and then I was cooking with gas.  From the minute I first contacted Bryan Bai he was so warm and wise and wonderful…..all the W words and a whole lot of other letters of the alphabet.  You all know I love me a good tour guide and that my standards are pretty high so if I tell you someone is good – you better believe they are GOOOODDDDD!!!!

(From our trip in April 2018)

Finally it’s time to get the hell out of Disney Dodge….I couldn’t be more pleased to reset, exorcise the Disney demons and get this show on the road…or in the air as we are heading to Pudong Airport in a cab to fly to Xian.

The airport is a large and intense situation but fortunately since we are flying out early the crowds are low.  I can imagine during “peak flying” time this place would be stressful with a capital PASS THE VALIUM!!!

(From our trip in April 2018)

WARNING – my loves – there’s going to be some swearing in this post.  Lots and lots of it in fact.  There’s going to be some ranting and raving, a bit of self pity (I’m throwing a pity party actually) and did I mention a whole truckload of F’s bombs will be dropping.  I usually just skirt around the edges of being foul mouthed on the blog but today, well today I’m diving right into the ocean of mcsweary and generally leaving my ladylike manners at the door – so brace yourselves!!!