Day 12 - Terracotta dream come true

Emma awoke with a sore frou frou/ moo moo from cycling yesterday. Marissa and Jordan later confessed their similar affliction and we're waddling like pandas today. Strangely Gill unaffected.

Had a yummy international breakfast - full English and French toast joined by Popa the hostel cat. Hoping he's not for dinner as very cute.It was a drizzly misty day, but this didn't dampen our excitement and the mountains still looked beautiful en route to the terracotta warriors.

Wow! After 43 years Gill finally gets to see the terracotta warriors and meet the farmer who discovered them, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. We were blown away by the vastness of the pits, even though the 3 we saw only represents a tiny fraction of the entire army. Impressed by the detailed craftsmanship, each being individually modelled on one of emperor Ching's warriors. Leilei told us the fascinating history of the warriors which allowed us to appreciate the cruelty of China's first emperor, but also admire his leadership and intellect. This really brought the experience to life. In some way perhaps the Chinese beliefs around afterlife are being realised for these warriors, through this awe-inspiring archaeological discovery. The life of the farmer and his family was changed irrevocably by this, as he now spends his days as an additional tourist attraction...or celebrity? Unsure whether this is a blessing or a curse.

A lovely evening relaxing and playing cards with the group. Leilei took us to another great restaurant. Food has been excellent in Xian. All packed and prepared for a 6 hour bus ride to Shaolin tomorrow. The adventure continues...

Gill & Em x
P.S. Got told to 'keep the noise down' tonight as we celebrated receiving our year 2 results with whoops of delight. Prayers to Buddha for academic success clearly worked! Both very pleased.Read more