When the Chinese smog blows away the result is, beautiful.

It happens once every few epochs, but here in central China, the smog does sometimes clear, to astonishing results. The sky returns to a shade of blue one forgot was possible. The landscape regains its spectrum. The smog seems to absorb vibrant colour, the result is world of grey and cigarette faded pastels. Today was one of those few periods of time in which I could see my surroundings...

Infographic of the day: 24 strange things you probably didn't know about China

 Are you thinking of coming here to China? Choosing where to stay can be a minefield filled with tasty noodles, firecrackers and maybe even a few new friends stuck in the mud somewhere along the way, but if you go to a city called Xiamen, here's a good idea of where not to stay, the Fawlty Towers of China. Secure Thoughts have provided me with this, awesome, new...

Serious Travel Aricle 25: Xi'an Part 4. The Terracotta Warriors

On our last day in Xi'an, we went to the train station to take the coach to the largest and best known atoll of interest in Xi'an. Far from the main archipelago and outside the protective lagoon of the city wall are the terracotta warriors. We were befriended on the bus by a group of public school leavers (probably Eton). They were on their travels after finishing school,...

Serious Travel Article 24: Xi'an Part 3. Return to Xi'an International Studies University and the Best Cake in Central China

On the next day Coco brought me to her old university, Xi'an International Studies University. It was a typical Chinese University, filled with old teaching blocks and seven story student dorms, six to a room with no running water, and no elevator to get up to the top floor. Inside the campus were tall leafy trees and abstract statues which meant nothing to me.  The Main Gate of...

Serious Travel Article 23: Xian Part 2. The Drum Tower and The Wild Goose Pagoda

Overlooking the end of the Muslim quarter is the drum tower. A rectangular based, traditional Chinese tower which looks solid enough to withstand a tsunami if it had to. Nearby the Drum Tower is Xi'an's famous Bell Tower. Despite my student card getting me half price entry, I still decided to choose only one to save a little money. Considering the bell tower's new job as roundabout centrepiece,...

Serious Travel Article 22: Xi'an Part 1. The Muslim Quarter

Xi'an feels like a collection of small coral islands scattered in the ocean. The parts of Xi'an you want to visit are the coral atolls, floating above a reflective sea of uninteresting glass and frozen waves of concrete. Surrounding the little islands is a barrier reef, worth visiting, protecting the little gems from the fury of the high seas. Xi'an involves a lot a pavement stomping, and after...

Rant of the Day: The Surprise Beaches of Xiamen City & Non accurate top 10 lists

While searching online for the best beaches in China, I found the following list: China's Top 9 Beaches: According to echinacities. "1) Bo'ao City, Hainan Province Bo'ao city, located in the middle of the east coast of Hainan, is itself regarded as a pleasant and historical small town to visit, surrounded by rice fields and notable for its restaurants and cultural sites. Bo'ao Beach is not far away, and...