The care for our well being was always evident. It certanily was evident when Pat took ill while we were on the bike ride; nothing really serious (weakness due to the heat), but she simply would not be able to complete the ride. Our guide, Julie, got us effortlessly to a point of rest while she made alternative arrangments. Pat took a quiet, cool, relaxing bamboo raft to a little village on the river that was to be the terminal of the bike ride. While she was rafting regally down the river Julie and I finished the scenic bike ride. We met up at a cafe overlooking the river and enjoyed one terrific lunch of local dishes. We all then rafted back to Yangshuo. What could have been a wasted day turned out to be a fantastic experience.

Julie was a wonerfully personable guide. We had many moments of laughter and exchanges of life experience stories from our respective countries. She taught us a little Chinese while she sharpened her English.

We had a delightful hike along the river for the better part of one day. The water of the river being high, Julie had to alter the route several times, having us rafted back and forth across the river to avoid impassable trails. Gosh, that was such fun (although it was probably a lot of worry and work for Julie) and the scenery was gorgeous. Another terrific lunch that day as well, overlooking the river.

Yangers arranged for our tour of the rice terraces as well as the Yangshuo area and Julie accompanied us there, too. We are so glad we went there. The scenery was beautiful and Julie, once again, made sure we didn't bite off more than we could chew. She was very attentive. We had really only one day to see the terraces and the weather looked uncooperative but it cleared sufficiently by afternoon and Julie led us on an absolutely terrific walk. Somehow she knew to wait until afternoon. Others were meeting guides and heading out in the morning, in the fog, no doubt wasting hours walking and climbing and seeing nothing.

On our final day in the Guilin-Yangshuo-Rice Terraces area Ian of Yangers joined us and Julie for an excusion to the Ling Canal, an off the beaten track location that provided us with a wonderful experience of local life. I don't think we saw one westerner the whole day. The canal and abuting waterway was teeming with local life which is what we love to experience where ever we travel. We had the best ever noodle dishes for lunch in a "hole-the-wall" place along the canal.

We stayed at the fantastic Li River Retreat while in Yangshuo. What a great place. Large beautiful room. We ate at the Retreat every night because the food was so good. The scenery from our room was thrilling --and the air conditioning was a welcomed relief from the heat and humidity.

There is so much to mention. We certainly want to recognize Ian's help in securing domestic flight arrangments from Hong Kong into Guilin and out of Guilin to the Wuyuan area up near Shanghai. He got us in touch with folks up there who arranged our visit to villages around that area.

We've been on many trips around the world but this one was about the most satisfying and worry-free.

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Xiao Su, the driver, and Alf arrived right on time. Everything had been arranged the day before; bikes, food and water were all loaded in the back. I just needed my camera and a change of clothes.

The drive to Guilin is normally just a chore but at this time in the morning the road was clear and the hills were glorious with a rosy sky behind. We made good time and met the two ladies at the Universal Hotel in Guilin. I stayed there many times as a tour leader so it was strange to see it now in a  different light.

Eight O'Clock was still a bit early for most people leaving to do the famous Li River Cruise. They were still at breakfast and so formalities were soon over and we left, heading for the start point. Before we even got there, Alf had a call to say that someone had left a wallet in the room. Though Amy had to return and miss the start of the ride, that averted a possible disaster.

Georgina, Alf and I set off on our mountain bikes, using the relatively flat first section to warm up and get to know each other. Alf had taken the two for a Guilin City Tour the day before but this was my first meeting.

The kilometres rolled away under our wheels with Alf pointing out the local crops and giving a run down of local issues. We soon arrived at a small town where we stopped for Guilin Miefen (local rice noodles - a favourite breakfast). Still no sign of Xiao Su and Amy so we carried on.

We stopped at the first section of Li River and watched a local lady busy at her laundry. We could just about make out the Li River Cruise Docks at the end of the straight. The car caught up with us not long after we had passed there. Amy was amazed by the distance we had covered but none of us was really feeling it yet. Good bikes make all the difference.

The four of us now carried on together. We stopped again at an abandoned temple now used as a community centre. The pool table at the back looked like it could have done with a brick or two for levelling off. No-one seemed to care.

The flat ended soon after that. Alf considered the first hill just a warm-up and told us that the day included two much bigger ones. The first of those started as we left the road heading to Crown Cave and turned left. The sign clearly said Xingping though no road is marked on any local map. No wonder - the tarmac gave way to dirt and the switchbacks ahead soon became obvious.

I ride a fair bit and so the relentless up was no great hardship. Georgina was coping well and Amy did after we sorted out her gears. Alf, cheeky chap, dropped back until he could use the support car for a lift - a fact we would not have noticed had Xiao Su stopped further back as instructed. Fortunately for us he either didn't understand or was having his own little laugh and Alf had to make excuses.

With the height gained we could now see for tens of kilometres all around. The best views were to the west, over the Li River and to an absolutely stunning backdrop.

We passed Da Tian (Big Field), a charming little village with a style of porch over the doors that I had never seen before. New breeze-block buildings were going up all around so, no doubt, this innovation will disappear before long.

Despite the noodles, hunger struck not long after twelve. We could see the lunch spot, a small lake, far below and had great fun free-wheeling all the way down and around to a patch of green grass that would serve as our picnic site.

Alf had a couple of bags of goodies to fill our bellies to bursting. We didn't eat it all but certainly felt heavy as we set off again. We took it easy for a while but then, with the next big hill on us, had no choice but to drop down the gears and go for it.

At the top, the scenery was quite different. The hills were more open and the road contoured around on an almost treeless landscape. We could see big mountains off to the east but not the conical ones that have made the Guilin/Yangshuo area so famous.

The next descent was welcome but less enjoyable. The road here was very bumpy and arms and bums began to ache. We stopped just before reaching the valley floor as the views out over the now lush looking paddy fields was well worth a photo stop even if none of us had the camera or skill to quite capture the beauty completely. Cows and goats took the opportunity to get snapped too, on their way back from a drink down in the brook below.

The run into Xingping is pretty much flat. We went past a couple of great swimming spots but, it being only March, we were not tempted in.

We entered Xingping but did not head to the guesthouse straight away. Alf had one more activity planned first.

We took the bikes on the short ride out of town to a spot now famous, especially with domestic tourists. After a day of stunning scenery it was hard to say that this spot was better than any other - but since the view we were now looking at had been chosen to decorate the back of every 20 Yuan note we decided it was worth a visit. Like everyone else we took a couple of photos holding up the brown note just to mark the occasion.

We celebrated the end of the bike ride with a beer on the guesthouse rooftop. Alf and I then headed back home to Yangshuo to freshen up and collect our respective boys from school. The two ladies stayed in Xingping as Alf would return next day to cycle with them the rest of the way to Yangshuo. I would have to miss out on that; other work to do.

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