18 day group tour from Sep 23 - Oct 10th.  The 11 hour flight wizzed by thanks to Virgin's 40 on demand movies, but the 5 hour stopover in Shanghai after an overnite flight was a drag (thanks Newmarket!!)

Beijing highlights: Great Wall, Forbidden City, Hutong's ("back alley"housing)

Beijing lowlights: Traffic (more cars than bikes!) and constant haze

Xian highlights: Terracotta warriors, City Wall, Muslim Quarter, Shopping

Searching for Wild Panda highlights: Actually seeing one of the suckers (see video below!)

Searching for Wild Panda lowlights: 1.25 days bus in each direction, 8 km trek to huts, pit toilets, no running water & cold/damp rooms & finding out of skittish panda's are (we only saw 1 & it was from 60 meter's away for 3 minutes)

Yangtze Cruise highlights: Spectacular scenery

Yangtze Cruise lowlights: Realizing one of the 3 Gorge's has already been flooded by the dam, constant rain/fog, our 3 day cruise lasting only 2 days

Shanghai highlights: A spectacular skyline that rival's Hong Kong, nearby Suzhuo other tranquil old water cities, riding the fastest train in the world(see video below)