Waiting

And waiting

And waiting

And waiting

Until finally, we set off from Beijing 2 1/2 hours late, at 03:30. We boarded the plane, a very fancy airbus 380 (the airlines version of a double decker bus) only to sit on the tarmac for 45 minutes before we taxied for take off. These things have no air con when standing still. I felt like the Xmas turkey, the self basting variety.

Of course, the delay in Beijing meant that we missed our connecting flight in Amsterdam so had to get a new flight sorted out, but eventually, some 27 hours after setting off from Guilin, we arrived home, and what did I do - I made myself a bacon sandwich. We've had some wonderful and sometimes, strange food in China (chickens feet and roasted cartilage have to be high up on the list) but there is something very comforting in a bacon sandwich.

When I get a chance to sift through the holiday snaps, I will post a few choice offerings and add a bit more commentary of the highlights of the trip but right now, I'm going to get 40 winks. Out for dinner with friends tonight. May just slump into my soup.