Bicycle

Day 32: Beijing (CN). In the short time that we had been in Beijing we had really grown to love the Chinese capital – from its people, to its sights to its food – it was a fascinating place to visit. But Karen and I were keen to see the real Beijing, the Beijing behind the 'must-see' tourist sights and the shopping-mall glitz. We wanted to explore the city's Hutong (neighbourhoods) that criss-crossed the city, linking together and forming a huge, enchanted warren of single-storey, ramshackle dwellings and historic courtyard homes. And when you're in Beijing, the only way to do that is hire a bicycle and join in with the city's 8 million other cyclists!

Cycling in Beijing isn't quite as nerve racking as you might think. Sure, you do have to have your wits about you with so may vehicles of every description competing for each inch of road space; but with the city as flat as a chessboard and ample bicycle lanes it really was a great way to get around this sprawling metropolis.

The day's bright sunshine wasn't only perfect for cycling – The locals were taking to Beijing's parks in their thousands, making the most of the fine weather and practising their Tai Chi, Bai Dai and Poi. Stopping by Jingshan Park to take in the fantastic panoramic views of the city, Karen and I were warmly welcomed and actively encouraged to get involved.

The park with its hilltop temples and botanical gardens provided an excellent opportunity to seek sanctuary from the noise and pace of city living, where throughout the park inspirational messages are posted to facilitate the search for inner calm. On one sign we read the words “Be Careful People - The Pathways can be Steep and the Road in between is Always Slippery”. Karen and I tried to decide whether this was a public service notice warning of the condition of the park's pavements or some deep philosophical message hinting at the difficulties of achieving ultimate enlightenment. Oh well, whatever!