We're all going on a summmmer holiday

Going to be away for a week as of tomorrow because its our birthdays (1 year & 4 days apart!) and originally he was going to take me to Phuket or somewhere beachy but I declined based on
1) increasing fear of flying
2) wanted to go somewhere new (last 2 trips were to Thailand)
3) living near the sea has striped away some of the attraction of a beach type holiday (although they are hardly comparable because the beach nearby ain't exactly fannytastic)....

SO we instead got ourselves visas (£120ish - ouch!) to go to China because we can get a choo choo there, I'm excited but nervous because I've never been on a sleeper before, I'm hoping we won't be put in a cabin with smelly, snoring, space invading men and I've been told they play annoying music throughout the train hmmm need to get some ear plugs...

Well looking forward to a week of abnormality without technology, just essentials plus some playtools - travel scrabble, some dicey word game, books & sketchbook.

We are planning to go to Guilin & Yangshuo via Shenzen then to Guanzhou before heading home but we'll see how that goes because you can't buy the train tickets in advance in Hong Kong so relying on the hope it won't be booked up !