Chengdu, China - Hunting Panda

The train actually arrived an hour early at 5:30am but that still did not stop the train attendant grabbing my leg and shaking it to the point of almost pulling it off at 4:30am probably so the Chinese have time to make their breakfast instant noodles.

We were met at the station and taking to the Mix Hostel but then immediately jumped into a taxi after checking in, along with a French guy who has also just arrived, to go to the Panada Research and Breeding Centre just outside of town (darn Panadas are only active in the morning and then tend to sleep all day, at least they have it half right anyway).

We got out of the taxi as fast as we could not so much to rush to the Panadas but to escape the French guys apparent dislike of soap. The center was deserted as we walked around so early which was great and got some good undisturbed Panda viewing in before going to check out the Red Pandas which were more like raccoons or foxes than bears.

Lihi got to hold and feed one of the Red Panadas for 50 CNY which we reckon may have been done under the table kind of since the park was so quiet as the cost just to have your picture taken with the Giant Panadas was 1200 CNY!.

Once back at the hostel, after sitting in the back of the taxi with my head out of the window rather than having to share it with the French guy's err...fragrance, I ended up having a little downtime after a really great shower.

Lazing around the hostel for a while and catching the end of Kill Bill Vol. 2 that some people were watching I had some grub before we sat down to decide whether or not to take the four day horse trek in Songpan to the North. Instead we decided we would head to Emei Shan to climb the mountain there as 4 days away was a fairly hefty chunk of time which Idan and Lihi were unsure they could manage with them planning on getting their visa extended soon. Truthfully I think we all know the reason why we chose not to as we checked the Songpan temperatures for the next few days - brass monkey time.