Traveling day twenty - in which I rediscover my mad bike skillz

We had a morning to fill in Xian before we flew to Wuhan, so we decided to catch the bus to the old city wall where you can hire a bike and ride all around it. 

Catching the bus is great on China - I completely rely on the kindness of strangers to tell me where the stop is, and the buses are frequent, cheap and go everywhere.  Brisbane could learn some lessons on public transport from China and Kyrgyzstan.

We hired bikes. And helmets.  We were the only people wearing helmets.  Crazy Australians.  The ride was 14 km around a rectangle of wall punctuated by ramparts and watchtowers.  The ramparts were 120 m apart, because apparently an arrow can be shot 60 m, so there was no space you could attack the wall that was out of arrow range.  There was even a moat.  I didn't see crocodiles though.  The riding surface was cobblestones, so my whole body shuddered a bit as I was riding.  Let's just say for once I was glad of my extra posterior padding.

looking down the city wall in Xian

riding!

spied on some Chinese dancing ladies over the side of the wall

We had to hang around for a while for the plane to Wuhan.  Traveling involves a lot of waiting.  And then some more waiting.  Then.....some waiting.  I enjoy people watching and making up stories for them.  It passes the time.  I get the most homesick when I am waiting.  If I am away and doing something it is fine, but waiting does my head in a little.  Maybe waiting is good for my character.

We arrived in Wuhan late, but very happy to see my friends.

Onwards.