Trip to Guilin

So we just got back from Guilin and it was a really fun trip. We saved this trip to be our last one because it had all the stuff that we were looking forward to doing the most.The landscape of Guilin was the most incredible that I have seen so far! It had mountains that inclined into a steep peak and it was SO green! It rained most of the time we were there but that just gave us an excuse to use wicked cool ponchos! So the first day we got there we rented out bikes and rode them to where the mudcaves are at. When we got to the place we took a canoe inside and for the first couple minutes we had to lay as flat as we could because the cave ceiling was so close. The cave was really neat. Just what a cave should be: Dark, cold, wet, with BATS! We ended up stopping at three places in the cave: the cold pond, the mud pond, and the hot springs. The cold pond I just enjoyed watching people freeze to death. The mud pond was AWESOME!!! A child's heaven. We all just rolled around in the mud getting completely covered!!! It was pretty cold so we didn't stay there long. The hot springs was just a place that had divets in the rock and you could sit in them surround by warm water. It was just like a bath, it was delighful.
The next day we went to a village out in the middle of nowhere- where the Guiness Book of World Records holds a record of a whole village of women who have long hair. They have hair down to their feet, they aren't allowed to cut it. Its odd. We hiked up what was called the Dragon's Back in the village and at the very top you could see mountains and mountains of rice fields!! It was the most incredible sight ever! They're been perserved over hundreds of years.
The last day we were there we got on a bamboo raft and drifted down the Lee River. This was really cool because all we drifted right in between the awesome mountains. It was very relaxing and very beautiful. We've got the chance to see some of the coolest things while we've been here in China.
Anyway hope all is going well for everyone at home. Three and a half more weeks and I will be joining you! Time sure has flown...

Love always, Mandy