Everywhere a warrior

Yesterday, I was in Xi'an to visit the Terracotta Warriors. The place is absolutely amazing! It is something everyone must see at least once in their lifetime. There are three pits, the first being the largest and which features the most excavated part of the army. The second and third pits have fewer excavated parts, but there are still a sight to behold!
I arrived in Xi'an at 8am, and was on the tour by 9am. However, we didnt actually make it to the Warriors till after 4pm.... In typical fashion, we had to visit a factory shop first, a temple or two and eat at a designated highly priced restaurant. So by the time, we got there, we were just a tad jaded by the whole thing. We had a really nice group of fellow travellers, including a Camden couple who actually purchased a full size warrior for A$1400 (including shipping!- Bargain?!?!?)
This morning I flew to Chengdu... yes, I flew. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, it was cheaper and quicker (16 to 27 hours by train vs. 2 hours in the air) and as expected my stomach has packed it in and the thought of using train toilets didnt sit well with me. In regards to the stomach, I expected this. However, I am not sure what triggered it off. I have indulged in a private room with bathroom rather than a dorm this time around as well.... it only costs A$20.
I flew China Eastern and was pleased to see that I was getting on an Airbus, not a Soviet plane. The service and quality are comparable to Qantas City Flyer. The breakfast was all carbs, a muffin, a very sweet bread roll and a cupcake...
Since I have not slept properly since my arrival (I have noted the high grumpiness factor in my posts), I have nominated today to be a rest day.
Now a little aboout Chengdu, it is the capital of the Sichuan province. I was expecting it to be smaller than other cities I have been to, but the urban sprawl factor is highly evident. It is polluted, but not as badly as Beijing. The key highlights of the next few days will be the Panda research station and the Temple of Divine Light, a buddhist temple 18kms out of town. I am hoping to hire a bike here, for that additional Chinese experience.