Halfway point

Today marks the halfway point of my trip... It seems like time has flown by! It has been pretty amazing, though. It is only now that I am feeling as though I am on holiday. I have done all the things on my 'must do' list and now it's time to kick back. Chengdu is a perfect place for this. The pandas this morning were great. This afternoon I visited the Wenshu Monastery and that was probably the best experience I have had since I arrived. It was just so peaceful and serene, with buddhist monks walking the grounds. The temples, the odour from the incense sticks made for the ulitmate chill out atmosphere.
The hostel is excellent with free internet (hence the ability to post my pics), friendly staff and a great group of fellow travellers. I am waiting to see whether I can get into a Sichuan cooking course. Tomorrow, I am hiring a bike and heading to the Tibetan side of town. After this, I head to Dali via Kunming.... I think.
Hope all is well back home.