Leg 3 - Xian to Hanzhong

Woke up early to what sounded like tin whistle music wafting through the night air - tune unrecognisable but clearly of chinese influence.

Hotel in Xian had been the best yet with running hot water becoming the only luxury required. Meal out had been taken in a dumpling banquet at the famous Emperors restaurant - very tasty.

A chinese meal was becoming a bit too much for breakfast, so being in the big city, there was only one option - McDonalds'.

Lot of traffic in the city and difficult to navigate through but as usual they stayed together.

First stop - TERRACOTTTA army. Very impressive site - the army was found in 1974 and the three pit site was opened in 1979; each pit containing various displays and information, Well worth visiting if you are in the area ! Very hot and humid inside and outside + massive variations in prices. Team did take this brief respite to spend some money. Just driving and not eating is a great way for the team to save money.

Once the city was exited onto expressway, convoy formation ensued with normal team precision and aplomb. Ob jective was to get as close to Cheng Du as possible. Dissapointing though that because of the earthquake all of the pandas normally held at the sanctuary had been moved to Bejing; this scuppered the team wish to pre-book a cuddle with a panda.

Indupitably, you can never predict the road surfaces that you are going to get in China and sure enough the road toward Hanzhong was a mountainous road with steep drops on all sides plus minimal barriers.

Despite the challenge, leg 3 team continue to truck together aided by eclectic music mixes ranging from Status Quo Caroline to Michael Bubles' Everything. Team are still continuing to achieve the impossible - vehicles having minor niggles but behaving like thoroughbreds. Stunning scenery across the mountains interspersed with small hamlets. Weather starting out hot @ 35 deg C, changing to storms and 17 deg C high in the mountains, finishing dry.