Around the World in Review, Leg 09: Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Macau, and China

We really didn’t know where to go next from the Seychelles. I had left this part of the trip open to whim in order inspire adventure. Do we go north to Kazakhstan? Should we return to India for a deeper exploration? Perhaps we should stop in the Maldives for a comparison of island nations…

All of those would have excellent choices. But, based on the glowing recommendations of some fellow travelers, we decided to visit Sri Lanka instead. And we were so glad that we did, falling in love with this beautiful country.

From there we took a long flight into Hong Kong and stayed outside the city on Lantau Island. The ferry stop was within walking distance, so we took trips into the center of Hong Kong and on to Macau where everyone was celebrating Christmas and gearing up for the Chinese New Year.

From Macau, we walked across the border into mainland China and took a train to Guangzhou. Then we flew across the country to spend nearly a week thoroughly exploring the capital of Beijing. Angela’s previous trip to Shanghai came in handy as we adhered to her 11 Tips for Traveling in China and easily navigated the cultural and logistic pitfalls that can be a part of Beijing.

Previous: Leg 08: Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, and Seychelles

Next: Leg 10: South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Philippines