We finally got our train tickets and our permit to Lhasa, Tibet - so this time tomorrow, we will be on our merry way! And, today it's SNOWING, which makes Sophie very excited!
Like most things we've encountered in Xi'an, getting the permit and train tickets hasn't been easy. Basically, we weren't able to get a permit until we knew exactly what day we were leaving, but we couldn't know what day we left until we had purchased the train tickets (in short supply) - which we weren't able to get until we had the permit! So we ended up paying a ridiculous commission so that someone could organise the permit and the train tickets for us. The whole process left us feeling used and dirty ... again, like most things in Xi'an 
But we are going, and that is the main thing!
So we have done a little sightseeing in our stay here - we saw the Terracotta Warriors (or Terracotta Worriers, as some signs said) - these were a bit of a disappointment: they were very interesting but photos we had previously seen were a bit misleading - we thought there would be more interaction with the warriors, but you view the mud pit that contains them from a distance (but of course, can get a little closer after paying another fee!).
We've also explored a segment of the Xi'an city walls, where there are a huge number of stages with silk floats, and like most things in china, they're incredibly cheesy, but quite colourful (despite the settled smog on them).
Yesterday we climbed one of the 5 sacred peaks in china - Mount Huashan. Despite the photos of pristine, serene scenery, the mountain is in fact covered in tiny stalls, many people and 4 hostels! However, a few hours of climbing can find you a pagoda of your own on the edge of a "bottomless" cliff, a rock on which to sit and contemplate matters as monumental as the surroundings or many other breathtaking sights. This one was a highlight for David. Sophie enjoyed the contemplation more than the climbing 
I'm looking forward to reading/seeing Tibet.
Love mum & dad.