To Xining in Qinghai Province

As the train left the Tibetan plateau the next morning, we were breathing much easier, perhaps even on a oxygen-rich high.

The scenery gradually became more typical of Han China, with terraced agriculture and deciduous forests.

Xining, the capital of Qinghai Autonomous Region, was greatly undersold by our Guangzhou agent who described it as a "nowhere" town. We found instead a reasonable size city with an obligatory city square drabbed in national colours (being China's National Day the following day) and surrounded by relatively modern buildings with departmental stores. What's more, the museum had a rich and well presented collection of Tibetan artefacts.

But we had to seel the refuge of KFC before we could find a cup of coffee.