Another exciting day as we pay a visit to Chengdu's most familiar residents - the pandas. It is after wll why we came to Chengdu and was definitely on the initial "must see" list before we left England. Again, as time is relatively short, we opt for an escorted tour and are collected from the hotel at 7.15am in a tiny van - duly nicknamed the "pandamobile". The driver who doubles as our guide smiles a lot (a novelty in China!) but this we decide is probably to cover the fact that she cant speak any English at all! We have to get to the "Panda Park" early so we are there for feeding time - otherwise the pandas are asleep and hidden from view. The guide makes up for her lack of language though as she walks us (at super speed) between the best enclosures and we see not only black and white pandas but also the more racoon like red pandas.
The Giant Panda Breeding Research base is home to nearly 50 giant and red pandas and we start with a visit to some adult pandas - who are just waking up! The female on her platform was hilarious to watch as she yawned, stretched and scratched herself awake. It was really quite emotional to actually be here, a privellege to be close to such an endangered animal and just to have the space (the base was almost empty) to stand and watch as they began their early morning feast on piles and piles of bamboo. Bamboo comprises 99% of the giant panda's diet and it spends up to 16 hours a day feeding, during which time it may eat up to 20kg of bamboo - shoots, stems and leaves. 
Next stop - the nursery! A real "awwwwwww" moment - as we stand on the other side of a glass partition and see four of the cutest babies we have ever seen. Born in August 2011, they were just sleeping and fidgeting balls of black and white fluff laying in a slightly twee (actually predictable) cot with a pink baby blanket. Obviously very closely and carefully monitored by gowned and masked keepers, we watch as temperatures are taken, injections are given and top up liquid food supplements are given. Noone wants to move on from here!
The next pandas were mid meal as we arrive and we watch as they give us a lesson in how to eat bamboo. None of us had known that pandas do not have a thumb, but this does not interfere with the careful selection of bamboo stalks, which they lift mouthwards as if wearing mittens. The bamboo is then stripped of its' outer brown casing in two or three practised teeth movements and then - we notice - the tip which is obviously the best part is munched on first, followed rapidly by the rest - almost like a child and a breadstick! The whole process begins again (equally rapidly) almost before the last mouthful is taken and continues endlessly leaving a pile of discarded outer leaves!
We see another clutch of panda babies, but dont get a chance to hang around too long as the park is filling up now and there is a strict queuing system and time allowed to file past the viewing window.
We decline a cuddle and a photo opportunity with a yearling panda at a cost of 1000rmb (about £100!) though.
Tiegan says that this has been a 10 out of 10 visit - an honour to get up close and personal with such rare animals and to see the oh so cute babies.
Next stop Guilin - this evening we take our first (and indeed only) internal flight as there are no train tickets for a week. The hotel was fabulous in helping us organise this and bent over backwards to get the best deal. They even organise another trip in the pandamobile to transport us to Chengdu airport where we end up making camp in a tiny corner having declined to buy a £7 coffee in the only available seating area pre boarding which one had to pay to sit in. The Southeast China Airways flight passes smoothly and we arrive at Guilin just after 10pm and then collected by the driver from the Outside Inn at Yangshuo where we will spend our last few days before returning to Hong Kong. It is almost midnight when we arrive and are shown to our traditional adobe cottage.
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