Sixty-something Bert Taylor puts his preconceptions to one side and climbs aboard a bus bound for China

I HAVE to hold my hands up. I swore that coach touring would never be for me.

But as the Great Wall - one of the world's most incredible sights - came into view, clinging to a misty hillside, I found all preconceptions fading fast.

Coach holidays of my childhood consisted of buses packed full of blue rinses off to the great British seaside, with the tour guide shuffling the group through attractions at great speed between hours on end on the coach.

Fortunately escorted travel today means the opportunity to experience the trip of a lifetime, destination China.

And without doubt this 21-day luxury escorted tour with Journeys of Distinction offered the perfect way to see this great untapped tourist destination.

This holiday had all the adventure without any of the worry.

I could tick off all the must-see icons of China, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City and at leisurely paces as the tour included at least two nights at each destination.

I could sit back and watch the stunning scenery pass me by in the comfort of the air-conditioned coach, while someone else took care of the driving.

The tour itself is very much part of the experience and with the vast distances to cover in China, a variety of modes of transport are used.

We combined coach travel with flights and cruising to gain access to amazing sights.

Having flown into Beijing on Monday morning, I was grateful for the first day's grace to unwind and prepare for the adventure lying ahead. e spent four days exploring this city - a treasure house of history and culture, including Tiananmen Square.

As much as I fell in love with Beijing I was itching to leave...next stop Xi'an. Driving by willowed landscapes, tranquil gardens, majestic rivers and imperial pavilions of red and gold, Martin, our tour guide said: "today will undoubtedly be one of your tour's highlights."

How right he was. The awe-inspiring Terracotta Warriors were incredible. We walked through the barrage of touts trying to sell miniatures towards the huge covered warehouses that house the warriors.

As we entered Martin explained that farmers digging a well in 1974 stumbled on the warriors.

An archaeological excavation at the burial grounds of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi has since uncovered an army of more than 8,000 life-size terracotta statues.

Excavation work continues today with many more statues still to be uncovered. These soldiers each with different facial features and expressions have been guarding their emperor's tomb for more than 2,000 years.

Leaving this fantastic sight we headed for the airport to fly to Chongquing for a three-night Yangtze River cruise aboard M/V East King - one of China's finest river boats.

Next morning dawned on the serenity of China's longest river, which for thousands of years has served as the main highway into the interior.

As we cruised through the Qutang Gorge, the view was indescribably beautiful. Sheer cliffs rose from the river, dwarfing the ship.

Two days of glorious cruising, some fantastic cuisine and a short flight later and we were transported to the deluxe Radisson Plaza Xing Guo in Shanghai, the Paris of the East.

After the Yuyuan Gardens, the Jade Buddha Temple and the Shanghai Museum we were then left two free days.

Onward to Guilin, one of the most picturesque towns in southern China and an inspiration to poets, artists and writers for centuries.

We took in a cruise along the sleepy Li River past dozing cormorants and equally sleepy villages, a complete contrast to our last port of call - hectic Hong Kong for four very full days.

An exquisite farewell dinner with my fellow travellers was the perfect end to a great holiday.