• Guangzhou, China
• 20th & 21st February 2026

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After what felt like a small lifetime in the air (11 hours exactly), stepping out into Guangzhou’s warm evening air was surreal. Scotland had been winter-grey with what felt like endless rain since the start of January. Guangzhou was glowing.

This was meant to be practical, a pause between Edinburgh and New Zealand. A place to sleep, shower and survive the jet lag. Instead, it handed us a skyline that looked like it had been plugged into the national grid twice over, river reflections and the full spectacle of Lunar New Year.

I didn’t expect to fall a little bit in love with a stopover but I did!

The Pearl River After Dark

The Pearl River (Zhujiang) area is central to Guangzhou and where the city really comes alive, especially after dark.  This is also where the scale of this city revealed itself. 

Skyscrapers pulsed with colour. The Canton Tower shifted through electric blues and reds. Riverboats glided along the water like floating lanterns. The whole skyline shimmered in the reflection, doubled and dancing on the surface.

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After hours and hours of travel, I expected exhaustion. Jet lag suddenly didn’t stand a chance the city had won.

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We wandered across one of the illuminated bridges near the river (the kind that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi film).  Its known as Moon Bridge.  As night falls, the Moon Bridge comes alive. Strategically placed lights beneath its arch cast a reflection on the water, forming a perfect crescent shape.

This optical illusion creates the sensation of a glowing moon suspended just above the canal, captivating visitors and photographers alike.  However tonight the Bridge also had a mesmerising light show going on. 

Being in Guangzhou during Lunar New Year felt eye-opening.

Red everywhere – for luck.
Lanterns – for hope.
Flowers – for renewal.

Families were out together. Markets alive with colour.  For a brief stopover, it felt pretty special to witness.

More Than A Stopover

Guangzhou wasn’t just a connection city. It was a reminder that in-between days matter. 

Even 24 hours somewhere unfamiliar builds confidence. You navigate signs you can’t read. You try food you can’t pronounce. You stand in the middle of a city you never planned to explore and realise the world is wider than your routine.

Guangzhou was colour, movement and energy. A bright, glowing pause before the wide open landscapes ahead.o

Tomorrow we fly on to New Zealand, the main event. But I’m glad we didn’t rush this part. The in-between spaces often hold more than you expect.

And if this is how the journey begins, I’ve got a good feeling about what’s ahead.