It's friendliness all the way for Westheads in China

* Eleven-year-old Nia hands over the panda lucky charm.

As the Westheads reached the largest city they have so far encountered in China one of the trio declared how much he loves the country.

Mates Dyfan Hughes, 18, from Llangollen, Louis Dennis, 19, from Garth, and James Thomas, also 19, from Wrexham, are making their 1,000 journey in aid of the British Heart Foundation in memory of Tony Edge, the father of their friend Harrison who died following a heart attack in 2024. 

Last week they reached Chengdu, which has a population of 20 million, where Louis told their daily video log as he walked about the city: "I love China. Everyone is always smiling. I've never felt so safe in my life ... China is the safest country in the world!"

Also on the log he sent a "massive shoutout" to the children at Llangollen's Ysgol y Gwernant, of which both he and Louis are old boys.

He praised them for having raised an amazing £840-plus for the lads' chosen charity, The British Heart Foundation, by taking their bikes to school and riding them in a fundraising game between posters set up on the school field showing some of the places where the Westheads had passed through so far.

The only real problems the lads have come up against of late have been the 42C degree heat, which forced them to take a short break from riding, and the local wildlife after James was bitten by a racoon in the street and needed some precautionary tetanus and rabies jabs.

* Chongqing, city in the sky.

But back out on the streets in Chengdu there was more evidence of the friendliness being shown to them by local people when an 11-year-old girl called Nia told them in extremely good English that she was gifting them a panda lucky charm.

In a later video log there was a brief glimpse of the city of Chongqing, something of a phenomenon as it's built into the mountains, which means that on one side your standing on the ground floor but actually 100 feet in the air when you step across the road.   

All the time the lads are taking in the spectacular sights and sounds of China there's a continuing flood of online donations from supporters back home for the British Heart Foundation for which they have so far raised over £50,000. 

* llanblogger is recording their adventures along the way. To follow the journey on their social media and make a donation if you wish, go to: https://linktr.ee/westheads