We're still alive!!! No worries dear friends, we are still here to report from the other side of the world. And today we have some more for you. It will be short however, as I should head for my bed, tomorrow will be an early morning.
After one extra day in Lijiang ("No bus..." "why not???" "No Bus"), we took the bus to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. On arrival we paid the entrance fee (why do they have a fee for this????), getting a 50% discount with our expired student cards. The bus was immediately welcomed by Margot, and old French woman with a gruesome dirty and old dress and long, black hair on her legs (ahhh, the French...). She was very polite, and getting al tha valuable information right that time, and the possibility to leave our luggage there, was priceless. So of we went...
The trel, which is more like a mini trel, was just amazing, great, breathtaking. It took us over steep ascents, beautiful views, high cliffs... and the greatest thing is that the walking itself can be done as fast or slow and as log or short as you want, due to the many excellent guesthouses on the way. A great way to enjoy beautiful views and walks, and great evenings, beers and food at the same time.
We met a Dutch couple that is now in their last weeks of 15 months around the world, which of course lead to many stories and future plans for other trips.
Unfortunately, the last part of the hike was closed because of some landslides, that had ruined the trail. it must be said, that, regardless the ease and comfort og the hike, bad weather can turn the narrow paths into muddy and slippery slides, as waterfalls and streams cross the path. Before we left, the trek had been closed for 15 days.
The landslides had a good consequence as well. We didn't have to stay a second night, as we could get the bus to Shangri-la the same hour. (it was so close I even managed to escape some lady who wanted me to pay for the horrific toilet (what they call toilet)I went to, hahaha).
We went to a hostel, and got the shower we had been craving for for the last two days.
The next day was administration day. We searched the Public Security Bureau, to get our visas extended. unexpectedly, it was a great experience! In Chendu we would have had to wait for 5 days. Here, they do it on the spot, with a smile ( policemen smiling!!!). We did lose our second entry however, so it might be that we will have to take the plane from Hongkong, but we'll see...)
Then we went for a Chinese cellphonenr. A very ambitious store attedant helped us, with the best English he could come up with. The combination of this little energetic, nervous man with the bad English was a hilarious, yet irritating situation. (yeah...yeah...sorry...of course...customer service... me learn english international language...ok...yeah ok sorry of course .... (typing and talking very fast) glad to be of service...yeah... just doing my duty...this is my number... and name (in Chinese of course)... great! And we have a phonenumber
Next stop: busstation, to book a ticket to Xiacheng. "No Bus"
Somehow, no busses go north in September... there are some struggles between the villages there (we're in a warzone!!!), and the government has stopped public transport.
So we have been hanging around here in Shangri-la (3200m), visited a great monastery, a huge praying wheel, and a lake where we got ripped off, and almost hit the man behind the desk. Somehow we had to pay entrance, as well as the horses to ge there, after 200m or so, they stopped and said that to see the lake, it was more than double the price. We got so angry....
Tomorrow, we'll leave for Xiancheng in a jeep we booked together with a guy from Antwerp and his Chinese girlfriend that live in Belgium and China, at least if she doesn't get more ill. Expensive trip, but we really have to go. The Chinese holidays have also started, so hostel prices just doubled last night.
That's it for now. More detailed stories and pictures will follow, but not soon, as we're leaving for the rugged outback of Western China, where hot water and electricity are rare, and even the word 'internet' does not exist.
Goodnight
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