 YANGSHUO
(October,1999)
I had
a wonderful travel in Yang Shuo, it's near Gui Lin. I did some dangerous but funny and
impressive things. At the beginning I thought I would have a trip to Gui Lin. People said
it is a very beautiful place. Regretfully, I didn't go there.
On the first day, we arrived in Yang Shuo. The local Chinese's oral English is very good.
One day when we walked around, even a street vendor (who is an old woman), could ask us
whether we needed orange in English:) I was very surprised:)
In the afternoon, we were in a ship to see the views of the Li River. One thing special is
that we went to a village along the way. President Clinton went there in 1998. It's a very
old village and you will see so many old things there. In a little shop, I saw an abacus.
I felt strange. Why was this abacus in a glass box? It seems it's very precious. Then I
saw there's a sentence in the box: This is an abacus that President Clinton touched:D
On the second day, we had a bike trip to a village. In the morning, I tried to ride a
bike. It's too bad because I almost didn't know how to control it. I haven't ridden a bike
for a long time. I pracitised some time and fortunately I could finally ride a bike,
otherwise I wouldn't know how to have a bike trip.
On that day we had a long, long, long bike trip. We started in the morning and rode until
the night. I didn't know how long I rode. I just saw a sign on the way, it said it's 587
KM from Guangzhou. In fact, riding wasn't so tiring but the sun almost killed me.
After lunch, we rode a bike to a water cave. It's very cool there. We had to pass across
the water in the cave. The mud is very slick. There's a place full of mud inside of the
water cave. Some were playing in the mud. That was very funny. There's a pretty small
hollow in the water cave and it's a shortcut. All of us would try to pass it. I was the
3rd person to pass it. Although I am thin, it was still very hard to pass such a small,
hollow area. My feet were abraided. I passed through very painfully:)
After the trip through the water cave, it was really dark outside. It's very bad that
there's no light on the road. It's so dangerous to ride a bike in the darkness. Anyway,
all the people had to go back. I had to ride my bike very carefully. Fortunately everyone
was safe:)
On
the third day, we had rock climbing. We climbed the Moon Mountain. I climbed very high,
and I didn't think I could do it:) When I could, I had a very short rest while climbing,
then I looked down and laughed just in order to take photos:D
Finally,
I couldn't climb higher. My hand couldn't grasp the stones and I fell down suddenly, but
there was a rope tied to me. At first I felt so scared because it was so high. Later, I
saw the beautiful views and felt as if I was flying:) If you've ever tried it, you can
understand the feeling is unique.
After
the rock climbing, we took a ship to go to the river side. There're all rocks there. We
camped out this night. It was very cold that night.
On
the fourth day, at first we planned to drift on the Li River. Due to the coldness and the
lack of bamboo ships to be rented, it was cancelled. Then we climbed another mountain. I
didn't climb very high. At that time there're so many passersby that watched from the
road:D
GUILIN & YANGSHUO (September,2001)
I
left Guangzhou at 9:20 pm in Nov.9, 2001 and arrived in Guilin at 10:40 am by train. Then
we went to the food street to have a lunch.
The food street isn't like what I imagined. It is only a street with restaurants. We selected a traditional Chinese style restaurant.
It's very amazing that it is not expensive at all.
After the boat tour for the Elephant Trunk Mountain, we took a bus to go to Yangshou. It
took about 1 hour. I have to say that I like Yangshuo more than Guilin. Everything reminds
of my trip last time.
It is very relaxing there. At night we wandered around and then drank milk, although
others drank beers:)
Next day we woke up so early and after breakfast, we rented bikes for the bike trip. Of
course at first I was very clumsy to ride a bike. Fortunately I got used to it soon and we
started our trip. I didn't know where to go, but I remember I should go to Moon Mountain.
I had a rock climbing trip there in 1999.
There is a new spot called Butterfly Spring, although I always think Butterfly Spring is
in Dali only. We didn't go there. Later we arrived to another spot concerning about a big
tree. Although the ticket is only 12 yuan, but we didn't want to spend it to have a look
at this tree:)
After that, we arrived the foot of Moon Mountain. Since I wanted to go there when we
returned, so we went on riding forward. We hadn't a map, and we actually didn't know where
to go next. We just enjoyed the bike trip. Unexpectedly we arrived at somewhere that seems
a sightseeing spot. They're old houses. After that, since I really wanted to ride in the
mountain, so we rode at random.
We rode and rode, finally we had a rest under a tree. It was already at noon and it was so
sunny. In fact we felt a little bit tired. After that, we went on riding. Later we arrived
in the fields and the mountains, but nobody was there. That's not strange because few
people live in the mountains. We were late
to find that we were lost, because we couldn't find even a narrow path to go on.
Everything was bad for us. Needless to say, it is all my fault. I am
so curious, I wanted to go to a different way. We couldn't remember the way back.
The surroundings became worse and worse. There were thorns everywhere, no way at all. We had to carry our bikes, and we
were wounded by the thorns. We just tried to find a road, and spent about two hours
searching and searching in such an environment.
It was already
lucky that we didn't have sunstroke, but it was too painful for
me. I felt tired, hungry and without energy. Later we saw very far away it seems there is
someone there. We were glad but no matter what we couldn't arrive there.
Finally we sat down to have a rest, because I thought everything would be better. Suddenly
I found a little taro in the ground, I was very glad and it seems that we could eat it:)
I thought if we still couldn't find the road since we had to bring our bikes, then we
would leave them on the way. It was necessary that we
can return. It is just a problem that when we find a way back but we haven't bikes. It
will be a real problem to walk back:)
Later
I saw a man far from us. I waved my clothes asked for help, and then he brought us out of
the bad environment. After that, everything was fine for us. We could return at last, and
we just found that we had ridden such a long road. It
seems an endless way for us.
When we were back at the foot of Moon
Mountain, we had no energy to climb it. I think I have to do it next time. It was already tiring to have a whole day bike trip, especially lost in the
mountains.
I was bruised and had cuts. It was more painful to
take away the thorns. Anyway, we were glad to be back again. At night, we decided to have
a foot massage. It is my first time
to have foot massage. I never thought it could be so painful:)
Sometimes I couldn't help laughing. I really tried to hold, but I couldn't, it tickled:)
It is very interesting. I felt a little comfortable after that.
We
were back in Guilin
on Monday
afternoon because we would take a train to Guangzhou at 6:25 pm. We wandered around in the
street of Guilin. In fact we were already tired on Sunday because of the bike trip.
Therefore later we just sat down and saw the passerbys.
GUILIN & YANGSHUO (May,2002)
I had a nice trip, but I am very tired after that. I
looked like a homeless cat when I was home. I wonder if the security guard would let me
in:) I have a suntan and I got bruised during the bicycle trip. I dare not see anyone:)
The first day we visited Guilin. Frankly, it's not very attractive to me. We went to
Yangshuo in the afternoon. There were not as many visitors as I imagined, but most inns
were full. We finally decided to live in the dormitory, however there was no warm water
when I had a shower. Although it was quite hot there, I didn't get used to it. There is no
choice. I had to stand it:) There are no air-conditioners there, and at night the
mosquitos bit me. The mosquitos like me so much, so I had to cover a lot to sleep.
Yangshuo is quite little, and there is no more interesting place to go to unless you have
a bicycle trip. We had a bicycle trip next day. People told us it was very interesting to
go to the Moon Mountain by a little road. We chose the little road, but it was a much
longer route than the big road. We went to the Moon Mountain. I also went to the rock
climbing place in the Moon Mountain. Since there was no security, I dared not climb so
high:) I climbed a little bit and took a photo as if I had climbed very high.
After that, we had lunch in the village. The farmers are very nice. Their cooking was so
delicious to me. After lunch, we rode at random. This time it wasn't as hopeless and
exhausting as last time. At least there was always a road to go to.
We went to Lipu on another day. It is a small town. We found an inn to stay at. Hard to
believe it was so cheap for a double room. I almost wanted to laugh at it:) After we
settled down, we had a trip to a water cave. It is the biggest cave in Asia. Meanwhile we
took the boat twice while visiting there.
The food is also cheap in Lipu. I had no concept of it and I ordered many dishes:) Anyway,
we ate so much and we were full everyday. The food was so great.
Next
day we left Lipu and went back to Guilin, however it was a little troublesome to buy
tickets to go back to Guangzhou in this travel season. Anyway, finally we bought coach
tickets.
Finally we had another great lunch in Guilin. Then we walked down the shopping street,
nothing very special there. Hard to believe that I didn't buy any souvenirs. Later I felt
a little bit sick, but fortunately I would leave soon. It was a bit regretful that I
hadn't eaten the beef in Yangshuo this time. |
