The Chinese say “It's the journey that matters, not the
destination”. This expression is in the guide book of the hostel
and I've drawn the conclusion that this is because many of the walks
and trails around Xingping actually don't lead anywhere. On the three
trails I've taken so far, I've never reached a destination. Two of
them have a fork in the road at a crucial point that is not mentioned
in the directions, and the third was simply impossible on a bike. I
resolve to try again either with a guide or more comprehensive
directions.
The weather continues to be fine and I am content with my base to
explore the area. Although I don't have the feeling of remoteness I'd
expected I feel comfortable. It's as if I were living in a village
in a foreign land. I decide to hire a bicycle and cycle along the Li
River and try to reach Yangdi, the next town about 16 miles away.
The scenery is stunning and reminds me of photos I've seen of
Yosemite Park in America.
You can take your bike on the ferry across the river: following this
I miss the river path and keep following the road, which goes up into
the mountains. After about a half-hour's uphill trudge I decide I'm
on the wrong path, and after an exhilarating free-wheel back down the
mountainside I manage to find the river trail.
The road becomes progressively narrower the further I go, finally
petering out into a rocky trail which ends at the river bank. (A lady
offers to take me to Yangdi by boat but I decline as I would be cut
off when I arrived) I try to follow the river bank with my bike but
this turns out to be completely impracticable, so I abandon the
attempt to reach Yangdi: I'm about a mile and a half away from it by
now, however I prefer not to put myself through misery just to reach
another Chinese town, as they all tend to look the same anyway.
I've got what I set out for, new experiences and some images to
share! I'd like to try and find other villages and sights to travel
to as I want to explore as much as I can. Although I'm looking for
the quality of exploration on this trip this is elusive and largely
something I have to make for myself. The river is a peaceful place
and I want to get to know it better. On the way back to Xingping I
feel better because I know the road gets easier as I travel. I've run
out of water though so remind myself to take more next time. I manage
to buy a bottle of cold water at a little roadside cafe and I
gratefully refresh myself as I'm hot and thirsty. After a warm shower
(the water never seems to get hot) I decide that the only thing to
restore me after a hard day's cycling is a good curry and I know
there is a small Indian restaurant nearby so I have a hot lamb
vindaloo which is surprisingly excellent. The next day I think I'll
just relax and stay around Xingping, maybe just do an easy walk
somewhere. There is a monastery nearby.
Spending a leisurely day in Xingping I have breakfast of waffles and
fruit, followed by some local shopping as I need some more camera
batteries and shave foam. I feel like spending the day relaxing. I
stop at a little roadside restaurant where I have some dumplings as a
budget lunch.
A Chinese couple, probably farmers, arrive on a bicycle loaded with
live chickens which they deliver to the restaurants on the street.
They pick the poor things up by their wings and carry them into the
shops. One shop lady across the street refuses the chicken, she pulls
it back by the wing and throws it into the basket on the bike: so the
farmer pulls it back out again and throws it back into the shop. This
performance is repeated two or three times with this poor chicken
being thrown back and forth from bike to shop until the shopkeeper
finally gives up. I feel awful watching this and it's quite
upsetting: it's one of my least favourite things about China: animal
welfare as we know it doesn't exist.
I try the other side of the river for dinner: stuffed snails with
pork: This is actually very tasty but not very filling so I end up
having a pizza in the hostel as well.
Before breakfast the next day I have a morning stroll to the top of
Laozhai Shan mountain which is just outside the hostel at sunrise.
The view is magical although the walk does involve a few hair-raising
moments including a ladder up a sheer cliff. It reminds me of the
times Sarah and I have walked in the hills in England and I'm
suddenly assailed by a terrible pang of homesickness.
There is a walk to a monastery nearby, the third trail I've taken,
which involves taking the ferry to the other side of the river. The
scenery is so magnificent that I'm filled with a sense of wonder and
exploration. I feel myself to be walking into the unknown.
However once again, there is a fork in the road at an early point.
All one can do in these circumstances is take one trail and see where
it leads: and again this turns out to be a spectacular but
destinationless walk as I find myself heading into the mountains.
With enough supplies and comprehensive maps I suppose I could keep
going for days until I reach a town, but as I don't have these things
I walk back and decide to try another day. I also need to try the
Fish Village walk again. As it turns out the hostel is offering some
guided walks.
In the evening I have dinner in a little Chinese restaurant; the owner is a Belgian chap who lives in China and is also a professional photographer so we talk together about life and art over a few beers!
wow! spectacular!
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