Huangshan: Where are the Mountains?

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We arrive the Hangzhou bus station and hop onto a full bus of passengers to Huangshan. We weren't exactly sure when or where in Huangshan the bus was going. A new expressway was built between Hangzhou and Huangshan, making the bus ride a bit shorter. I read online and in travel blogs that it would take around 3.5 hours. The bus driver said it would take close to 4.5 hours because we have to go the speed limit and we stop a few times to rest. That said, we were going to get to Huangshan a lot later than we thought. Initially we were going to visit a nearby ancient town (Xidi/Hongcun) in the afternoon and head up Huangshan the next morning. We decided to change our plans and ascend Huangshan as soon as possible. Luckily we were able to swap our hotel reservations. The drive was beautiful - lots of farmland/pastures and very green. Lots of old brown tile roofs which I seem to be very fond of.

The bus ticket lady/chaperone lady gave us a nice introduction about Huangshan and the surrounding area. Most people on the bus didn't have hotel accomodation yet and the lady escorted them all to her hotel/hotel she was promoting. We get to her hotel and she announces "Everyone off!" So the bus didn't go to a bus station. Of course, everyone else was lazy to find a hotel and just booked a room at her old icky hotel. It was 120 rmb a night. I didn't see the room, but I'm imagining it was yukky. Then the hotel continued to offer "rides" for 15 rmb a person up to the foot of the Huangshan mountain. They also sold return bus "tickets" to Hangzhou. CL and I just decided to go through the sketch hotel and bought our return trip from them (80 rmb). So I think that the bus lady from the hotel pays off the bus driver to drop everyone off at the hotel instead of the bus station. I am convinced that the bus driver or hotel sells illegal bus tickets and splits the ticket fee.

We arrive around 3:00 and pack backpacks and leave our suitcases at the shady hotel. We share the ride up the mountain with two Israeli sisters who were also on the bus from Hangzhou. The entry fee to Huangshan is 200 rmb and the cable car is 65 per person. We ascend up via Eastern cable car. We were so excited to finally be there! Typically the wait to ride the cable car is hours long, but since we got there at the end of the day - no line! We got to the top and it was quite misty and a little wet. We hiked around the summit - going to "Beginning to Believe" peak, which was all white from fog. The Israeli girls didn't have a hotel booked and they looked for accomodations. They wanted to stay in a dorm type hotel and discovered the rooms unliveable, with bathrooms outside of the building. CL and I stayed at Beihai Hotel, the only 4 star hotel on the summit (800 rmb a night). The room smelled mildewy but everything was clean, except for the moldy caulking in the bathroom. Considering that everything used or consumed in the hotel needed to be carried up by porters or a very expensive cable car, the hotel was pretty nice. We continued to hike more, with hopes that other areas would be more clear. No mountains - anywhere. All we saw was fog with some trees peeking through. Very disappointing.

We were starving by dinner time - CL and I ate mediocre buffet at the hotel (100 rmb per person). A huge rip off considering the food was bleh, but I then reminded myself that all the food, cooking oil, coca-cola, etc was carried up by someone.

We went to bed around 8:30 pm to wake up at 5:00 am to see the sunrise. I saw amazing pictures of the sun rising behind the mountain peaks. Of course, there was too much fog and we didn't see the sunrise, despite getting up insanely early. We had overpriced breakfast buffet with disgusting coffee, and then checked out of the hotel to begin a days' hike. CL decided she needed to try the hotel cafe's coffee to last the hike. Still icky coffee, but better than breakfast's. I'm so glad she's a coffee addict. 😊

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Photos

Huangshan
Trees along the path on the summit.

Steps and Fog
Optimist: maybe we can see something if we hike higher up?

Love tree
Two trunks become one! :)

Love locks
These are all over. Inscribed names of lovers are locked onto chains around Huangshan!

Where are the mountains?
Fog, fog, fog. :(

Comments

[Christina]

i'm glad we can share in our addiction together. i miss you!