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Published: November 19th 2006
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This blog will be the conclusion of our week long trip from Qingdao through Shanghai to Guilin and Yangshuo and back. This day would also be one of my favorite days of the trip as well. Not only was it extremly exciting and active, it was amazingly relaxing. We began the day with a bike ride through the city of Yangshuo. Trying to keep up with the flow of traffic and avoiding any collisions was one thing but to try and sight see at the same time was another. Not to mention I was chewing gum at the same time. I know, I'm gifted. Yangshuo's main form of transportation were either pedal bikes or motorbikes. This differs to Qingdao in the way that the cars rule the streets here. Four years ago the only vehicles on the streets were taxi's and buses but now there are private cars everywhere. So as more vehicles hit the street the less people are willing to risk riding a bike. After a nice ride through the city and into the countryside we arrived at our stop point which was the start point of a bamboo boat ride down a river. We settled onto our bamboo
boat were off for one of the most relaxing hour and half of my life. Not too hot, not too cold. Not a single bit of wind. No bugs and no beggers. And most importantly, I had some beer (even though it was only 10:30am). We set off down the river in our two seater bamboo boat, which was being pushed by a chinese man with a bamboo pole, and did nothing but take in the scenery. Half way through our ride we had to get off the boat so that the man could pull the boat to a position where it could go over a tiny water fall. During his efforts he lost control and the boat went down without us on it. Hearing an older Chinese man scream
NO, NO, NOOO was probably the funniest moment of the trip. With time came other boats that went over the fall and caught the boat for us and pushed it back. We finished the ride and found our bikes, which were waiting for us at the end of the river, (curtiousy of the bamboo boat people) and headed for Moon Hill. Moon hill is a limestone pinnacle with
Old lady
The women who fanned Bev all the way up the mountain. a moon-shaped hole in the top. Hence the name Moon Hill. Now as for the high moon hopes thats another story. We arrived to the base of Moon Hill rested and revived but were completley oblivious to what was to come. Over 800 marble stairs with quite the incline. Along with the stairs were some old women who would not quit trying to sell us water. After telling them to leave we set up the hill but were soon ambushed by another old women with water. A short women who must of been in her 70's carrying a pack of water up this mountain. Where were my manners. This women is carrying this heavy load and I'm not even helping her. Thats right becuase these steps were hard as hell and I could barely do it without anything tied to my back. So I decided to buy a water from her. I did my part. In a way I guess. It was now my goal to get up this hill before this old women who obviously has made a career walking up the hill selling water. It also was now Bev's goal to just make it up the hill. Dieing
from the heat and humidity and lack of air getting into her lungs, she was constantly taking breaks. Which ment that a 70 some year old women was going to beat me up a hill while carrying a pack of drinks. To add insult to injury, the old women stopped every time Bev stopped. Not to sit, but to fan Bev. Yes this women felt sorry for us. This women was my new idol. I can only hope I'm in her physical condition when I reach her age. Or mabey I should say, I can only hope to reach her physical condition before I get her age. When we reached the top our efforts had paid off with a magnificent view of the hills and many little villages.
Our trip had come to an end and had gone pretty much perfect. The only thing left was the last flight home. I was not looking forward to it but was definetly looking forward to getting back to Brittany and into my own bed. We arrived to the airport in good time and got our boarding passes. In no time we were on our plane to take us home to Qingdao. Becuase its not a very busy route from Guilin to Qingdao we were not able to get on any major airlines which ment the plane would be less than comfortable comparable to the flights down. After an hour and a half of flying, we started to decend from the skys. Finally! No more flying. We grabed our bags and got ready to get off the plane when we noticed people forgetting there luggage.
Hmmm. An hour and a half was pretty fast to get to Qingdao. But this can't be. Our ticket doesn't say any stops in between. I finnaly just went and asked the flight attendent if we were in Qingdao when I got the worst possible answer ever. No we're in Zhengzhuo. I could not believe my ears. I thought it was over but now had to do it all over again. After another hour and a half of flying and alot of turbulance we made it home safe and sound. All in all flyings not that bad. I just really would rather teleport.
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Aunty Janet
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Moon Hill, etc.
Well written! Great pictures! Thanks!