Guilin and the bamboo rafting

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Geo: 25.28, 110.28

We made it! Just eight pieces of bamboo lashed together with a makeshift seat for two tied on top ... and a good young man with a very long pole. Now that is adventure.

Mac bought me my garland of flowers and helped me on board and we were away for a leisurely float down the Yulong River. The scenery was spectacular. The little dams and waterfalls along the way provided a bit of variety and the stall holders floating in the middle of the river gave us a few chuckles.

The most enterprising venture was the "photo booth" - these were floating in the middle of the river on the down side of the dam. Your raft is moored and you board a floating pontoon complete with computer screens, printers and laminators and you have your picture in your hand within 3 minutes. An amazing volume of tourists are stung each day. We were of course.

And when you have a look at the photo - have a chuckle with me because, on behalf of the Chinese nation, one lady in orange managed to get revenge and successfully photo bombed Mac. A classic moment. I just love it. Was worth the 30 yuan. And BTW Mac says he only looked scared in the photo cause that was a "posed" shot on the first dam...just for the cameras!

I had all of the exit strategies worked out in case the raft flipped over. I was talking about backstroke, sidestroke, breaststroke and floating to the bank. Mac quipped "How about you just stand up." Oops, in my excitement of being independent I missed that obvious solution!

But seriously, the scenery was "just like the postcards" (except that there are 20 other rafts up your clacker). This is karst topography at its finest. Towers of rock soar from the flat plains and rivers and form this endless ring of teeth like formations. They are so close and take on familiar shapes you find yourself wanting to do the Chinese thing and name them....Mountain with hole in it; Camel Rock; Old man sitting etc. A famous Chinese poet Han Yu wrote that "the river winds like a green silk ribbon, while the hills are like jade hairpins" ....very apt.

A bit harder to see the relevance of the camel, the horse and the two monkeys when we got off the raft. But I am sure in some distant village that all made sense.

We had asked for a bicycle ride adventure somewhere in China but that was not included in our itinerary. After today I can see why. Many of the tourist rode a hired bicycle to the raft launch. I just can't imagine myself on the country road competing with the bus drivers, the cars, the rickshaws, scooters and Chen. Glad someone was sane enough to save us from that stupidity!

The afternoon adventure was to the Reed Flute Cave. Think Jenolan Caves but add the veneer of "tourism" that is China that makes this accessible to thousands of tourists every day. The formations were magnificent and these were made even more spectacular by very cunning lighting displays. Wendy was able to point out the characters from legends from the tribes, every fruit and vegetable that has hit our plate in the last month, Santa Clause and a snow covered Christmas tree, waterfalls, evil spirits, gods, dancers, princesses, towers, animals from land and sea - they were all there in the magical wonderland of Reed Flute Cave. And the tour finished with a spectacular light show and movie...just because they can...in a cavern that holds 1 000 people. Again, the scale of the undertaking is mind boggling.

Not a bad day actually...that included four hours of driving...a couple of markets and the "running of the gauntlet" and finished off with dinner up two flights of stairs (of course). Mmmm about the food in Guilin. Has been interesting...we have been restricted to a "one drink" limit, sometimes in a 100 ml cup - have had the "set menu" for dinner, lunch and a second dinner (peppered beef, lemon chicken, rice and a green vegetable)....always in restaurants only for Westerners......feeling a little pigeon holed...and don't think I want to see lemon chicken or peppered beef again for a while! Tonight I insisted on a second drink and poor Wendy had to call the tour company manager to get approval! Remember a 600 ml bottle of soft drink is 3 yuan and a 750 ml bottle of beer is a mere 8 yuan. Wendy won the day for us and we enjoyed two glasses! What an absolute treat!

Heading to Xiamen and the coast tomorrow...via an early morning stop over at the Pearl Factory so I can add to my birthday haul from the kids.

Looking forward to the coast ....and maybe even some seafood...and who knows...three drinks!

PS first day in China that Mac hasn't been asked for his photo...his popularity is on the decline!

Pedometer reading: 7 680
Temperature: 24 C and fine with no turbulence on the water!

@AuntyGail ....not much walking today ....but still loads of eating!

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Photos

Loving the rafting experience
Notice the lady in orange....the revenge of the Chinese photo bomber!

Comments

[Aunty Gail]

A VERY adventurous day today......the rafting looks like lots of fun......so glad you gave the bicycle thing a miss......I have my fingers crossed for seafood & 3 drinks tomorrow!!!.....xoxoxoxo