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Day 1
We arrived Wednesday lunch time from Guilin to the hustle of Yangshuo, after a bus journey giving us tantalising snippets of the natural beauty we were about to see. Sadly, after ariving in our Hotel on West Street (essentially tourist hell street packed with hostels, bars, souvenir shops and tour companies) and having a spot of lunch we decided to ignore the many offers of a guide and go off into the countryside on our own, on one of the hotest days they have had here, on a tandem. After numerous scares on the main road out of town, we got lost. Almost immediately. In fact we could still see town as we scrabbled down dirt paths through rice fields pushing the rather underwhelming tandem to its limits. This was the first time on the trip that we came close to killing each other.
Charlotte: I can't see a thing with you in the way! And take that stupid hat off!
Hywel: It is not stupid, it is extreme, and trust me you don't want to see what's in front of us...
[Two travellers forced off tandem and along an 8 foot high irrigation ditch
wall in vague direction of a road along which other content travllers were enjoying the views]
Anyway, after taking the darned evil bike back and having some food, our initial impression of the place was of frustration and being trapped by nature in a street of backpackers.
Day 2
Got up very early (half 7!) and went to the bank of scary women selling death by bicycle for another crack at the whip, this time emphatically accepting the very nice and smilling Wei Wei's offer of a guided tour of the Yu Long (Dragon) river by bike. With a good mountain bike each this time, off we went for probably our best day yet on the trip.
Firstly we were led out of town and through numerous small villages and tracks to the beautiful banks of the Yu Long river surrounded by the amazing and famous limestone karst hills of the area. It was such a beautiful place and every turn in the track brought more beauty.
Then down to the river for Charlotte and I and our bikes to be put on a bamboo raft and taken on a leisurely hour and a half
down the river, passing rice fields, water buffalo, a bizarre wedding photo party in the middle of a shallow point in the river (her dress looked a tad soggy along the bottom...???) . Sadly my 'western' weight caused a slight issue as we were grounded going over one the many mini water falls in the river. I had to get off and help the poor chap push the boat (containing Charlotte ) over the edge. Then, with my advanced 'water proof' trainers now sodden, I met them down stream after being conned out of 10 yuan for some post cards by yet another pleading woman who literally saw me coming down stream.
Then we met Wei Wei again and went off on the bikes to the foot of Moon Hill, a beautiful hill with a circular opening through it making it look, you guessed it, like the Moon. Wei Wei went home to start lunch in her home in the village down the road leaving Charlotte and I to be shaken in a mini van heading for the 'famous' Moon Water Caves. Once inside we were taken on a tour of these enormous caves with torches and hard hats. About an hour in while the mildly calustrophobic Charlotte waited patiently I went for a mud bath/slide with some random Americans. Caked in mud and struggling to keep up, we finally made it to a stunning cave opening on the side of the hill overlooking a hidden rice field glen surrounded by hills.
Charlotte, spurred on by the open air and guide man (very bad English and insistently made us play an annoying game of guess what the rock looks like ALL THE TIME) stormed off down the hill, leaving me caked in rapidly drying mud falling my way down the hill in rubber sandals which didnt fit.
A spot of swimming in a cave river pond near the entrance and off again to be met by Wei Wei and taken by bike to her home in Moon Hill Village and to meet her Husband, Father and lovely Daughter of one and a half and to be served an awesome lunch of pork and mint omelette dumplings and stuffed pumpkin flowers and stir fried greens. Then, off to Moon Hill itself and a huge climb in the heat right to the top for some of the most impressive views ever. Back down and another cycle through ever impressive scenery and villages, including some very funny Water Buffalo submerged in ponds in the back of farmsteads.
Seriously tired after a mind boggling day, we agreed to meet Wei Wei again the next morning for more!
Day 3
This morning we went for a few hours bike ride down the larger more open Li river seeing similar hills but with a more panoramic view. We visited an ancient village full of ducks and chickens only to be taken back up the river on our own boat with Wei Wei and bikes back to Yangshuo. Tonight we are off to a light and music show on the river with the hills as a backdrop.
Sorry for the long entry but they have been busy days..!
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Livs
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Mmmm... duck
"ancient village full of ducks" - were any of them crispy with pancakes?