Day 16 - Road to Chengdu

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Woke up this morning to find it snowing ! We needed an early start today. Even though we only needed to cover 400km, unfortunately due to the low road height of the MX 5, we decided to go back to Jiangyou the same way we came, electing the better of two evils, as the planned route back still has some unrepaired damage from the big earthquake.

On the way, we stopped to have a snow ball fight, and then further down the road encountered a couple of nice Baima tribe folk. They were walking to hospital, so Sin and Ying Chu offered to give them a lift. Apparently the couple left the Landcruiser smelling of pot, which kind of explains the wonderful smiles they had on their sun dried faces.

On the way to Jiuzhaigou, I was extremely cautious due to large chunks of damaged roads. On the way back, I gunned it down the twisties. Although the speed limit was restricted at 30kph, I was topping out through the twists and turns at 120kph. The MX 5 was really in it's element, and I had a wierd feeling that the sensation I felt must have been similar to what our Dad had felt winning the British Hill Climb Championship all those years ago.

We had a local lunch, and then hit the highway for the short hop to Chengdu, the hometown of our guide, Ying Chu, and the support car driver, Lao Liu.

We had a Chengdu favourite, hot pot, for dinner, and then retired for the evening. It is 11:30pm right now, and I am debating whether or not to hit the town. Chengdu Lan Kwai Fong is just around the corner from the hotel. Hmmm

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