Ooopsi-daisy

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This morning I left for Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest gorges in the world (it is roughly 3900m deep and 16km long). Again, being trustworthy (as every backpacker is) I leave the bulk of my crap in storage at the hostel. There was group of seven of us to make the trek plus our guide. I go back and forth on how I want to rate it. I spent twice as much money on this particular trip as compared with what other operators were offering, but that was for the English speaking guide and I guess other English speaking people. The problem was, the guide just led us and didn’t really add any value. He spoke in Chinese for the most part with the Hong Kong kids and Korean guys that were with us. I should also mention that we started an hour late cuz two of the seven people were on the wrong trip! And the other two were waiting at their hotel to be picked up…was sort of a disaster since the first day we had about 8 hours of trekking and starting at 11:30 in the morning was going to pose a problem with the sun setting. One woman on the trek hailed from San Francisco. Quite nice and lovely to talk with, but in all honesty by the end of it had had enough of her. She definitely got to be too much with her bazillion rhetorical questions and a few other things.

Anyway, the hike was gorgeous and I am most certainly happy I paid extra cash and did it this way. Not something I should be doing by myself (especially since LP mentions a handful of people have actually died in the gorge and accounts of assault)…but I didn’t like how the guide was rushing us (although I know in good cause to ensure we made it to our destination while it was still light out) and I was bothered. This is why I am not sure how to rate it. When you are hiking you absolutely should not go any faster than you are comfortable and I didn’t like the pressure AND I want to be able to enjoy what I am walking through and stop to admire sheer beauty and take pictures, particularly on a sunny day. I had a torch for myself so I would have been fine to take my time even if the sun started to set...And there was also a man with a horse who was following me for a while offering to take me and or my bag…they just don’t get it when you say no and keep on following you! Finally I just stopped to let him pass me as I couldn’t take him anymore…then the horse decided to crap all over the trail…great timing!

The scenery was breathtaking and the hike up the 28 bends was - oy! - tough…as tough as Emei but for a shorter distance…I just kept thinking to myself….buns of steel, beth…buns of steel. We made it to the first stop…the sight of where the tiger leapt from the massive boulder below in the Yangzi (Jinsha) River to the perch on the mountain where we stood. No jumping pictures here…the little area was not suitable for this. On our way out, this random guy who was walking up with us from the bottom stopped us from passing and said we had to pay him 8RMB for taking pictures here…apparently there is a sign in Chinese that says so. I called bullshit and said no way! Its not the money (it’s a dollar) but the sheer principle…this guy doesn’t own that spot and he came up with us from the base! All but two of us ended up paying…they are all suckers. Shame.

I think my hostility about how I’m treated as a foreigner in this country is extremely evident and ever present. I will not be sad to leave here… It truly is a shame though, the majority of the people who try to take advantage of us are ruining our view of their country and of those few that are actually nice. I will also take this time to inform you that this magnificent landscape may be destroyed in a few years time as the Chinese have plans to build eight dams along the Yangzi River. They say it is an imperative to fix the energy shortage in China and this hydropower is the key. Fine so be it, but I’ve also read that this will uproot over 100,000 people and flood many many acres of farmland and “wash away local culture, history, unique architecture and indigenous plant and animal life”. There is no final approval but still….they are expected to begin further work next year, so I’m thrilled I had the chance to see this before it is no longer left.

So the hike took us to the top of Haba Shan and along the Yangzi River (mind you roughly 1500m above the river level) with views of Yulong Xueshan across the river. We walked on very narrow paths at some points and through waterfalls with slippery stones. Definitely got a little nerve racking at times, especially with a small pack on your back. We finally made it to Tina’s, the guesthouse we were to stay at for an average nights sleep. However, I was very excited to see a whole group of kids…actually 8th graders. They were from the Hong Kong International School (i.e. expat children) on their “peak” trip, which I gather would be our field trip…like when we would go to DC, Philly or Boston, although much cooler. I just smiled seeing them, playing all of their games and activities…just reminiscent of the old days.

So one of the Korean guys, I couldn’t pronounce his name for the life of me so we set on calling him Noel. He is living in Shanghai for the year…his company, an extremely large electronics company based in Seoul, has sent him there to learn Chinese. He has the entire year off and they pay for everything, including his vacation trips to TLG for example. Incredible, right? Well how about the fact that he can only go back to Seoul once or twice during this year…he has been gone 7 months and has an 8 month old son. His wife, son and other family members are not allowed to visit him. I asked, well how would his company ever know??? Apparently they will check her passport when he is finished and if she has visited him they will have him fork over all of the expenses for his year away!! He signed a contract and all. Unbelievable!

More hiking the next day…this time down to the river…buns of steel……. Wow, this hiking was not easy…I’m glad I was in such great shape before I left…(obviously joking, I think I went to the gym all of 10 times in all of 2007). On the way back up from the river we had to climb up a ladder…90 degree vertical (could have even been slightly more than that)…maybe about 30 rungs…now the ladder is basically wire wrapped around each other…some bars stronger steel than others but it was pretty freaky….therefore I went first! Smart one…

The rest of the day we made our way back to Lijiang. I was a bit nervous that I wouldn’t make it back in time for my bus to Dali and I am on a very strict time schedule here in Yunnan to see everything that I want to see and be back to Kunming on the 29th. So as far as I was aware, our guide told us that once we returned from the river we were to take a bus to a ferry and then the ferry across the river to catch our van home. This turned into a bus to the top of the massive hill where the ferry waiting below…another 40 minute hike and our “ferry” or barely held together boat took us across for another 40 minute hike up to where our van waited for us.

On the way back we made a quick stop in I think Baisha, where there are these gorgeous pools or springs or lakes or something….so much for our English speaking guide. Crystal clear water and gorgeous scenery with, I believe, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the background. It was really spectacular. The unfortunate part of this is that as I was snapping away my lens protector and polarizer fell off my lens, over the bridge and into the lake below. I first thought I saw something but then figured that it was the lens cap that was swinging from the camera base. Then someone animated what had happened. Oooooops! I did go all the way around and down to the water to search for it but since I didn’t watch it as it fell I didn’t really have a great idea where it was…and we had to get back so I could get the bus station and another to the airport. Oh well, shit happens. Good thing I keep in touch with family at home as I will be receiving new ones in the mail when I arrive in Shanghai! Not sure what is cheaper, fedexing less expensive products from the states or purchasing the overpriced ones here in China… problem solved and that’s what matters!

We made it back in time, barely, for me to run and get my bags, stop for a quick bite to eat (read, shoveling food in my mouth) and catch the bus to Dali. Looking forward to a SHOWER!

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