After a 14 hour train, a three hour wait at the bus stop, a ten hour bus and a 100 RMB taxi we made it to Jiuzhaigou, without any major hassles. This area of Sichuan is technically part of the Tibetan Autonomous region and all the buildings are quite different; brightly coloured and immensely decorated with huge brass engraved doors. After passing over some hills, we entered a river valley where the harvest in the postage-stamp sized fields was nearly complete. The sheaves of corn were hanging on tall wooden frames to dry, and the potatoes were being dug up as we pass. Our luck ran out with hostels as the Jiuzhaigou accommodation was freezing, lacked a bar, was very quiet and more expensive than the others so far. In fact, the whole place was like
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