I was up at six feeling like I'd caught up from the weekend in Liaocheng and keen and raring to get to my destination. I went down to the bus station and was on the bus to Nanping by 7.

Two hours later I was on my feet trekking up the cliff side path to Guoliangcun. Another two hours and I found myself back in Nanping with no idea what had just happened.

Apparently I'd just done one big lap of the cliffs and ended up back at square one. I set off again careful to ask for directions at every opportunity.

Yet another two hours and the strange look I recieved as an answer told me that after a day and a half I had finally arrived.

First inspection revealed the village to be a major disapointment as the ancient stone homesteads of my imagination crumbled into red brick buildings and the aged villagers gave way to hoards of art students with their MP3s blaring.

The scenary was amazing though. A thin veil of clouds draped itself over dramatic limestone peaks that rise suddenly out of the ground and fall away just as sharply.

I picked a roughly cut stone path and wound my way up into the clouds.

On the way I bumped into a marauding group of art students who signalled their friendship by loading my bag full of red fruit I had earlier seen them stealing from a tree.

We played together in the hills before heading back to our respective accomodations.

Later there was a knock at the door, which I answered before remembering I wasn't wearing any trousers. It was the art students plus one, making four. I asked them to wait a moment and got decent again.

This they did before asking if they could come in. They could.

"Why weren't you wearing any trousers?" The one I hadn't met asked.

I thought this a bit intrusive but when she asked if it was an English habit I had to explain that I had been getting some exercise.

Once we'd been talking awhile and they were comfortable they asked if 'The Others' could come in. I wondered how many others there would be but knew that I'd never get a straight answer so didn't bother asking. Luckily the others had gotten bored and b*****ed off into the night.

We agreed to meet at four the following morning and trek up to watch the sunrise and they went back to their hotel.

Past their bedtime, I expect.