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Yangshuo was also our jumping off point for our trek into the Long Ji rice terrace region. We left our big bags in the train staion in the nearby city of Guilin before various buses brought us to the foot of a mountain near the village of Dazhai. Getting off the bus we were surrounded by local women offering to carry our rucksacks during the 50 minute hike up the hill to the village in return for 20 Yuan (2 pounds). Our consciences wouldn't allow us to let these (mostly old) women carry our bags when we were perfectly capable, so we ploughed on. The short trek wasn't easy, but it was certainly woth it for the stunning views of the 700 year old rice terraces from the tiny hillside village where we would spend the night.
In Dazhai, there was nothing to do except admire the views, play with the local children and puppies, eat in a fantastic vegetarian restaurant attched to a guesthouse and prepare ourselves for the following days 4 hour trek through the rice terraces.
In the morning we woke to find it was raining heavily, but by the time we'd eaten breakfast the clouds had disapeared and it was already scorching hot. At times the trek was difficult, but it was a privelege to walk through such a magnificent landscape, bright green rice terraces undulating endlessly in all directions, and the toughness of the walk just made our arrival in the slightly bigger village of Ping'An all the sweeter!
The evening in Ping'An was enlivened by a display of local dance from some local villagers. After performing various ritual dances, they invited us to join in a game which involved hopping from one side of the room avoiding bamboo sticks that they were banging on the floor. It was like a cross between hopscotch and skipping, but more dangerous. At first one of the women held our hands to help us across, Claire took to the game straight away, but as I was about 16 inches taller than the woman, that was more of hindrance than help, however as soon as she let go of my hands I was skipping across faster than they could manouevre the bamboo sticks! (honest!)
The next day it was back to Guilin for the next leg of our journey to Hong Kong!
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