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Okay, i shall update on the last few days. First we went to Lijang, which although very touristy was really pretty as all the shops were still in the traditonal chinese buildings. Went for a walk to the par there, and around black dragon pool, which was stunning! Walking around the lake you could see snow mountain in the distance, and i got some rather nice photographs. I went to the park originally as part of a group, but you needed a cultural relics protection slip from the governement to get in, which i forgot. So after going back to the hostel (which was insidently full of character and charm!) i got split up from the rest, which was fine by me. Although i then found out after enterting the park that the hill whcih you could climb, elephant hill, you had to sign in to walk up and only go in a group of 4 or more. So i spent the next half an hour walking around trying to find my group, with no success. So i went back to the entrance to the hill prepared to persawde her to let me go up with another group. I got there and found there was no one there so i sprinted up the forst few fights of stairs before anyone could stop me, and ended up meeting the rest of my group at the top of the hill and walking back down with them!
Next stop was the tiger leaping gorge. It was hard work. On the first day we started to walk at 12.30, the hottest part of the day, and it was around 25 i think, which doesn't seem massively warm. However when your walking and your climbing up altitude it makes it bloody hard work! We walked about and hour and 40 mins (20 mins off the expected time to walk the section, go us!) and collapsed for lunch. Well at least i collasped for lunch! The next section was in my option the hardest. i have no idea why though! I think it was before we got to the 28 bends (a very steep part of the walk) and i couldn't beileve that we had this really steep bit left to go. I ended up being almost the last person in the group, and feeling very overheated. But we reached our break point with a woman extermely excitedly selling honey tea. She was so entusitic about selling us this honey tea that it cheered me up enough to plow on through. Ironically enough the 28 bends i didn't actually find that hard. I wasn't walking with anyone so i went at my own pase and it was about 5 o'clock so there was a mass of shade which was so good! We reached the top of our walk with some spectacular veiws of the mountain opposite. The one good thing about it being a clear day i think were the views we got. That first day we walked from a starting height of 1090m above sea level to the highest point 2660m above sea level! I was so glad to sleep that night!
The next day was pretty good walking all of it was downhill and flat. It would have been perfect except having not found my own walking shoes before i left and having to borrow someone elses to take with me i got massive blisters which i had to unfortunatly endure. Was such a good cool down walk and we stoped at the half way guest house for 2 and a half hours druing the hottest part of the day to have a lesuirly lunch surrounded by spectacular views. I think here was the best views i have also ever seen fomr a toliet! They have open walls and just a small wall protecting your decency, but it meant you had open views of the mountains. And they are by no means the worst toilets ive been in. You get prpared for the cultural shock of squat toliet but i was no prepared for ones with no door and only a very small wall around you.
We reached the end of our walk all extremely happy and tired. And so we decided to stay up till half 10 trying to learn how to play mahjong. A really good game insidently but i dont think our group will ever get the hang of going to bed early to get the sleep we need! we arrive in Zhong Dian, aka Shangri La yesterday and as an after walk treated headed down to the natural hot springs. It was so good! Open air with a massive rock next to you and hills surrounding you in a 40 degree pool. Utter bliss! I think the best part was the natural sauna though. You basically walk into this cave and you in a sauna created by the hot spring! Can't tell you how good it was for everyones muscles.
Anwyay Today we were meant to go to the national park here. But we all woke up this morning in our freezing cold rooms (its so cold every room has an electric blanket that you have to keep on throughout the night) came downstairs, looked outside, and it was snowing! A surreal sight let me tell you. So we have unfortunaly cancelled our trip because we wouldn't be able to see a thing but it gave me time to come and do this blog. Although i am wearing several layers and breathing steam in this room. But hey ho, im thankfully used to the cold for going to scotland so often.
xxx
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