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Tiger Leaping gorge in the monsoon.
In a cafe with Tracey Chapman singing some song repeating the words three thousand miles away,(ironic,i thought) i have no idea how far i am from home but know i've crossed a lot of land to be sitting on my backside in China.It's Saturday afternoon coming up to three o'clock here in Lijiang,home for one more night and then we travel south to Dali for two nights before heading for the border to cross into Laos.
It's a little while since you heard from me,i've been back up in the hills this time travelling over the rest of the Himalayan range through Tibet and south into Yunnan region of south China(officially in China now!!) and covered a little of the Tiger Leapin gorge.We rolled into Lijiang yesterday,some of us in need of shower and clean clothes.Apart from the two nights treking in the Tiger Leapin gorge i've been bush camping since you last heard from me,so glad to be in regular contact with a bar of soap and running water,more importantly a toilet,so tired of peeing and pooing in the woods,on the side of mountains or behind rocks.
Left Lhasa Friday 20th July,following the river east and leaving the city way behind us,we had five nights of bush camping ahead of us which i was looking forward to but not the long truck days to cover the miles to get through the hills,mountains,gorges,over rivers,round bends,you would not believe the terrain we have covered.Again a few scary roads with not much road in places either.We travelled through some of the most difficult terrain during monsoon season,Lonely Planet stresses the need to avoid monsoon season when travelling through these regions.It wasn't long before we got to see the scenic views of the Alpine landscape of south Tibet with lush vegetation and the rivers bursting with muddy waters smashing it's way through the river bed.But remember we're climbing up hills at times and gaining altitude on highway passes as high as 5,000m in places,so the landscape would go from alpine to shrubery to gravel and rocks.Woke up in the strangest and most amazing of places,including alpine meadows,gravel pits,beside rivers over the next few mornings.Each morning with a different view and the weather so changable but more often than not it rained each night,not just a drizzle either,it was liike going asleep under a tin roof listening to the rain bounce off it.My little tent kept the rain off but still had dampness build up.My tent is currently sitting in the tent locker on the truck still in the wet heap i last put it in,should really take it out to dry (wheres the love!!).As we trucked along being over took by monks on a bus,the funniest of things to see.We also saw pilgrims making their way to Lhasa i guess, prostrating which is the act of throwing themselves down onto their knees and then flat unto the ground,stretching their arms out before standing up again,they do this to cover the ground to reach their destination,a very long process.It could take them years to travel from the hills to their temple of destination.We had Yaks slow us down,pigs wandering onto the road if it wasn't that the truck was trying to take corners like it was on rails,which didn't work.At one point while hanging out the window i saw the ground crumble and sink beneath the truck wheels as we took a corner.
Another two truck birthdays were celebrated over the weekend.Monday afternoon the 23rd,as we were trucking along we got rudely stopped by a landslide.So with hands,picks,shovels we cleared part of a massive boulder,clay and stones to make room for the truck to pass.We had help from some locals while more just barged through with their vehicles through what space was available.Tight squeezes,Steve made it through,none of us were on the truck when he did drive it through.Also that day we got our first view of the yangtze river.
By Wednesday 23rd we rolled into Tiger leapin gorge town to attempt treking through the gorge.First we had to find out what the weather was doing up in the hills.We pulled up outside the Gorged Tiger cafe run by an Australian woman by the name of Margo,a character to say the least.The path was not open all the way but it was possible to trek half way along.So packed a very light bag to do me for two days up in the hills,staying over night in tea houses.I'd say their was no more than a dozen of us headed off for the few days.Despite the soft rain the first day climbing up the trek was enjoyable and knew on the way back down if the weather was clear there would be great views.So glad to reach our tea house that evening after about six hours trekking in total,a warm shower,hot coffee and anticipating a wholesome meal that night i slept like a log.Nearly slept in the following morning too,just made it in time to leave with the others.A beautiful morning with the most magnificient of views along the gorge,always watching where the feet were going as there was cracks in the path which eventually would lead to subsidence and i didn't want to standing there when it would decide to give way.I'll let the photos tell you how magnificient the views were (coming your way shortly).A good read is Michael Palin's account in his book Himalaya of the views and trek.The path twists and winds round clinging to the side of the gorge each bend reveiling views of what is believed to be one of the deepest gorges in the world (according to lonely lier,i mean planet!).Second day i reached the half way point,took in my view,sat for ahwile in the halfway lodge before heading back down the path to our next lodge that would be bed for the night.A hot shower this time and good food,sat up playing uno before calling it a night.Michael Palin talks of the view from the toilet at the halfway house and it is everything he says it is.Along the way crops of corn were growing on the slopes with sunflowers too,a very lush and rich landscape.Lots of fruit trees and vegetables planted to.Herds of sheep/goats on the hillsides and closer to the little farms were the odd cows and pigs being farmed.The following morning (Fri 27th) an early rise to trek back down to the town and leave this magically place.
Will let you know what i think of Lijiang next time i'm on the buttons,hopefully it will not be too long. Ave x x x x x x x
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