Chengdu
I traveled to Chengdu in the first class sleeping compartment. The difference to second class sleeping compartment is small, the difference to a seat, however, is enormous. So I decided to go for the luxury version, keeping a journey time of 25 hours in mind. Three Norwegians were going for the same luxury. After some persuasion, we managed to get a compartment for ourselves; a piece of Europe on the Chinese railways. The next two days I traveled with Kyle, Chris and Michael. Chris and Michael have stayed in China for the last two years. They can speak fluent Mandarin and read a lot, as well. Kyle was just visiting and his Mandarin knowledge was, just like mine, not existent.
After another 25 hours on Chinese trains, we arrived in Chengdu in the evening. Since we were four, the taxi ride to the hostel was cheap. The hostel was the best I have stayed in, in China so far. It is quite large but equipped with lots of little details that you appreciate as a traveler. Since we were well rested from the train ride the evening was quite long.
The following day I visited the Wenshu temple first. It is a very beautiful, traditional temple. The rest of the day I spent in a café, where I studied a Southeast Asia guide book. Unfortunately, they did not want to sell it to me.
When I arrived back at the hostel Kyle, Chris and Michael were just heading out for dinner, I joined them. For Chris and Michael the trip to Chengdu was for culinary reasons mainly. The Sichuan province is known for having the best food in China. During the day the two spent some time at a Chinese restaurant review site on the Internet. The result of the research was remarkable. We ordered seven dishes for the four of us and all were in a range of good to excellent. This was definitely the best Chinese food I ever had. After the meal we drank some tea and went for a walk through nightly Chengdu, because we had to make space for another Sichuan specialty. On a night market we ate rabbit heads. These were quite tasty, but it took some effort overcoming the disgust with these unusual snacks.
The next day I left Chengdu on a bus to the southern holy mountain of Buddhism in China, Emei Shan.
Emei Shan
I traveled to Chengdu in the first class sleeping compartment. The difference to second class sleeping compartment is small, the difference to a seat, however, is enormous. So I decided to go for the luxury version, keeping a journey time of 25 hours in mind. Three Norwegians were going for the same luxury. After some persuasion, we managed to get a compartment for ourselves; a piece of Europe on the Chinese railways. The next two days I traveled with Kyle, Chris and Michael. Chris and Michael have stayed in China for the last two years. They can speak fluent Mandarin and read a lot, as well. Kyle was just visiting and his Mandarin knowledge was, just like mine, not existent.
After another 25 hours on Chinese trains, we arrived in Chengdu in the evening. Since we were four, the taxi ride to the hostel was cheap. The hostel was the best I have stayed in, in China so far. It is quite large but equipped with lots of little details that you appreciate as a traveler. Since we were well rested from the train ride the evening was quite long.
The following day I visited the Wenshu temple first. It is a very beautiful, traditional temple. The rest of the day I spent in a café, where I studied a Southeast Asia guide book. Unfortunately, they did not want to sell it to me.
When I arrived back at the hostel Kyle, Chris and Michael were just heading out for dinner, I joined them. For Chris and Michael the trip to Chengdu was for culinary reasons mainly. The Sichuan province is known for having the best food in China. During the day the two spent some time at a Chinese restaurant review site on the Internet. The result of the research was remarkable. We ordered seven dishes for the four of us and all were in a range of good to excellent. This was definitely the best Chinese food I ever had. After the meal we drank some tea and went for a walk through nightly Chengdu, because we had to make space for another Sichuan specialty. On a night market we ate rabbit heads. These were quite tasty, but it took some effort overcoming the disgust with these unusual snacks.
The next day I left Chengdu on a bus to the southern holy mountain of Buddhism in China, Emei Shan.
Emei Shan
On the journey from Chengdu to Emei Shan, I met the two Englishmen Mike and Harry. The following morning we set off together to the mountain. After the first five kilometers, we parted ways, because I had planned a day more than the two on the mountain. We took different routes.
After hiking for about two hours of continuous rain, I had reached a first striking point. At the end of the cable car, which I did not use, was a temple equally popular with monkeys and Chinese tour groups. I watched the monkeys for a short time, then I went up countless stairs towards the summit. After a distance of about 23 kilometers up the mountain, I arrived at the elephant bathing pool temple at around noon. There I treated myself to a meal and a slightly longer pause. After the break I was still wet from the constant rain and cold also, but up to the temple where I wanted to spend the night it was still agonizing 5.5 km up the mountain. At half past four, I had achieved my goal for the day. The 28.5 kilometers uphill climb was hard on my body. But after 8.5 hours hiking I could warm up for two hours in bed. The dinner was served at 5.30 pm, monks are probably no big night owls. According to Buddhist rites all food that had been served up had to be eaten and the dishes are washed by oneself. After dinner I fell into a fitful sleep.
At 5:50 am I got up the next morning, put on my damp to dripping wet clothes and was on the way to the summit at 6.15 am. In just under 70 minutes, I managed the last 3.5 kilometers and had the good fortune to be ahead of most tour groups at the summit. Both the view and the temples were magnificent. But as I had given my dry flip-flops preference to my wet sneakers, I got cold at the altitude of just over 3000 meters. After only twenty minutes, I began the descent. I was wondering if I should hike down as planned, or only about five kilometers to the bus stop and take the bus to the hostel.
When I arrived at the bus stop, I decided to take advantage of good weather conditions and go for the descend. At least I could take a new route. Arriving at the turnoff to the new route, which lies about four kilometers downhill from the bus station, I realized that this route was closed. I was frustrated. Suddenly I felt the pain in my thighs, calves, (ascent) and knees (down) somewhat stronger than before. Still, I had already hiked approximately 10 of 31 kilometers down the mountain. My new goal was to keep the pace high and spend the night in a hostel at the foot of the mountain. At noon I stopped again at a temple for dinner. Vegetarianism seems to be theoretically possible if you consider that I've eaten only in Buddhist temples and monasteries while on the mountain.
Later than when I dipped back into the damp mist of the mountain region, I became another attraction for Chinese tourists, a sweaty European. Only one monk gave me a thumbs up 23 kilometers below the summit, after I had confirmed non-verbally, that I came directly from the summit.
When I reached my hostel at last, I retreated to the shower for fifteen minutes with an ice cold beer in hand. Soon after dinner I went to bed and fell in a comatose sleep for thirteen hours.
On the next day, my body signaled me, that I had exaggerated a bit with my daily stages. Luckily I was able to sit in front of a computer monitor most of the day. In the evening I took the night train to Kunming.
After hiking for about two hours of continuous rain, I had reached a first striking point. At the end of the cable car, which I did not use, was a temple equally popular with monkeys and Chinese tour groups. I watched the monkeys for a short time, then I went up countless stairs towards the summit. After a distance of about 23 kilometers up the mountain, I arrived at the elephant bathing pool temple at around noon. There I treated myself to a meal and a slightly longer pause. After the break I was still wet from the constant rain and cold also, but up to the temple where I wanted to spend the night it was still agonizing 5.5 km up the mountain. At half past four, I had achieved my goal for the day. The 28.5 kilometers uphill climb was hard on my body. But after 8.5 hours hiking I could warm up for two hours in bed. The dinner was served at 5.30 pm, monks are probably no big night owls. According to Buddhist rites all food that had been served up had to be eaten and the dishes are washed by oneself. After dinner I fell into a fitful sleep.
At 5:50 am I got up the next morning, put on my damp to dripping wet clothes and was on the way to the summit at 6.15 am. In just under 70 minutes, I managed the last 3.5 kilometers and had the good fortune to be ahead of most tour groups at the summit. Both the view and the temples were magnificent. But as I had given my dry flip-flops preference to my wet sneakers, I got cold at the altitude of just over 3000 meters. After only twenty minutes, I began the descent. I was wondering if I should hike down as planned, or only about five kilometers to the bus stop and take the bus to the hostel.
When I arrived at the bus stop, I decided to take advantage of good weather conditions and go for the descend. At least I could take a new route. Arriving at the turnoff to the new route, which lies about four kilometers downhill from the bus station, I realized that this route was closed. I was frustrated. Suddenly I felt the pain in my thighs, calves, (ascent) and knees (down) somewhat stronger than before. Still, I had already hiked approximately 10 of 31 kilometers down the mountain. My new goal was to keep the pace high and spend the night in a hostel at the foot of the mountain. At noon I stopped again at a temple for dinner. Vegetarianism seems to be theoretically possible if you consider that I've eaten only in Buddhist temples and monasteries while on the mountain.
Later than when I dipped back into the damp mist of the mountain region, I became another attraction for Chinese tourists, a sweaty European. Only one monk gave me a thumbs up 23 kilometers below the summit, after I had confirmed non-verbally, that I came directly from the summit.
When I reached my hostel at last, I retreated to the shower for fifteen minutes with an ice cold beer in hand. Soon after dinner I went to bed and fell in a comatose sleep for thirteen hours.
On the next day, my body signaled me, that I had exaggerated a bit with my daily stages. Luckily I was able to sit in front of a computer monitor most of the day. In the evening I took the night train to Kunming.
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