We were up bright and early to pack for our ascent of Hua Shan, a 2,000 metre mountain considered holy by Taoists. I was armed with a new 6 quid rucksack and a 4 quid purple plastic poncho to help me on my way.

After a couple of hours of constant rain on the bus to the base we weren't sure how safe the ascent would be but we overheard some Germans preparing for the ascent and goddammit we weren't going to be outdone by the Hun!

The beginning of the climb was a reasonably gentle hike uphill by a babbling stream and we reflected how silly we'd been to worry about such a simple task. Then, after 4km, we hit steep steps, and they just kept on going. In some sections they were near vertical and continued slow ascent as opposed to swift descent required clinging desperately to a slippery metal chain at the side of the steps. Having completed the first 4k in 45 minutes the next 2 took us an hour. We finally arrived, sweaty but happy, at the 1,600 metre North peak in mid afternoon. Our celebratory snaps were cloaked in mist but we forged on to 'Green Dragon Ridge', the thin tortuous link that led on to the other peaks. Now, as if by magic, the mist lifted and we were treated to views all round of just how high we'd climbed! The section climbing up to the central peak hit us hard and our night on the beers and the poor nutritional content of a full English plus a few cookies seemed to combine against our efforts but we ploughed on to earn a short break at the 2,042 metre Central peak. We needed to get on, however, to reach our accomodation on the East peak and the descent back to the path round was demoralising as ever step down was one we'd need to repeat back up.

The last push almost broke us (particularly at 'Heavenly Ascent Steps', some tiny ladder steps cut into a short cliff which actually go past vertical at one stage requiring more perilous clinging to those chains!) but we completed the climb to the East peak (2,100 metres) and checked into a dorm room with some Chinese student roommates who'd taken the far more sensible cable car up the first half of the mountain. We watched a beautiful sunset and hungrily scoffed down both noodles and fried rice before heading to bed, exhausted, at 8.30!