You might have noticed that we've been out of contact for a couple of days?
This is because we've been exploring China's countryside and hiking up a massive hill (nay mountain). It's great to get back to reality and to check in with the blog to see so many messages from friends and family. So keep them coming!
Our hiking trip was a real slog! We're rather proud of our achievement though and can happily report that we made it to the top = 52 k people. Mount Emei (the mountain) is a sacred Buddhist place, very holly although in modern day China this means monasteries no longer take pride of place, instead the mountain is littered with shops, cable cars and a even skiing resort (though alas/thankfully not quite cold enough for any runs). Along with all the other pilgrims/tourists, Pete and Polly set off (height at start 500m) to make it to the top (3500m). It was quite possibly one of the most physically challenging things we've ever done - and this is coming from two hardened marathon runners - and this may be reflected in our faces (see photos).
The highs of the trip included:
·reaching the top - and seeing the great views (see photos to verify sarcasm)
·Walking with a group of Chinese tourists (two of which were the smallest women ever seen, thankfully they were wearing all the right stuff.....plimsolls, cardigans, washing bag. Next to us "all the gear, no idea", it was quite embarrassing - esp. when they would overtake us).
·stopping at a local eatery and watching the local soap with the chef and owner - seriously this was brilliant - it was an epic episode so even though it was all in mandarin we were equally gripped as the lead character was killed off - a bit like when H. Bishop fell off the rock (Haaarrrrooooold)
·The stunning landscape and scenery - or what we saw of it (see lows)
·Pete forgetting his fake student card - which gets him a discount at numerous attractions - at the ticket office and having to backtrack for 2kms to collect it (a high for one of us)
Lows included:
·The constant rain - see second to last point of highs - it was seriously Lake District esque
·The tight arse monks - yes people... monks... At height you stay overnight in monasteries but the monks have joined the Chinese capitalist revolution and now see tourists as $$$ signs. So you have to haggle. Haggling with a monk for a bed in their monastery is a surreal experience.....Pete did us proud)
·The killer cockroaches
·Fending off the kick arse wild monkeys looming around each bend in the path (thankfully our walking sticks came into great use). The Chinese tourists / pilgrims find it hilarious to feed the monkeys (ignoring rather prominent "Do not feed the monkeys signs") and as a result they see any bag as neon yellow food sign (the monkey version of the golden arches if you like)
·Pete forgetting his fake student card - which gets him a discount at numerous attractions - at the ticket office and having to backtrack for 2kms to collect it (a low for one of us)
Anyway we survived the hike and how as our legs recover we are relaxing in a beautiful riverside town in the south - which we'll update you on next time
Love Polly and Pete