We had all pre-ordered breakfast the night before so when we met at 8am it was there ready waiting for us. I had an omelette on toast and a banana and honey pancake, just what I needed for a long day trekking. We had our breakfast and headed out at around 9:30am.

Just around the corner from the hotel was an old guy just sitting there, so I asked if I could take his picture, he said yes and I took one (2 actually). I really liked it and I have attached it below, then I showed it to him and he laughed and then gestured 2 with his finger on my camera screen. I couldn't believe it, I was being ripped off by some 100 year old guy!!!! I paid him 2 Yuan (20p) and got on my way, thinking that was a small price to pay for a good picture.

Leaving the village we were followed by a few guys who wanted to carry our day packs, everyone refused although I am sure some wanted to. Slowly as we left the village most of them gave up following us except this one that was talking to me. He wanted 80 Yuan to carry my bag and to be honest I was quite tempted. Then he went off and asked Emma too and in the end as Emma was struggling with the walk I managed to get him to carry both of our bags for 70 Yuan which worked out at £3.50 each. I was feeling a little guilty having someone carry my bag but it was purely for Emma’s benefit as she was struggling. I actually was grateful as it meant I could easily stop and take pictures and not get quite as hot and sweaty as the other guys. When we caught them up, I think some were a little envious that I had given in and paid to have my bag carried, as it was so hot and humid.

We stopped for a break about halfway and had a drink and something to eat, and it looked like the guy carrying the bags needed a break too. We took about 30 mins in a shaded spot.

Off again and stopping many times to take some photos and a few sneaky ones of some of the locals. The path followed the edge of the hillside and in certain places the road or path had been obstructed by some small landslides that had happened recently due to the heavy rain, so there were a few spots where we had to be careful. There were also a few comical English translated signs, maybe I should set up a separate collection of these.

When we finally reached our destination village, Ping’an where I was stopped on the path down in to the village by two of the local women asking for 20 Yuan to do a traditional combing of their hair ceremony. Their hair is about 3 or 4 foot long when let down, but I wasn’t too bothered about paying to see it combed, so I refused, then the price got cheaper and cheaper and in the end I said I only had 2.5 Yuan and they let me take their photo with their hair up. Thanks, the pictures are quite good too but I prefer the old man’s photo.

In between walking down to from the hills, going through the village and arriving at the hostel we managed to lose half the group. Jess and Claire were up front with the local guide and Roy and I were at the back and made it to the hotel OK. Somehow Emma & Jane, Tom & Sarah and Craig were MIA in the village somewhere. As it is a fairly small village, Roy went out to look for them and came back after about 30 mins with the missing people.

We checked in, dropped off our bags and then headed out with Roy for a walk around the village and up to the view point for a few more pictures. On the walk back down we stopped at a bar were Roy bumped in to a couple of local ladies that he knew, one of which had a new born baby. That was it, Roy didn’t put the baby down for about an hour, he looked really at home with her. He must have been missing his 6 year old girl that he doesn’t get to see very much.

That evening we had dinner at the hotel and Roy had booked a surprise cultural show put on by the local village women. One thing he didn’t tell us was that he wanted us to sing a song or for someone to do an English dance or something. With us all being put on the spot, someone came up with the idea that the group was to sing "We wish you a merry Christmas" as it was quite short and that they wouldn’t know that it was a Christmas song, we did and it was quite weird but funny too, LOL.

After that we were off the hook for a little while and then we were called upon to do a couple of the local dances. The first one being a type of skipping dance, but over bamboo poles knocked and moved along the ground. See the pictures, you will get the idea. I was first up and blowing my own trumpet a little was voted best out of the guys and Sarah who was so much better than me, was the best out of the girls and overall. Following this dance was a traditional wedding dance where Tom was picked, blind folded and then he had to pick his bride. With a little bit of cheating by us he managed to pick out his wife, Sarah and they were “married”.