Rice is Nice

The clouds cleared a bit after our late breakfast and we started our descent down Huangshan's longer, but more scenic, western slope. At some points, we had decent views. But sometimes, the fog came back in, and we could not see much. Really, the clouds were on one side of the mountain, but the trail was so confusing that I could not keep track of which side was which. And we encountered crowds of tourists the whole way. Of course, these tourists were in groups wearing matching hats (visors, baseball caps, or a sort of super-cap with a giant brim) and led by a tour guide brandishing a flag and a bullhorn. So that kind of quiet, contemplative mood that one could have even on a misty Huangshan was out of reach.

Stephen's so pissed, he's giving me the little granite finger

Eventually, we came to a fork in the road. The main trail continued down the mountain. The alternative involved an incredibly steep ascent to another ridge, which our guidebook described as an hour detour that was not for those afraid of heights. Stephen opted for the former and I for the latter. I did a 1.5km steep ascent, stopping for a few breaks along the way. Eventually, the trail walked the ridge line and was only about three feet wide, with sheer cliffs on either side. There, I could feel and see the cloud washing over me from one side of the mountain to the other. The views off one side were impressive, the ones I'd been hoping for. And off the other side, it was still a white void. There were other people on this trail, but not many. Nonetheless, I did not have peace and quiet. From the top of this peak, I could hear the crowds of tourists below, as they tested their own echos and followed the commands of their bullhorn-armed leaders. The descent was harder, as the steps were wet and slippery. Some of the passages were narrow enough that I had to turn sideways. By the time I reached the bottom and met up with Stephen, I could not stand still without my legs shaking. But it was a good feeling, as this was the part of the hike that made Huangshan worth the detour and expense.


Finished a walk, just a few frightening steps, across the Carp's Backbone

We negotiated our way to Tunxi, the regional hub. We went to the train station to cash in our train tickets (we wanted to leave on an earlier bus). There, we ran into a guy named Steven Huang. Our guidebook had mentioned that Steven Huang was to be found in Tunxi, and could arrange whatever we wanted. Steven runs a hotel in his house, which at the moment was full, though he did have me get on the phone and talk to one of his current guests just because she was from Chicago. Steven helped us through the process of cashing in our train tickets, finding the time for tomorrow's bus, and taking us to a moderate hotel. For the trouble, we tipped him a bit. We're wary when traveling, as some people will rip you off if they can. But Steven Huang in Tunxi is the real deal, so if you're there, allow him to help you. And really, we have not been taken advantage of too much in China. We go to stores and don't know the prices, and don't understand the Chinese numbers that are being quoted. So we hand over a bunch of money and get change, and I do believe they're giving us the fair chainge. For the most part, the people here are quite trustworthy. Perhaps that's true most places, but I've yet to find out.