Two Weeks-Seven Cities

Two weeks, seven cities…

Sorry it’s been so long for those who actually read this. My head’s been in the clouds the last two weeks, literally. I’m only going to touch on a few highlights from the trip since I know that if you’re anything like me, a basic summary will do. Since I enjoy writing in detail to paint the best picture for you, thus making my blogs longer, you may check out my pictures at the following links:

Dali: http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/2688277/1/Dali?h=44b288

Zhongdian/Deqin: http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/2688277/1/Zhongdian-Deqin?h=0a995e

Chengdu/Leshan: http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/2688277/1/Chengdu-Leshan?h=5ea6c8

Emeishan: http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/2688277/1/Emei%20Shan?h=968376

The first city on my list was one I had passed by on the way to Lijiang and the Tiger Leaping Gorge back in early December. When I had passed through Dali the first time, I couldn’t believe how much it had resembled Denver with the mountains and Erhai Lake. I knew I had to go back. I stayed in Dali’s old town which is halfway up the western bank of Erhai Lake, just at the foot of the Cangshan Mountains. I met some nice people there, particularly the Chinese owner of the 3-month old hostel I stayed at who had the cutest Golden Retriever, Dumbo. I enjoyed the hike around the mountains and the views that came with it; though my idea of beauty would change as I progress to my next two destinations.

I took an overnight bus to Zhongdian which has become a popular destination since the Chinese renamed the surrounded county to Shangri-la. Shangri-la is a fictional place described as a Himalayan mountain utopia that some British guy wrote about in the novel Lost Horizon back in 1933. The name change was done at an attempt to attract tourists to the city even though many places in the Himalayan region compete for the actual title.

I got in early and watched the sunrise on a most beautiful day. The sky was crystal clear blue and I was pumped to be in this pristine mountainous region. I ended up hiking up a mountain with an American who had been living there for some time. The hike was very pleasant and the views were tremendous! At the top of the mountain I could see all the way from the peaks of Lijiang to the south to Meleishan in the north. I would be headed to the city of Deqin the next day which is in the next valley over from Meleishan. It was cool to see the distance between the cities first hand and not just off of a map.

The city of Zhongdian is very peaceful and lies in a quiet valley. Unlike most Chinese cities, Zhongdian has open fields that stretch along the western mountain range. It is a beautiful place and offers a pleasant retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. I enjoyed the openness and seclusion that Zhongdian provides. The farming lifestyle is a quiet and peaceful one, and the people tend to be more laid back as well. I enjoyed my time there and was happy to see such a cool town.

I caught an early bus to make the 6-hour bus ride to Deqin. The drive itself is worth the trek to Deqin; even though it’s not geographically far away, you need the six hours to wind your way through numerous switchbacks as you cross over two main mountain passes. The drive was incredible as our bus ripped around corners that lacked guardrails; nothing but steep cliffs and a treacherous fate if one were to go over the edge. The bus drivers don’t seem too realize the potential hazard for they hardly slow down and even pass people around blind curves! They just honk and hope no one is coming on the other side, simply mad! As we came over the last pass, the Meleishan peak greeted us with a tip of its brimming white cap. The mountain is a magnificent sight that resembles the Matterhorn. I was stoked!

I got checked into the hostel and was informed that there was a Parisian girl who wanted to go to the Mingyong Glacier but needed somebody to split the cab with since it was an hour away. I would later meet her and we made plans to go the next day to hike up to the glacier. In the mean time I decided to set out on foot towards a good monastery that was some 6 miles up the windy road. I didn’t feel like forking out the money for a taxi and had the time so I figured I’d just walk. While walking I realized that this was silly; there were so many cars traveling this road (since there’s only one road snaking through these mountains) so I decided to stick out my thumb for the first time in my life. I hitched my way a good 5 miles with 3 random Chinese dudes and hiked the rest of the way to the place. I actually never found the monastery since it was just a tiny thing but I did find a beautiful, large veranda to take pictures of the mountain range as the sun was setting. Apparently Feilaisi (the name of the monastery) is also the name of the viewing veranda so that’s why people kept pointing me in the ‘wrong’ direction. It was truly an incredible view. After I bit I hitched my way back and prepared for the hike to the glacier the next day. Deqin is a neat place since 80% of its inhabitants are Tibetan. The Tibetan culture to China is sort of like the Native Indian culture to the US. They are beautiful people with a rich heritage. They are very spiritual and have a strong connection with nature which is something I truly value and appreciated.

The next morning we were up and out early. Marie was a sweet lady from Paris who was simply happy to be alive (I would find out later she meant it quite literally). We started off the hike together but she wanted to take her time so I went ahead. It was another picture perfect day as I hiked up a phenomenal trail. You can ride a donkey to the top for a few bucks so the trail is basically a dirt path with manure everywhere. It was nice to be back in nature, hiking among the ‘foothills’ of the Himalayas. I caught up and passed several Chinese people and finally reached the top of the trail which is the base of the glacier. We all cheered at for having finally made it (though only a two hour hike). There are a few huts and places to eat and relax there. The trail continues and turns into stairs that were put in for tourists to reach a viewing platform halfway up the glacier. So up we climbed. I was able to hang out at the top taking in the beauty while waiting for Marie. She finally made it but was struggling with the altitude (it also could have been the pack of cigarettes she smoked in the taxi on the way over!). The Mingyong Glacier is the world’s lowest altitude glacier. Sometimes you can hear the cracking and moving of the glacier as gravity slowly pushes it downward. I had heard it while hiking up but didn’t while I was actually up there. It simply sounds like thunder. We took pictures and soaked in some rays enjoying every bit of the day.

On the way back down Marie shared with me how she had had a brain tumor and had gone through chemotherapy; that rocked my world. She’s in her early 30’s and it made me realize how precious life is. She told me how she used to barely have enough strength to get out of bed to buy groceries and was worried she’d never travel again. That only confirmed that I had made the right decision to move here to China and do the things I’m doing. We’re only here for so long and who knows when God will come-a-callin’! She’s since overcome the tumor but returns every 6 months for routine check-ups. How blessed we are to have hiked such a beautiful place!

From Deqin I was trying to go to Chengdu in northern Sichuan. Unfortunately, China doesn’t have the infrastructure between the two cities due to the mountains so I had to spend a full day of travel all the way back to Lijiang in the south. I then had to wait 24 hours for the next over-night bus to Chengdu; needless to say, it took a little while (54 hours). I finally got into Chengdu and was less than ecstatic. After being in such pleasant, small-town villages in the pristine mountains of Yunnan, I had arrived back into a bustling, polluted city. It took us an hour just to get across downtown to the bus station because the traffic was so bad! I would only stay one night here, thank goodness. The morning I left, I met three Chinese girls who were headed the same place I was, the Panda Reserve. We all split a cab and walked around checking out all the different Panda exhibits. They are amazing creatures that seem so playful and friendly. Although you can see Panda’s in various zoos in the US, it was cool to see them on their home turf, their place of origin. From there, we split a cab back and I hopped on a bus to Leshan. The buses usually play some sort of movie on longer trips. Usually the movies are some low-budget, Chinese, kung-fu flicks that are horrible and in Mandarin. However this bus ride they played the Pirates of the Caribbean and in English! I couldn’t believe it! I was stoked on the movie and happy to be leaving the city.

I was only passing through Leshan to see the Giant Buddha, the world’s largest statue. I got to the park and went straight for it. The Giant Buddha stands 77 meters tall and is an incredible spectacle. His head reminded me of Mt. Rushmore; I think it would be a great addition right between Lincoln and Teddy. The park that the Giant Buddha lies in is really cool and does a good job preserving the ancient Chinese cultural feel. It was very jungley with pagodas and cool scenes everywhere. After two hours in the park I headed back to the bus station to continue on to Emei where I would stay for the night.

The city of Emei lies at the base of Mt. Emei. Mt. Emei is the largest of the 4 Sacred Buddhist Mountains reaching 10,167 feet at its peak. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site (like the Stone Forest I went to in Kunming) and offers incredible views from the top. All kinds of Chinese tourist come here to climb the peak (or take the modern bus and cable car to the top) and pay homage, sort of like Mecca. After speaking with a couple of nice guys from Cali who had just gotten down from the mountain, I decided to take three days to hike it instead of just two for I would be hiking the long route. They were very nice and gave me all kinds of good info. I loaded up with food supplies, got my crampons (see picture of my shoe in the snow) from the hostel, and was set to go!

The next morning I was up for breakfast early but due to slow service didn’t get out until 9am. There was a group of three from Sweden, Germany, and Korea who were setting out as well but were going a different route. We all left the hostel and jokingly said, “Race ya to the top!” since they were going a shorter route. The first 3 hours of the hike were beautiful. The whole trail is paved and with steps so it’s and easy go. I climbed up and down through the dense jungle. It was humid and foggy which added to the splendor of the hike. It was nice for I found myself pretty much alone the first three hours before hitting a major cross point among the trails. Once there I ran into all the Chinese tourists but what can one do? From the Qinyin Pavilion I continued on the trail which leads up a beautiful river canyon. Eventually you come to the ‘monkey zone’ where numerous monkeys, who are absolutely fearless of people, take food offerings and entertain hikers. They also tend to steal things if you let them and will grab you any chance they get. I had bought a bamboo hiking stick (10 cents) which would come in handy with the monkeys. They try to grab the stick and run up on you but if you hold your ground and fight back, they fold like a lawn chair. They’re feisty little guys though. I watched one climb onto the back of this one Chinese guy who had no clue what to do. Another ran up to a Chinese tourist and, like a small child, was grabbing upward at his shirt as if he wanted to be lifted up. It was quite hilarious. I passed the monkeys and forged on. I heard fast foot-steps and soon had to jump out of the way as two men carrying another man in a shoulder rickshaw like thing come zooming down the hill. Apparently you can pay these guys to carry you through the lower elevation trails. I thought it was hilarious to see, I can’t imagine doing that for a job.

I came to the monastery where the boys from Cali had stayed their first night but it was only 2pm. So I kept going while I had the daylight. Higher and higher I climbed as I passed several Chinese who struggled with the altitude. Some tried to keep up with me but I was on a mission and didn’t mind the peacefulness of being alone. At one point I felt like Frodo Baggins crawling up the backside of Mordor since the trail was so windy and steep. With the dense forest and foggy atmosphere, it even looked like Mordor! I would come up on a monastery, look at my watch and map, and keep going as I still had daylight. As I climbed higher, the temperature dropped. Eventually you notice the ice on the trees and leaves and then you realize the snow and ice are on the trail; that’s where the crampons come in. They’re basically metal spikes that you tie around your shoes and actually work really well. I eventually set my sights on Leidongping, the place where the bus drops you off, and decided I could make it. I eventually ran into a nice young Chinese couple and hiked the final two hours with them. They set a good pace and I had slowed down by this point, some 8 hours from when I started (they had actually started one hour ahead of me and went the same route). We finally reached Leidongping (9:45 minutes total hiking) with daylight left and I was stoked to have come so far. It would only be another two more hours to the top the next morning. I split a room with the nice couple to make it more cost efficient since the higher you go on the mountain the pricier things get. I didn’t think I’d make it so far and realized I could have done the hike in only two days but had already purchased my train ticket back to Kunming. With only two hours left to hike, I figured why not try to make the sunrise the next morning and have two chances to see it than just one. It’s a gamble anyway since you never know if it will be foggy on top or not. The boys from Cali hadn’t seen it due to fog and since I’d gone so far, I figured I’d better give myself two chances.

The next morning we were out by 6:15 in the freezing cold morning that was dense with fog. I wasn’t sure if we’d get to see the sunrise. We broke out flashlights and continued on upwards taking periodic rests. Eventually I noticed a star shimmering in the distance through the forest and realized we had broken the cloud level! It was clear on top!! At that point my adrenaline started pumping for I knew we had time to make the sunrise and that it would be a good one. It was be a race between us and the sun to see who would peak first! I pushed my new friends and encouraged them on. We finally reached the Golden Peak and just in time! There were several people already there jumping up and down, partially anxious to see the sunrise and partially trying to stay warm against the brisk wind. I couldn’t believe my eyes from the top; nothing but a sea of white, beautiful clouds with a crimson horizon as the sun woke up. The rock we were standing on seemed to be floating on the puffy white clouds. It was an incredible, heavy experience to walk among the heavens. The sun rose up and everyone cheered! What an incredible sight. Total hiking time: 11 hours 30 minutes. My legs were sore, my feet were aching, I was freezing cold, and I had the biggest smile on my face for I was gazing at one of nature’s finest wonders. I was 10,000 feet in the air but my spirit soared even higher. On the top of the mountain there’s a monastery and the gaudiest golden statue of some Buddhist deity. As a Christian I laughed as I thought about worshiping false idols as the Chinese went in to pray. If God ever strikes down all the idols of the world down, I should think that this would be first since it’s so close to heaven.

I walked around taking in every sight and appreciating every breath of fresh air that filled my lungs; it felt great to be alive! I ran into the three hikers from Sweden, Germany and Korea that I had met at the bottom and we enjoyed a nice coffee together. The German and I decided to set out on a little adventure to the other peak (which is the actually summit) that is across the way. The only way in which you are to get there is by a monorail that was at the time broken. We said screw it, we’ve come too far. So we hiked on the actual rail itself over to the other side. It was nice to get away from all the tourists and to enjoy the views from the other side. It is a magnificent place where you truly feel divine as you look out at the world from such heights. We took some pics and then headed back along the rail. It’s always good to push yourself and to take small risks from time to time. The rail gets 30+ feet above the ground at two different points which was both fun but also nerve wrecking. We fortunately made it across safely though and I was happy to have challenged myself for the day.

I spent the rest of the day hanging out up top, taking pictures with random Chinese tourists who love Americans, and contemplating life. I found a guest-place for the night that was a little hike downwards but more cost efficient. As the day drew to an end, I watched the sunset and realized how blessed my life really is. I have good health, loving family and friends, and have the ability to travel and enjoy life. One couldn’t ask for much more.

The next morning I would wake up early again and do the same routine. Though this time I made a point to arrive even earlier to see the stars before the sun gobbled them up. I was the first one to the peak at 6:30am and enjoyed the solitude as I gazed into the heavens. I saw several shooting stars and satellites and enjoyed time alone among the heavens. Man has made this place spiritual with all the Buddhist shrines and what-not, but this place is spiritual by nature. This place would make any atheist reconsider their spiritual views. For me, it was the perfect place to talk to God. I had about 30 minutes alone with Him before the first trekkers arrived. I soaked up every minute of it. This day the skies were clearer and you could see the lights from Emei city some 7,500 feet below. It was like the view out of an airplane. The second morning was even colder as the frost from my breath created an icicle mustache. I was tired and couldn’t bear the cold (plus I had already seen the place) so after the sun rose I split.

The walk back down to Leidongping was twice as fast and twice as fun. Half of the stair case is covered with snow and ice and the other half has been cleared for tourists. With the crampons, you can sort of make a controlled effort to slide down the icy side, almost as if you were skiing. It was really fun and made the trip a lot quicker. By the time I reached Leidongping, my legs were shot, feet aching, and I was mentally tired. I decided to take the bus back down to the hostel (I also didn’t want to miss my train). What an adventure though. I had climbed some 2,500 vertical meters over 30+ km and had conquered the great Emeishan. This was one adventure I’ll never forget.

On the 18-hour train ride back, I had plenty of time to reflect. The only thing that was missing from the whole trip was my friends and family. You can be anywhere in the world doing practically anything you love to do, but if you’re not around the ones you love most, life is meaningless. I miss you all; especially those who are reading this because that means you read the entire thing and care about me :). We’ll see what the future holds, but for now I believe I will be returning stateside (perhaps for good) at the end of the summer.

I will be going on another three week adventure south soon. Expect another blog post from me sometime early March.

Cheers!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2010! It seems like yesterday we (well crazy people) were rushing to Walmart loading up on supplies for Y2K. Yet here we are 10 years later still kicking butt. I can't wait to see what people will do come 2012... was that even a good movie? Whether we're on the brink of eminent doom like back then or it's just another New Years celebration, I love the holiday.

It's a chance to restart, set new goals, and re-evaluate your life and where you're headed. My friends and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at an Italian restaurant ran by a sweet German lady, go figure. While waiting for food and enjoying my first glass of decent wine in awhile, I had brought up a memory from the same time one year earlier. I think its fun to note how I brought in the previous year each New Years. Last year I celebrated with all my best friends from home up in the mountains of CO. On New Years day my good buddy Steve Hemphill and I some how managed to wake up early and hit the slopes of Copper mountain... I thought to myself, what a way to start the New Year on the right foot. 2009 had its ups and downs but life was good then and life remains good now. The best part about reflection is that I'm sure the last thing on my mind while bombing Copper Mountain was that I'd be in China exactly one year from then. A year is a long time, and many things can happen. People may fall in or out of your life, Cupid might strike, death may happen. It's truly a blessing to be able to roll with the punches and simply take life as it comes, day by day, week by week, year by year. So although I may be in China with a new group of friends (who I hadn't the slightest clue as to who they were a year ago) who's to say that I'll be here again in one year? Life has its twists and turns; all I can say is learn to twist with it. So if 2009 was tough for anybody, just know that rough seas will pass and brighter days always lie ahead.

I'm excited for 2010, mostly for my time here on the East side of life. I'm hoping to venture down south to Saigon, Vietnam, then trek back north through Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. Then I'll start teaching March 1st and will try to earn back all the money I've blown while unemployed these past few months. My teaching term will end July 3rdish to which I am hoping to travel some more. My ultimate goal during this time is to climb to the Everest base camp in Nepal and possibly the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. We'll see if that happens since it will be Monsoon season but who knows. Once done traveling, I am hoping to have found a career starter and return back stateside. It's been an amazing experience here so far, one I could see myself continuing for some time, however I refuse to pass up a great career opportunity if one presents itself. Since a few have begun to develop, I am really hoping that I can capitalize. If not, then who knows what the latter half of 2010 will hold in store for me.... the biggest lesson has been allowing God to work in my life. I pretty much just let Him push and pull me where he wants me; and honestly, I think that's about all one can do with their life. It's not my will but His; and although I've just mapped out a fairly detailed YEAR with some direction, I know that I can scrap it completely if something arises. One of my favorite professors at PLNU used a quote from Eisenhower, “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” Like I said, it’s important to have direction… but once your course is set, be prepared to adjust to the winds.

I hope everyone has made new goals/resolutions to work towards and that we have stuck with them through the first week of this New Year. I encourage all of you to stay positive, look forward, and good things are going to happen no matter where you are! May it be a blessed New Year… Cheers!