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netGallery > Gavin & Lorraine > World_Tour_2005 > China > Tiger Leaping Gorge

Tiger Leaping Gorge

China

October 2005
3 days

Gavin wrote:
Anyway we spent the evening in Quiotou, where there were no dinner options so we had a pot noodle for dinner before our trek. We decided to bring all our stuff with us on the trek as i wasnt too keen on leaving my laptop anywhere (especially in the left luggage room on the ground floor with a door that is always open and windows with no glass!) - so we headed out, plimsoles an all me carrying 2 bags and 3 litres of water and lorraine carrying her own ruscksack and handbag.

The first part of the trek was ok but soon turned monstrous as the trail steeply climbed a mountain over a series of 24 bends which took us several hours of constantly walking uphill along the side of a mountain. After that it was fairly level with some steep uphill/downhill bits.
The scenery was beautiful however, with snowcapped mountains, rivers, waterfalls and it was very clear so we could see for miles.

It took us 7hrs to get to the halfway point where we stayed at a guest house for the night. This particular guest house is perched on the side of a mountain and is where Michael Palin used the scenic toilet in his travel program thing. The toilet did have a view of the mountains opposite so was scenic it was also the only toilet for the whole guest house - so for the first time this trip we had no ensuite toilet! i went in the middle of the night and it was SO cold!
The second day we both found our legs and backs hurt quite a lot - but we set out anyway for the next part of the trek, we walked about 2 hours steeply downhill (not good for the knees) and then the trail involved walking along a road at which point a rice devliery man stopped and offered to take us back to civilisation in his truck - we took him up on his offer and bailed on the second day of trekking and after a day of bus travel are now back in Dali.

Were staying in a cool guest house and our room has this loft area which has extra beds for children - i thought i might make a base or den or something up there - but the reality of my legs hurting from the trek has stopped that. We are staying here recovering in comfort for a couple of days and then we will make for some beaches and warmer climates in the southern provinces of china.

Lorraine wrote:
Then went to a little town- cant remember what is was called but it was the start of the trek for the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Its the main thing to do in this area so we decided we ought to give it as go. Its a series of mountains on either side with a gorge running through the middle - v. impressive. Also a charge - but we just sneaked past - sick of paying for stuff. Anyway, we set off on the trek and the first day took about 7 hours - mostly up hill - it was v. tiring but once we went past all the windy bends up the mountain it wasnt so bad. Also, not v. prepared - I bought some cheap plimsolls from the market as preparation - all the others we saw had proper hiking boots and warm weatehr clothes on and minimal baggage. Gav didnt want to leave his lap top so we decided to take all our stuff. I think I was the only hiker with a handbag, and certainly the only ones with a laptop and dvds and all our books etc! SO that didnt help the shoulders.

I think half way was about 24 kms so we stopped there for the night at a hostel - they are scattered through out the trek so you can stop for tea whenevr you like. The toilets were awful! First time without en suite. Apparently the loos were featured in a michael Palin programme described as the most scenic loos in the world. It had a nice view but were pretty grim. Also it was freezing there at night.

So set off next morning for an easy day. The plan was to do a 2 hour hike to some cool guest house that everyone raves about and spend the night and then finish the rest of the trek on the third day. Anyway, after 2 hours of v. stepp down hill we reached a road and a delivery man pulled up and offered us a lift back into town. We didnt need much persuading so jumped in/ Got abck to day and there was a bus immediately to Lijiang so we jumped in that - by 3pm we were sat in KFC for lunch rather then on top of a cold mountain eating dried bananas and nuts. It was best KFC ever!

Awesome shoes
Lorraines trekking gear - a pair of chinese plimpsoles which cost less than a loaf of bread in australia - her feet didnt hurt or anything tho. She threw them away when we left china - i was sad. Also there is a massive stick insect on her leg.

Heroric pose?
....ok i look like a tool

Shes on top of the world!

Resting...
and possibly eating a chocolate bar

Waterfall
we both got a bit wet as the trail went under this thing - i was worried about my laptop - but i only got a little splashed

Blue skies the next day

Our balcony

Our view from our halfway point room
We stopped after 7odd hrs trekking and stayed here.

The toilet with the best view in the world
As featured on michael palins adventures - what he forgot to mention was that it was just a gutter

Some really cute puppies

Us posing
not even halfway

Lorraine trekking

Lorraine and her stick
well it was mine actually, which i lost halfway though!

Me and some corn

Lorraine trekking

The rock says
welcome to tiger leaping gorge The trail was marked by yellow spray paint arrrows along the way so we never got lost (didnt even have a map!)

Incredible scenery

Lorraine walking
there are a lot of pics of lorraines back as i was walking behind her taking pictures every 2minutes

Incredible scenery

Me at the start
I am carrying 2 rucksacks containing clothes, a laptop, a load of dvds, a playstation, a camera, an ipod + 2 other mp3 players plus a load of toileteries and food AND 4 litres of water and a couple of books for good measure - SAS are you tuff enuff!!!!!