Hiking, Biking, and Motorcycling.

Well its been nearly two weeks since our last post, so maybe its time to do another one. Our last update found us just out of Shanghai, since then we've been criss crossing China in an effort to work our way south and west, in time to spend christmas in the warmer parts of the world. Our first stop from Shanghai was Hangzhou, a town that features massive park lands surrounding a large lake bisected by a causway. Our Hostel there was a real treat, with such a great common room that we were tempted to stay in on most nights. We also ran into Jonathan and Dafna, an Israeli couple we had already met twice previously. First on the boat ride from Osaka, and then again at the Shanghai Muesuem, where they were taken in by scammers which we had just sent packing (haha). Our primary activity on Hangzhou was bike-riding, there are beautiful paths around and across the lake which kept us occupied for the better part of a day (at least when we weren't trying to figure out the Byzantine public bike rental system). The crowning point of our stay in Hangzhou was definitely the hike up a mountain path which overlooks the lake. Near the top we encountered what can only be described as a boulder playground. A series of large rocks split by deep chasms that people of all ages scrambled all over for fun. At the very peak was a simple wooden pagoda and a cluster of Chinese people playing badminton, doing pushups, yodeling, skip-roping, and doing tree-chin-ups. We paused here to watch the sunset over the lake, and then reluctantly followed the other patrons back down the cliff.

Hangzhou was one of our favorite cities, its combonation of urban landscape and natural beauty, as well as a general cosmpolitan feel, reminded us both of Vancouver. However, we did have to press on, and so, with a bit of reluctance, we hopped aboard the creakiest, loudest, and bumpiest bus in all of industrial history, bound for the villages of Wuyuan. The village of Wuyuan itself was nothing special, although we found it interesting to catch a glimpse of small town Chinese life, and refreshing to not be bowled over by cars and bikes every time we stepped off the curb. Still, we had no trouble packing up the next morning bound for the near countryside, where the real village life was waiting. To make the trip out, we hired a pair of quite aggressive, but ultimately helpful motorcycle drivers. (Tom's side note: yes mum, I rode on a motorcycle, don't worry, I didn't drive and still have all limbs intact). The bikes didn't move to fast, but the ride out into the Chinese countryside was exhilirating, despite our guides efforts to steer us to destinations where they would get a kickback for delivering us. We ended up seeing three small villages, and decided to say the night at the one which was by far the prettiest, Small Likeng. Our experience here was probably the highlight of the trip so far. The village was impossibly beautiful, and our 'hotel' (the second floor of the home of an extended family) was well situated, with a porch that looked out over the villages sleepy mainstreet, running alongside a bustling stream where the locals washed their clothes and washed the produce harvested that day. One of the women who lived below brought us a home cooked chinese meal. Which was delicious, if entirely too much food for two people to eat. That night we were quite excited to be staying where we were, the sleepy little village seemed a perfect slice of chinese rural life. It was, although maybe a little too perfect, as we settled down for the night we realized that our room was more or less open to the outside, and that we had no heater and just a few meagre blankets. These last allowed us to avoid freezing to death in the cold, cold night, but comfort enough to actually sleep was a bit beyond there reach. Sunrise was a happy sight.

The nexxt day we pushed on for Nanchang, leaving from a bus station which resembled an old communist bloc prison camp. We would stay only one night in Nanchang before catching our overnight train to Xiamen.

all there really is to say about Nanchang is that there are more cell phone stores on its main street than there are in the rest of the world combined.

The train to Xiamen, via the 'hard sleeper' ticket was an interesting cultural experience. We've had occasion to notice that the Chinese in general have very different attitudes towards noise pollution than do Canadians. Through the course of our trip we were subjected to a tv blaring loud chinese comedies which, despite being right beside Tom's bunk, could not be turned down or off, even when no one was watching it. Another community minded soul decided to entertain his fellow passengers by allowing his cell phone to play various ringtones at high volume. Others yelled from on compartment to another, not because of any arguement, but simply in the course of a normal conversation, the distance presumably being to great to walk over and have a talk. We actually did enjoy the trip a lot, despite the unfamiliar conduct of our bunkmates.

Xiamen was just a great town to relax in. Our hostel was, fittingly, Mediterranean themed, as it was situated on the edge of a beautiful beach. The palm-lined streets and neon skyline put Tom in mind of Surfer's Paradise in Australia. Both Tom and Kat were surprised at the general North American feel of the town. In much of China, imitations of Western culture and archtecture can come off a bit tone-deaf, but in Xiamen they were pitch perfect. We spent half our time on the mainland at Xiamen, and then crossed over to spend two more days on the island of Gulang Yu, which resembled nothing more than a small village in the South of France, which wasn't to surprising, as Europeans had owned the island for much of its existence.
generally we looked at Xiamen as a bit of a vacation from our trip, and that's exactly what we got. Great restraunts like The Sundance Kid, which featured live music, stacks of New Yorker magazines, and a lot of mid-sixties folk music, brought to mind Montreal at its hippest. The beach, sun and surf weren't so bad either.

Too soon, however, we figured we better get back to that whole backpacking and sightseeing thing, so we started our long train voyage out to Yangshuo, far in the west. The trip included two sleeper train rides and an eight hour stop in Guangzhou (nice town to spend an afternoon in, if you're in the neighbourhood). Finally, after nearly three days of travel, we made it to Guilin, and, after some extensive haggling which tom was particularly proud of, bought a 10 Yuan bus ticket to Yangshuo. Yangshuo is where this is being written from, but for that update, which so far includes a 600 cast musical performed from the middle of a river, and a rooftop bar surrounded by looming cliffs lit by spotlights, you'll have to tune in next week.

hope everyone's doing well,

Tom and Kat