When
I had looked at my weekend destination with google-maps eyes, I though
this would be the easiest training so far. Not at all, it was the most
difficult...
The
way from my computer to the place where my treking starts was exceptionally
easy, because I had been in those mountains before (who has leaved in
Kunming – and I think most of you did – knows that in those mountains is
one of the most popular temples, which is imbedded in high rock cliff).
However,
my attraction was not the temple but the mountain ridge, which is covered with
very scenic stone formations, more than 10km long. I followed my old rock
tradition and this time I except the rock I took also 4kg heavy water melon
and six 2litre water bottles (OK, I’ll mention two cans of beer only marginally...;-)
That evening, I weight my rucksack and it had 32kg! (Now you probably know
why this trip happened to be the most difficult for me...)
 |
| Can you spot some tourists with umbrellas? ..and guess why I chose that peak in the distance..? |
I had
planned to follow the mountain ridge, to have beautiful views on both sides. And
so, I started my trek straight on the top of rock formations (also because
I wanted to train my walking balance on ’not-even’ surface). The plan was
good...but the reality was different: I was dangerously staggering on high
rocks every time when my ‚rocky friend in the bag‘ outbalanced me into every
possible direction. If you add the fact, that sometimes I had to jump from
one rock to another, that the rocks on their tops were sometimes only pinnacle
wide and that some of them measured over 3m, then you can imagine why the
travel of 1,5 kilometre took me 1,5 hour.
Finally,
when I got to the top of the mountain, I saw in the distance so
beautifully shaped hill that I fell in love with him on first sight. And it
was the moment when my next plan (that finally destroyed me completely) was
alive. I had jumped off the rocks and started to follow a footpath,
so I could get to my lovely destination as soon as possible (at this point
only 6km was dividing us apart).
If
you have ever did trekking in China – and I think most of you did – then
you know, that some footpaths are displayed on google aerial views but they don’t
exist in reality. Either, they are already covered with some vegetation, or
only they look as footpaths on the map (google and China are not in very good
relationship and therefore they don’t update maps very often).
While wading
through low thorny bush but high grass, I was thinking and calculating the
time which would take me to (this time already starting to be not lovely but)
unfriendly opponent. It was already late
afternoon and I still had to go the same way back. That could be on sharp
rocks or even more: after dusk, a suicide attempt and if I don’t hurry I would
have to stay camping in the mountains. Also, I started to feel tiredness in my
legs from playing badminton game the day before (btw.: badminton is the most
popular sport in China, even more popular than ping pong!).
‚Unfriendly
opponent‘ surprised me again by not rising from the mountain massive on which I was
walking, but there was a deep valley dividing them and I had to
descent into it first. All that sum into fact, that I came under my ‚opponent‘
already a bit late (at 4.30pm!). The hill wanted discourage me also by how
steep it was and that he wasn’t shaved as it looked from a distance. However, after
a short hesitation (when I tried to calculate my time for return) I decided
that I would choose the challenge and I started to climb up following
an imaginary line straight to the top.
Bush
with thorns, high grass with hidden stones and dry branches, also very steep slope
(I was climbing also with my hands almost all the time which resulted in bloody
cuts on my skin – literary!) very soon took a lot of my energy and after
one and half hour of climbing I was still only in half way to the top. The
energy from me successfully sucked also my 32kg ‚rocky in the bag‘ which I was
still dragging on my sholders. And therefore, I had finally decided (this
time exceptionally cleverly) to give up this fight and enjoy the sweet melon on
a nearby rock formation (to be honest, I also wanted to eat part of
my heavy load from rucksack...)
Soon
came the time when I really had to go back (it was nearly 6pm in the evening).
Who has rested during some exhausting trekking knows, that after a small rest
your legs get double weight and change into iron poles. That happened to me as
well and while descending the steep slope I felt every muscle in my legs.
The
way back started to be time hunting challenge. Even I had already remembered
the way back, I still managed to get lost (I experimented with some ‚shortcuts‘...)
and the way back became longer that it necessary had to be. With every step I
took, I felt every muscle in my legs, after feeling every small stone under my
shoes, after feeling pain in my shoulders and back from heavy rucksack, I finally
got to the place where the wading through savannah ended and the look-like
footpath started. Only here I really believed that I would not have
to stay camping under the stars tonight.
Without
any injury, but completely exhausted, I approached my motorbike already in
dusk. I still dragged the rock in my rucksack all the way home, just to
find out how heavy load made me so exhausted today.
Unfortunately,
I already know now that these ’rocky friends‘ will not say goodbye
soon....
My China remark III:
You
have probably known that Chinese people are very superstitious and they believe in lucky numbers. So
for example, a wedding (but also a new shop opening or moving into a new
flat) is always planned on a day, which was firstly portend by a witch.
That this is extremely important for them proves, that the weddings happen on
any day of the week including working days. There are only few ‚proper‘ dates
for wedding during the whole year (depending on both partners’ birthdays)
and they are strictly followed. However, the wedding consist only form supper
which is served in some decent restaurant and last only for two or three hours.
After that, all wedding guests go home…
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