From Rivers to Rice - Jan. 25/2010

Well, there were no fatalities on the 24 hour train ride - we managed to find enough things to keep us all entertained. Ironically, after we had checked into our "hotel" in Yangshuo and seen the state of our rooms suddenly the train didn't look so bad any more. It was the thre D's: dirty, dark and damp. But we're backpackers so we just had to suck it up. This would be the part of the tour that Intrepid calls the "authentic, real life experience." We called it "saving a buck."

Luckily the quaint and colourful town of Yangshuo along with the amazing countryside made up for the squalid conditions of our accomodation. In the area surrounding Yangshuo there are 1000s of these pristine limestone peaks jutting up from the earth. The locals call them the teeth of the dragon, reflecting their shape. The mountains' majestic presence made the landscape look just like those classic Chinese paintings - kinda like the Walt Disney version of China. The locals also refer to Yangshuo as the green lotus because several of the peaks shoot up around the town just like the petals of the lotus blossom.

The weather for the first two days was perfect; at night we went out in our t-shirts. There were several western style bars and restaurants which was a nice change from all the Chinese food we'd been consuming. Don't get me wrong, it's good stuff, but every now and then a girl just needs to sink her teeth into a big juicy burger. Sandwiched between all the bars and restaurants were souvenir venders selling everything from silk scarves, to Chairman Mao figurines, to a little "bang bang" from one of the local girls.

The weather took a turn for the worst and we were trapped in the middle of a classic Chinese downpour for two days straight! Absolutely everything I owned was soaked or damp. We hid out in this bar called Micky's - kinda like an episode of Cheers - because our rooms were too damp to stay in.

We did, however, try to make the best of it. We got the chance to go out to this massive labrynth-like cave system deep in the mountains. It was all lit up with colourful lights and had cathedral-like ceilings. Very beautiful. Later we also took a calligraphy class - which I sucked at - and a cooking class - which I rocked at. I learned some great traditional Chinese dishes that I can make back at home. Yum-o! We hiked up to a viewpoint of the city and watched the Chinese practice their ballroom dancing and Tai Chi in the park. My favorite excursion, however, was the bamboo rafting down the mighty Li River. We got even more wet, but it was well worth it and a lot of fun. The rest of our spare time was taken up by haggling with local shopkeepers for some souvenirs.

We departed Yangshuo early in the morning and took a four-hour bus up to the Longi rice terraces. There weren't enough seats for everyone so some people had to sit on the floor - another "authentic" experience as Intrepid would call it. The road into the mountains was narrow and very windy. There were sheer drops and no barriers. Luckily we had a sensible driver who took things nice and slow.

Halfway up we had to stop because a massive landslide had taken out the entire road. Phoebe our leader was determined not to give up and after a quick phone call she had arranged for a bus to pick us up from the other side. "Come on, just do it!" she cheered as we hoofed it up and over the massive heaps of rocks and rubble. In the end we made it safely to out destination where we hiked again up into the rice terrraces to out hostel for the night. It was pretty basic: the floor boards were creaking and I found a massive Chinese spider in my bathroom. My new Aussie friend took care of it for me - thank god!

In the morning a women from the indigenous Dong minority came to our hostel and was our guide for the four-hour hike to her village. She was dressed in the traditional clothes with brightly coloured embroidery. I was at the front of the group so I followed behind her. It was quite surreal having this women lead us through the thousands of stacked and multi-level rice paddies cut deep into the mountain side. The experience was made even more special when she serrenaded us with traditional songs about the beauty of Longi.

We passed through many villages on this trek. We met some very cute but very mischievious little boys at one. At first glance they seemed sweet and harmless, that was until they started hurling fire crackers in our path, trying to knock us off the trail. One would light and pass it to the other who threw them at our feet. Little punks. Phoebe made sure to give them a proper scolding.

The scenery was incredible and the view around each bend in the trail took my breath away. Definitely will be one of the more memorable moments of this adventure. When we stopped for lunch our guide undid her hair from its intricate pinning updo. The Dong women only cut their hair once: when they get married. Her hair was nearly down to her ankles and not a single grey! Apparently the secret is some kind of rice mixture and washing it in the natural river waters.

We made it to our hotel which was lovely with a great view. In the evening we were entertained by a group of local women who sang and danced for us. They let us participate is some of their traditional dances includeing the bamboo dance - a lot trickier then it first seems. Kelsea was married off to one of the Aussie boys in a traditional cerimony - don't worry I have video. Even though our hostel was surrounded with farm animals like chickens, pigs, goats, etc., it was nice and there were no spiders :)