so I'm ready

So I'm ready to go, my next trip to Nepal and possibly India.

Return tickets ( between Chengdu-Lhasa-Kathmandu, Dec 16-Jan 17) have been booked, with the return flight open seat status, for the easy of flexible travel plans.

Visa to Nepal applied, and could be ready by end of this week; and visa to India is going to be applied in Kathmandu.

Tour plans ( plan A and plan B with India included) outlined;

Hotels booked, like the one in Kathmandu for first days with airport pickup, and other nice choices at other places;

But about travel partners? Two friends expressed their possibility, but still need some time to consider...

Besides human travel partners, potential ones, I have a very faithful and pleasant one, which is my ipod classic. For almost four years, we have been travelling together and luckily some common issues with ipod, for example, weak battery after some time, doesn't bother. Of course, sometime it has some 'under the weather' syndrome, like now.

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The day before, when on the bus back home, I decided to listen to other songs finally, than those I've newly download, music from the movie 'les choiristes'. It's a really touching French movie about a teacher coming to a prison-like school for only those children with problems for regular schools. With his patience, care and love, he won the heart of the boys and then organized them into a choir, And meanwhile he himself got inspired by them and created many beautiful songs and music.

I've heard about that movie, but honestly I am very slow too watch it, as the movie was released in early 2004 and since then, had won many movie and music awards in Europe and America. I tried once to watch it on net TV but had to give up in the end because the movie picture quality was so horrible and the translation from French seemed ever worse. So the other night when I found there was a newer version, I watched it through.

Frankly, the plot, ( I am not so sure if it's based on a true story or not), is quite similar to American movie 'Sister Act, 2'. A trouble school with troubles of students, a new comer teacher discovered their talent and thus changed them. But apart from that, this French production has beautiful shooting, better skill to tell the story. Especially the story was unfolded by two boy's reading the teacher's diary and their thinking back. And the acting is just excellent and all parts, besides those kids act so naturally and deeply. Of course, my favourite part is its music, and choir.( After the later search, the music was created by Bruno Coulais, same composer who wrote another my ever-time favorite music for movie 'Himalaya'.

So I kept repeating the album over and again. Even when I went to bed. But the music of course is too great for a lullaby. And this lasted for two days and then when I tried to listen to others, I was stunned to find out, on my ipod, their album was ONLY music now. All others, numbering more than one thousand, was gone. What's the matter?! I tried hard to figure out the reason,but quickly, I calmed down and comforted myself. Yes, maybe it's a sign, good or bad sign, that I should say goodbye to my brief past,before then I begin a new period of time, at least with ipod life.

other pictures

victoria I, not good

Almost immediately when I boarded the cruiser Victoria I, I knew this couldn't be a American Victoria cruiser, even under the same name. (Instead, it is actually managed by Changjiang OTS company, a Chinese company.) I had hardly pleasant first impression. The lobby was not bright and clean enough, and besides fairly messy with many clothes and scarves stands the boat wanted to sell. The front desk staff wore long poker faces and the baggage bellboys said no thanks at all and just took the tips coldly. I told myself, like taking the time machine back to 1980s, a very pure communist era, serious era, when people didn't talk about service at all.

The only good thing was the rooms for our group, which were on its 3rd deck, seemed small but all right, with facility. However, my room, to share with other guides, Room 101, first deck, end of the aisle, always was wet and smelt veird.

During the two nights' stay aboard, en route from Chongqing to Yichang, I experienced other intersting aspects with this Victoria boat.

First about the meals, we reminded the boat guide and chefs in advance,that our group of Cantonese originals, didn't eat spicy foods. And when we sat down we were not very happy with most hot chillies in its buffet lunch and dinner. Only three or four were kinda edible, like boiled vegetables and cold appetizers of chicken or duck, which came little in portion but more in bones and skins. Besides their sevice was so rude. At the first dinner , one waitoress murmured to one of our tables not to waste food, just because for those seniors, chicken skin and duck bones were not their healthy delicacies. They tried to explained in their poor Mandarin for the girl didn't understand much English. Their conversation was doomed, and in the end the girl rudely left one sentence and left, which was:
'If you don't like, then don't come.'
This must be the last straw, and the tour organizer couple, very angrily got the boat guide and managers of the restaurant and the boat, to complain on their rude attitude and poor meal quality. Of course I went to help explain and translate. In the end, the managers decided to pacify this couple and brought one bottle of wine, and fruits to their room to apologize. And they promised that the girl, possibly out of their mind and would be fired shortly.( But why do they employ an insane worker?). About one hour later, on its top deck, during the so called fashion performances, by its crew, we clearly saw that girl on the stage, performing in a bad mood and thus it made us uncomfortable too.

The boat guides were passionate. But since for better business the cruisers carried over one hundred Chinese passengers, their night mare was for sure. Our guide spoke English with strong accent and tried hard to explain but not too well though. He was himself desperate to control the mainland Chinese, smoking everywhere and crowded taking pictures and making noises, while he was explaining to the groups. While the other one, speaking Chinese language, felt even more frustrated that one of his guidance book( with DVDs) was stolen. He not only asked guides to check with each groups and after all this failed he openly complained during the dinner over speakers, and then miserably pleaded the one, who 'must mistakenly' took it should kindly return it , or he himself had to pay for the loss of 150 yuan worth. He talked that it was not fair for him, such a knowledgeable and, good guide to deserve for it. Instead, he talked to us guides, if each of the Chinese groups tipped him 5 yuan, he would feel better. And second day when we met him and asked about the book, he sadly shook his head.( Not sure about extra tips, for we left the boat before all other groups.)

And the dinner of second day, farewell dinner, the restaurant manager and her waitoress had big fight with one table, for one stupid guy smoked and burned a big hole out of the table cloth. They insisted the passenger admit and pay for it. But the whole table, shame on them, didn't admit smoking at all. In the end, the leader from their group, a government unit settled it, and asked for an invoice (to refund from the government of course). The performances were dead boring and amateur , if there were no entertainment from passengers, like three couples from our group ballroom dancing, and a Thai group singing their folk song.

And about their sightseeing program, which was the worst part, because:
Day one, the boat left the wharf in Chongqing about 2 hours late, which made our arrival time at The Ghost City in Fengdu delayed till 4:30. And due to the grey weather it was already dark actually, and after we finished visiting the kinda theme park with different statues of ghost from the hell, it was really black. We were so careful about each step because it was not brightly illuminated at all. Either by cable or by stairs we all thanked god that no ghost came to take our lives.

Day 2, we paid a visit to a Sheng Nong Creek, with nice view thanks to great weather. But due to their optional tour in the morning, the boat came to pass locks to travel between different water levels very late in the night. 10:30-11 pm, remember that locks are the largest size in the whole world. I regretted most people didn't stay up late, for according their announcement, 'they were not sure, but possibly around 12-1 am, the midnight time.'

Day 3, visit the three gorges dam in the morning, and no lunch included for that day, even though the boat would come to its destination about noon time.

Our group left the dam site but didn't return to the boat. And instead we were picked up by our own local bus, and would drive in great comfort to Wuhan.

Huanglong, a dramatic tour

I was so thankful to the whole group, for their being so very cooperative by rising early at 5 am and being willing to take the breakfast box. Actually we had to do so, because in order to catch the flight back to Chongqing that afternoon after completing the tour to Huanglong scenic area, located about 2.5-3 hours from Jiuzhaigou. Huanglong area is the place with large forests , and lakes hidden deep inside, colored by various calcium aggregates.

It was so black out of windows when the bus began rolling. The guide explained over and again about the route, which was: after we should take cable to the summit, we would walk for over 2 kilometers to the lake side, and the highest altitude over 4000 meter. And we should be most careful. So after a short toilet stop, the group kinda finished shopping all oxygen mini-pumps in a tiny store nearby. So cold and early, and I couldn't help admiring those owners for their great character to get up so early to wait to charge the toilet money and sell goods.

So damn cold. The temperature would between 0-6 degrees the whole in Huanglong, and it would snow and rain. I mean, to snow and rain more. For there, when it was a little brighter, we noticed that all mountains along the way covered in snow from last night. And the higher we drove, the thicker snow. When our bus really stopped at the ex trance, smoothly and safely, all of us made a long sigh. After rushing to toilet again,awaited a long vote to go, or not, as many of them were beginning to feel sleepiness and headache from the high altitudes.

After minutes' discussion and changing minds, 12 out of 20 decided to continue while the rest staying and resting on bus. A pleasant trade on the spot of oxygen they'd formerly purchased. We were definitely the first group to be there, we all stumbled and reminded to each other about extremely icy and slippery roads even most snow from the floor had been swept.

From the foot to the top of the mountain, by cable it took only eight minutes. When my cable the last one to get there, some 4 persons were reported by the cable staff to cluster themselves around a heater themselves in a tiny staff's room, waiting for the cable to descend.

'It was so icy and slippery. We decided to go down now. Bu we have to wait for the ticket staff to come still.' We joked about the most efficient travel by them, who were soon joined by another two just returning from a toilet cabin 10 meters away. The toilet was free of charge, but the total cost was 320 yuan for it:
Details: the admission fee to Huanglong scenic spot is 200 yuan, cable ride upwards 80 yuan and then the cable ride downwards 40 yuan.

Only four braved away, but after around 45 minutes the guide called back mentioning they were returning after almost half of the walk. While waiting for their return, I saw a young woman staff, wearing red coat, and high heels sweeping snow from the walkways. Another girl, selling cable tickets, joined worrying and questioning why we left so quickly, kindly presented us a picture book of Huanglong. Surely on its pages, everything is so green, so so pretty, and so warm.

Jiuzhaigou

After Chongqing, on the day we were to fly to Jiuzhaigou, we were so lucky to have a perfect weather, with blue sky and white clouds. Jiuzhaigou, located only about 40 minutes' flight away, is praised to boast the prettiest water views in China.

'Especially this season.' the guide explained. ' the best time, when the tree leaves were in the very middle of changing colors; and besides least crowded this year, after this spring's earthquake and many after quakes hitting this area.'

'But I assure you that the airport is safest in the world, for it's constructed on a platform chopped out of high mountains, so, even there were any problems of landing, the pilots will find no difficulty at all of taking off again.' he joked.

To be honest , I didn't welcome such excitement as that; but during this short flights both ways, when I was using the toilet, the strong turbulence made the craft shake violently. I tried so hard to hold the handles, sitting there and praying that, I wouldn't like to die with shits this way.

Except that, we were lucky that airplanes didn't delay too long, for this airport 'Jiu-huang' airport is very notorious for very frequent delays or cancellations.
Jiu-huang Jiu-huang, Shi you jiu huang
which means ' nine out of ten is failure'.

On the way from the airport to Sheraton Hotel, the local guide explained that the program had to be rescheduled since it would be too late, dark and then dangerous too if we were to do the Huanglong scenic spot that afternoon. Huanglong forest is located about 2 to 2.5 hours away from the airport.

We all agreed, nothing to complain, when the golden ray shone all the way on the green cedar trees, dotted with red, and yellow ones against snow-capped mountains. From time to time we drove past herds of cows, sheep and yaks and villages of stone houses and high watching towers, belonging to the local minority people of Tibetans and Changs. Jiuzhaigou, is along the frontier between mainland China and Tibet, derives its name from 'valley of nine tibetan villages'.

Traditionally they are nomads but now affected by tourism, they mostly work for hotels, restaurants and performance troupes , making adequate money from tourism and extra from bonus and stipends from admission fees of this scenic areas.

'They make a lot. The ticket is 220 yuan (35 dollars) and 200 for Huanglong (33 dollars). And the rental for a van (22 seats) per day is 3000 yuan ( more than 450 dollars).'

Of course for me everything is covered, even the hotel room of Sheraton, I stayed on a small attic room at the 7th floor. According to hotel lobby manager, when they designed the two wing hotel buildings they on purposed designed one extra floor about the attics for tour guides and drivers. (So so touching!)

Sheraton is only about five minutes' drive away the scenic spot. Next morning we entered the valley, we were so attracted by the scenery there, all like beautiful oil paintings in all colors from palette, red from maples, yellow from birch, green from pine trees, white from waterfall, blue from the lakes.

11.11

'Son, do you know what festival today is?' my father asked,as I could tell, obviously in a very joking way.

'Halaween is over but today is...?' All of sudden, I came to realize today was Nov. 11, a so- called day of 'bare sticks', a little discrimitive addressing of singles in China, especially the male ones. All right, 1 1 1 1 = bare sticks? Actually I just can't help admiring the first person, so creative to relate these two? And to joke about our bigger and bigger young population in today's China who prefer to stay free, or walk out of marriage castles ?

Finding some one to share your rest of life sounds so mysterious and incredible, and requires great courage and luck too. Or a super strong faith in it.

As parents, and older genenation, they are always worried about my status now. But they are meanwhile learning that their children are grown up and already grown beyond their control, or sometimes recongnition. They, thankfully remind less and less frequently, which make our encounters each time easier and less tense.

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A funny story

On a public bus in Hangzhou, the driver and a passenger had a bad quarrel. In the end the driver became so angry that he just pulled over his bus full of passengers by the streets and got off.

Out of the passengers one woman responded, ' if you don't drive, I will!' The driver wasn't amused, thinking it as weakest and funniest protest. He stayed off and began smoking.

This woman really sat on his seat and started the engine, and drove his bus away. Thank god, she must be very familiar with the route, after two stops, close to her home, she proudly parked at the staion and left, while the bus driver hurriedly got a cab and chased after the bus.

a panda walking down the ladder

At Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, a panda just woke up from the bamboo platform and then hurried a little bit down the ladder to go to enjoy the breakfast.

Chongqing revisited

The sky finally brightened up when our group arrived at Chongqing. The morning was still a little drizzly but the sun unstoppably shone behind clouds. We even welcomed blue sky at this city famous for foggy weather, which is the major reason why the locals take lots of hot chilli and pepper to ward off dampness.

Last time when I was here was May this year. In my Hilton room on 16 floor, I clearly felt the after quakes. Thank god, just slight shakes.

Two new things I evidenced this time:

One, in front of lunch restaurant, embrassingly, threesome of dogs game. While two were already doing it, the other big one wanted to join. One of the party didn't like and kept making unpleasant noises. And the big one was so frustrated after several tryings and in the end left the two lovers there, who obviously attracted many audience. They got stuck together, long long time, even when the hotel staff came out and wanted to drive them away. They still did manage to stay connected.


The other thing, was in the morning when we were leaving Chongqing for Jiuzhaigou, we didn't see any cabs on the streets. According to the local guide, they organized to go on strike for unjust conditions of accessibility to LPG stations.