Yunnan to Sichuan 相称

Yunnan (Zhongdian) to Sichuan (Xiangcheng)

Early the morning 6am (16 April'2005) catch a taxi (too early no local bus operate yet) to bus terminal, at the bus terminal bought some breakfast and snacks to go on board the long journey public bus to carry on my journey from Zhongdian to Sichuan.

On the way, travel from Zhongdian to Sichuan first town.

It take a few days bus hopping from Zhongdian to Chendu and it was not an easy journey, it can be very tiring journey all the way to Chendu.

On my first day journey, the first ten minutes, before we went off any further, the long journey bus tyre break down, we stop at a repair shop, after some time waited, the repaired was done and we carry on our journey, the bus was fully booked.

After a few hours on the road non-stop without lunch, it was very rough journey, the road surface wasn't smooth but bumpy, along the journey was heading to high mountain above 3000m, and the worse thing was the local people smoking inside the bus, breathing the 2^nd hand smoke on my way, try to open window to get some fresh air but on the mountain journey the air outside was so cold, with no choice I'd to bare with the cold wind.

On the way to Xiangcheng town, we passing by a lot of mountains very beautiful, finally passed over the boarder of Sichuan, the bus has to stop for the officers to come on board to check on everyone identity. Inside the bus, there were local (China citizen) and there were foreigners, when the custom police did inspection on the foreigners, asking some question, those foreigners can't understand what the police was saying, I was there to help to interpret it, every foreigners were very glad to have me on the same bus.

Xiangcheng 相称

 

After checking we carry on our journey, as usual I talk to the local man who seat beside me until it reached Xiangcheng town, he told me how I can travel to Chengdu, we had a long journey sharing. At about another 1 or 2 hours later we were reaching Xiangchen but half way another wheel break down and all of us have to wait for the driver to repair it. While waiting, I get down the bus to took a few personal photos outside, everyone of us also take this time of waiting went open toilet release. The road was having a lot of rocks and stones, it is easy to have the tire give way. We had twice tyre break down on this journey.

As soon as it was repair, we carry on our journey, It was in the evening when I reached the town (about 12 hours on the bus), there was no last bus to go for the next town, and with no choice I've to found a place to stay over night.

As it was the evening, after check in to the Tibetan hostel, I went out to explore and at the same time went for dinner, there was no great restaurant in this small town, I had fried tomato with egg and vegetables to go with my rice, the first time I felt the taste of an egg taste so good (ha..ha..) may be I was really hungry for many hours, oh... I had a pot of traditional Tibetan tea also.

Xiangcheng is a very small town; there was a small monastery on top of the mountian, it was a norrow road went up, have to be very careful, on our way there, we can see a lot of red colour monks riding their motor cycle up to the monastery and travel down to town.

When I was there, the town over there have a lot of hotels building up, I believe they are expecting more tourist to visit there, may be there might build some interesting spot for tourist in the future. At the moment, there was not much to see in Xiangchen town.

As soon as I had my dinner, I went back to the hostel, had my cold shower and prepare to went to bed, before sleep, I can't forget to take my pill (to prepare for the next day journey traveling on a high attitude.) as it needs to be taken 4 hours before it take effect, this is to prevent getting AMS attack (mountain sickness).

The next day morning (wake up 5:45am) I went to the bus stop, check out what time was the next bus goes to the next available town (7am), as soon as I knew there was a bus going to next town, I quickly purchased the bus ticket and pack my bag, waited at the bus stop.

In Sichuan, all long journey bus ticket have to purchase the insurance, you will be issue a bus ticket together with the small insurance cert. like the bus ticket size.

While I was waiting for the bus, I ordered my breakfast but it took too long to prepare and the bus driver was already inside the bus waiting, I quickly cancel my order, bought some other snack and went on board the bus.

When I was on board the bus, I didn't know how long the journey was going to be, with no much food prepare, a bottle of water with me, I've travel on the bus for many hours.

Travel for many hours non-stop, no proper lunch on my way, only a few sip of water and some snacks that were my lunch. On the way, you can see very beautiful scenic, snow cap mountains range, very different landscape, although the journey was rough but it was worth to travel that way to view such different scenic. I try a few times taking some pictures while the bus was on the move but the pictures turn out to be very blur, it was a waste that none of my pictures turn out nice, otherwise, I can post on the website and people who read my journal can see it.

My journey from Lijiang to Chengdu was really tough, hopping buses a few times and it take a few days, can't really remember how many buses I've changed to reach Chengdu. I try to write it down every stop I can and what I've seen but there were times I was too tired to write and have gone to bed early.

Having said; I think my next destination from Xiangchen is to go Litang, as usual a few hours journey on the bus, it was half of the bus full, one of the Shanghai guy whom I've meet in Lijiang youth hostel was on board too, he was on his way to Dacheng to see snow mountain, he was asking me to join him but after spoken to the local man the day before, I'd decided not to go Dacheng, we were on the same bus, half way the journey, we stop by to had our lunch break, I had my snack and water, after lunch break, we carry on our journey, another half way of the journey the Shanghai guy a light the bus and change bus he went Dacheng.

As for me, I carry on my journey with a couple from Europe (K lady and J guy) whom were staying in the same Tibetan hostel last night, we were on the same bus to Litang, it take another 12 hours to reach Litang.

Click next to continue reading on Litang.... very exciting experience...