Like a tiger - Episode I

Around the area of North-western Yunnan province (where we are now), the Yangtze River tumbles down from its source in the Himalayas and makes its first bend - a dog leg which stops it from flowing south out of the country and instead funnels it right into the heart of China. Shortly after this bend the river is squeezed between two huge cliffs and over millenia the crushing force of the water has carved an enormous gorge (wow I never thought I could sound so much like a science teacher. Or a Discovery Channel presenter). Anyhoo it's a stunning sight - about 4 kilometres from the river to the very peaks of the snow-capped mountains towering above. In some places the gorge is so narrow that legend has it a tiger was able to jump from one side to the other. Hence the name - Tiger Leaping Gorge. Here's me re-enacting that famous leap:


It's apparently possible to hike the length of the gorge in one very long day, but we decided to take a few days and explore a little bit, taking some roundabout paths and staying in local guesthouses. Oh my, what an experience. I know I say this in almost every posting, but MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE I'VE EVER SEEN.

Even starting off on the trail from where the bus dropped us was jaw dropping.



After a couple of hours we got to a little village and were nearly savaged by the local guard dog which came charging out.


As it was 6pm we decided to stay the night in a guesthouse run by a Naxi family (the Naxi are the indigenous people of this area). The view from the courtyard was...well it was ok


The toilet block markers were awesome too



The sweetest family ran the place, an unbelieveably nice and welcoming couple and we felt like we were in heaven. After an incredible dinner of local fried veges we wandered out into the fields, found a suitable rock and just sat there in complete solitude listening to the chirping of crickets and watching the last rays of the sun behind us crawling up the jagged peaks of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountains in the east. The golden light died and the brilliant deep indigo sky turned slowly to black as a perfect crescent moon and a billion stars flicked on and we had one of those "this is the happiest time of our lives" moments. Ah the serenity!


Then we picked our way back through the darkness and headed off to bed in our little wooden room above the barn with soothing noises of chickens quietly clucking themselves to sleep, swine wallowing and horses melodiously farting throughout the night (I swear honey, it was the horses!)

Our room looked pretty nice in the morning light too


End of Part I.