Today I met a guy named Xiao Xi from Gansu. He was traveling alone and does regular backpacking activities. He handed me his China park pass. In U.S. it would be similar to a Golden Eagle pass for the National Parks. Here his card allowed free entrance on some places and discounts on others and then there are no perks for some too. He did the west trail ascending the harder way, I was going the opposite direction, descending the easier route. We planned to meet later in the Youth Hostel where my packs were.
It was fun to trek 13 hours for both days. But I was ready for a good rest and getting myself properly cleaned up after 5 hours of train ride to ShaoGuan, then another 20 hours of train ride to Anhui, 13 plus hours of hiking, and 4 days later.
At the White Cloud Hotel that is located in Central Huang Shan, I was able to check into my 40 yuan dorm bed thanks to the travel agent. I could not have gotten that rate or the bed without his consent by cell phone through the front desk of the hotel. He and his tour group had already made it down the mountain and was on a bus to SuZhou.
My room was set up youth hostel style with bunks. It had a TV and a water heater. The sink and toilet were shared detached outside the room. There was no access to shower with this rate of accommodation. It is cheaper than last night’s, the window here closes, the blankets weren’t damp and mildewy, and I don’t have to exit the building to use the toilet.
Chen’s place was in another hotel nearby. Her room had heater, TV, personal shower, toilet with running hot water, and the beds were still bunk style. It was for 120 yuana night, pre-registered through her travel agent in Fujian. It normally ran higher than that on a walk in or direct call without travel agent arrangement. Chen recommended that I stay with her. But there was no availability at that rate so she let me use her showers.
My bunkmates for the night were from XingJiang. They recommend I see it in September after the nut and fruit harvest after the heat and before the cold. They shared their food with me. But I passed on their dry bread and dried meat links.
It is 5 degrees celsius here in the mountain. There are rumors that it may drop below zero and have first of the snow for this year. I wonder if I would catch the first glimpse of snow for the year while I am here. What an amazing sight it would make here.
