I haven’t finished telling the story about the walk at night. Did I even start telling about it? Anyway with a roommate we decided to go for a walk at night to the hill, where I went alone during the day. We turned to a shorter path. Well it was supposed to be shorter, but turned out to be three times longer. We went too far through one bridge, so we had to go back following the river on properly light stone path towards another bridge. It was a full moon and the bats were flying all around. We took some photos and head forward.
Sareme was scared of bats. She jumped and turn out grabbing my arm so several times when the bats passed by very close.
Once we reached that hill we had to climb long stairs.
We met one couple on the way, but once we reached the top we encountered a guard, who wanted to kick us out. We managed to take just a few of shots. So disappointing. It took us couple hours to get back from that hill to the city centre. We got lost a bit. We had to pass a very creepy, dark park. There was somebody screaming and moaning in the dark. Good thing I had a small torch with me. Turned out to be very helpful.
In the evening there was some market in the centre . We walked around there.
We woke up 9 am in the morning, rented the bicycles and went to seven star park. It is amazing experience to cycle in here! No one is following the rules! The main rule is: don’t stop, don’t look around and just press the horn if you have one. We had to cross a big crossroad, so we just pedal as fast as we could just go through. You don’t have to close your eyes, but it is really scary.
Breakfast wasn’t exactly as soon as expected, as all cafe shops open later in the day. On the bright side, we had amazing buns baked in the local bakery.
Everyone was telling us not to leave bicycles next to the entrance of the park as it can get stolen. One woman was walking around there and helping us a lot, but it was clear from the beginning that it is not going to be free. It turns out she is offering cheaper tickets to the park. We somehow doubted her, that those tickets will be valid. After that she offered to leave the bikes to some woman to guard. One bike 1 RMB. Once we left the park that woman was gone, luckily we found the bikes! They all work like a gang in there.
Once we booked the tickets we went the stairs up to the hill. My back was completely wet. I needed water! Make sure you take enough! We found the panda downstairs, but it looked so sad and tired. It barely moved! Depressed panda…
I took some pictures with peacocks and artificial waterfalls. The Chinese just love to make fake things. The peacocks almost didn’t have feathers in their tail. Whenever you have a nicer view it has a fence and you have to pay 15 RMB to take a photo. Just sounds like a tourist trap.
We went to supposedly most amazing cave. The Chinese managed to ruin it! They put so much different lights everywhere instead using just white light! Most beautiful places just ruined. Actually, it took us awhile to find that cave. We walked in circles three times! In the end we met a couple fro Vancouver, who were travelling for a whole year! They told us that they have visited Borneo, Singapore, Australia and etc. Maybe tomorrow I will meet them in bamboo raft as they are also going to Yangshuo. It should be amazing experience in that bamboo raft and I have paid only 120 RMB and they are going to pick us up from the hostel.
So in the park we saw some exhausted ostriches, plucked peacocks and camel who looked so tortured. Also couple of fishes. The biggest sadness was the panda. It was sitting in the corner barely moving, head down and not even looking around, just slowly eating a carrot. Horrible. Seems like animal torture. They should definitely invest more money into that park.
The cave really exhausted us, so we stopped in the park to have some ice-cream and of course monkeys came in to the party. Of course, we all wanted a photo with them. I forgot to switch off the flash and after couple pictures with a flash one of those monkeys gone mad and jumped towards me. I was so scared that it is going to jump on my head and really jumped! Thank heavens it stopped just in front of me showing its teeth. They say that monkeys can actually bite you if they are very angry. Then the guy with a stick came and pushed those monkeys away from people. I think that just made monkeys even more mad. One of them was actually following through the roofs! Scary!
After we left the park, we found our bikes as I mentioned before but no woman guarding them. We headed home in the same crazy roads! What an extreme experience!
After arrival we dropped our luggage, washed up a little bit and headed to a place recommended by Lonely Planet know for good food. This time we were lucky and we found really good restaurant. We ordered chicken, eel and tofu. Also a big bowl of mushroom soup. That bowl of soup was like a bucket, so big! Six people could eat from there! The chicken was as in Shanghai full of peppers. The mushroom soup an eel was really good. Those eels are alive at the entrance and they just cook it for you, hence all fresh.
In the local market you can get all kinds of live animals: fish, chicken and etc. I guess it is logical as in such hot weather any meat would go bad so quickly. In that local market we bought a lot of fruits as well, as they are way cheaper than buying from those people selling on the streets. Also an interesting experience to see the local market.
After dinner we went to train station to buy tickets. Once we left hostel one local guy told us the opposite direction, so we went to the wrong side. We had to wait until the bus turn around and took us where we needed. The busses are really cheap, just 1 RMB. I am thinking maybe the day after tomorrow to book a feet massage. Would be great before a long trip on a train.
I didn’t manage to get sleeping berth in the train, they also had no seated ones, just standing for 9 h and even then only to Zhanjiang and later to Sanya you need another transport. That ticket was cheap just – 76 RMB. I have no idea how I am going to get to that island yet. I am going to search for alternatives now and make a reservation for hostel, as many tourists around and don’t want to risk sleeping in the street.
After walking so much and completely tired we were waiting for a bus to train station with Sareme. We sat on the pavement and were eating a very delicious fruit, which looks like very hairy, but so delicious – Lychee fruit. We were throwing everything what’s left on the street and somehow I felt guilty, but there were no bins around. Then Sareme said “Anyway it is so many of them cleaning streets”. Which was so true. Suddenly my guilt feeling went away.
The last conclusion today: don’t trust these people or trust but always double-check.