Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Trying to Decide What to do

We are sitting in a hostel in Lugu Lake, the famous home of the Mosuo Matriarchal society (see here), the sun is shining on the hills outside, but its cold in our room and we can't quite decide where to go. It centers on whether we start travelling back overland towards Hong Kong or decide to take a plane trip in there somewhere.

Lonely Planet describes arriving in Lige as "arriving at the ends of the earth". We arrived in a convoy of tourist buses and spent 20 minutes trapped, 10 minutes from the village by roadworks. As soon as the digger cleared out of the way both lanes of traffic zoomed in causing a traffic jam. Comical. The signs here are classic, "watch your fiery safety" and careful "anxious torturous path". The town is made up almost entirely of two story wooden guesthouses, backing onto deforested hills. You can't swim in the lake. Indeed a sign on the waters edge warns you of a slippery bank!! (and we think NZ is PC).

Dinner here consists of either a splurge or a bbq. We go for the bbq, self cook on a little table with chopsticks. We avoid the roast piglet and go for chilli, zucchini, mushrooms and corn, great fun and warm too.

The decision is made we are off to Xichang, skipping out Yading this time, mainly because I have had enough tramping and want to see some of the real China and get off this tourist trail that we have been largely stuck on for the last week. Really looking forward to seeing some big cities, ie Chongching with 30million people. Used Skype with video this morning to chat to Aaron and Karin over in rainy Gothenburg. Awesome!

4 comments:

Bob McKerrow - Wayfarer said...

Kia Ora jamie

Hey man, this is a bloody good blog. I have enjoyed what I have read so far. Simple, fine photos and an uncluttered layout. Unlike mine which looks like a dogs breakfast, or a politician's mind. You are a wayfarer, a fellow wayfarer and I look forward to reading it regularly.

I have enjoyed our connections and now I have connected with you, I will follow your travels with daily anticipation.

When I was young like you, I thought anyone over 50 was an old fart. Now I have reached 60, I think there must be life left in old farts. Anyway. I have a beautiful young wife and two delightful boys, a fulfiling job, so I am happy. At the end of the day it is happiness which is the key element together with health and spiritual contentment.

Jamie, don't be tempted to swim in the lake during the day time. Try going in naked at night.

Keep up the search because through wayfaring, you find the right path, not the PC path.

Ka kite ano.

Bob

Bob

Bob McKerrow - Wayfarer said...

Me again. Just read a number of yr postings. I commented on the one about me old mate Juddy.

The only post I struggle with is the one about Ed Hillary. There is a book waiting to be written about the other Ed Hillary. The selfish guy who robbed his mates on the 1951 expedition of a chance to be on the 53 Everest expedition.
The guy who treated his son poorly.

Interview Ed Cotter or Phillip Houghton, contemporoes of Ed, and they will tell you off the unpublished story. I don't want to taint the life of a man who climbed Everest. But I feel someone needs to tell the real story one day.

Cheers

Bob

Unknown said...

Hey Bob,

Thanks for the comments. I enjoy writing and expressing some opinions and blogs are good practice aye!

I guess with what I wrote about Ed Hillary, I was writing about the myth rather than the man, as thats all I've ever known. It might be interesting to hear another view.

But then again, maybe the myth has become bigger and more important than the man himself? After all we all have our human flaws and they rot quickly.

I would argue that the Hillary myth has been created by many many people accepting and reinforcing this idealistic image of a New Zealander, its the closest thing to a moral cred and patriotism we have!

Bob McKerrow - Wayfarer said...

Yes, about Ed is often a question of whether people are legends in their lunchtimes of legends in their lifetimes. I think ED was the NZ icon we all needed and we created him. Now we have to live with him. However, it is important that history is accurate and I hope someone tells the other side.

The Hillary Myth and Truth will live on for he did many remarkable things.

Dafe travels.

Bob