It was a Sunday morning. My mom, dad, myself, and our enormous sack of lychees and grapes were moving at 250kph along the train tracks through Chinese countryside.

I was still unaware of what I was in for.

Across the aisle of our train compartment, my mother was stretched across three seats, and unresponsive. I myself felt groggy from the previous day. I had three meals past midnight during my last hours in Seoul, followed by an international flight, three hours of subways, and three hours on a train. Other symptoms nagging at me included feeling allergic to summertime dust, and being rather constipated from all the sleep deprivation and transit.

Sunday Funday—is that what they say?

 

 

Day 501

23 June 2019

Hefei → Huangshan Bei Train Station → Welcoming Guest Pine → Lotus Peak → Tian Hai

My parents, each of whom I hadn’t seen in well over a year, and I, had bickered the morning away. The three of us somehow managed to survive two bus rides and two train journeys (we got off the first train one stop too early) within close proximity of one another.

The roads began to wind upwards as the metropolitan world was left far behind us. Mom and I passed time by discussing the beginnings of our respective loves for chocolate, and sneakily scarfing down Clif bars as the driver scolded everyone to get their snacks out of sight. Berry pomegranate chia for me, white chocolate macadamia for her.

Roughly six hours after we had left our place in Hefei city, we stepped out of the final confined vehicle of the day. Hot sunshine and a gloriously blue sky welcomed us. The resulting scenery was unlike anything I’d ever seen.

 

 

This must be how the enchantment begins. For everyone.

The granite slopes were smooth like a painting and appeared to be beckoning me. I urged my mom to forget the cable cars and to join Dad and I in hiking up. She agreed and promptly dumped 100% of her bag with my father, which nearly doubled his load. About halfway up I managed to absorb most of her stuff into my pack.

 

 

In China, “climbing mountains” means walking along a network of stone paths which are man-made and often take the form of stairs. As we climbed up the steps,  snack vendors were selling cucumbers and boiled corn as hiking sustenance. I later purchased an egg that had been hard-boiled in tea. All very Chinese. Other workers offered rides to one’s destination via a bamboo throne, which would be hoisted onto the shoulders of two men. Also very Chinese.

I spent the remainder of the day in full sponge mode, eating up every last magnificent view, devouring every gulp of fresh air.

 

 

Day 502

24 June 2019

Tian Hai → Bright Summit → Flying Stone → Monkey Watching the Sea Stone → Beginning to Believe Peak → Dan Xia Peak → West Sea Da Xia Gu (Grand Canyon) → Tian Hai

 

A conversation between me and myself, 6:00pm:

“Chewing this nut mix is incredible. The chewing action is taking so much effort and attention. Like, all of my effort and attention.

Actually, I feel kind of shaky. I’m not shaking, but I could be.

I guess I have sweat like a pig since midday.

Wait. The only savory thing I had out on the trails was a zongzi. Those salts would be long gone by now. Oh, these nuts are unsalted and my Trader Joe’s chocolate has no salt. But I guess the Clif bar would have a more complete nutrition profile. Let me check.

Yep, 240 mg of sodium. I really don’t feel like 250 calories right after those nuts, I wanted to save it for when I get back to the hotel, but I must.”

*takes huge bites*

*instantly feels better*

I was at the tail-end of a 10-hour hiking day. It was dusk, and the paths had been far too vertical for my knees’ liking. That morning I had split from my parents and zipped up to three mini-summits before starting a thrilling descent into the rough peaks and jagged scenery of Da Xia Gu. The section ends at the funicular station that’ll quickly get you back above the clouds.

 

 

In Vivian’s world, “climbing mountains” means climbing mountains. A cable car or funicular in mandarin literally translates to “lazy car.” My history of getting intimate with the outdoors wouldn’t allow me to cut out the end of the circuit, even if it entailed a three-hour uphill grind that would race me against the dwindling daylight.

I turned off towards the final stretch alone. No more crowds, screams of delight, or tour-guide megaphones. Just me and… two more kilometers of straight downstairs.

Yep. Before I could start the ascent, I had to eat up the rest of the descent. But, as we know from anything I’ve written ever, things happen for a reason.
 

 

Shortly after Clif brought me back to my senses, now finally on my way back up the mountain, I reached a platform with the best view of the sunset that I was gonna be able to have that day. I stuck some minutes to watch the glowing red outline of the clouds. I had caught up to a family of two grandparents, two parents, and a son of about 10 years. I shared some chocolate with them, and they welcomed me to visit Xinjiang.

What?

I had already set aside a full month for that place, later this year. Xinjiang is the northwest corner of China that occupies a sixth of the nation’s landmass. Think silk road and ethnic minorities who lead a waaaay different lifestyle.

Stories of beautiful nature and mouth-watering foods told by other travelers ring through my ears. While my new acquaintances were Han Chinese, they gave me more background and information about their homeland. They reassured and supported me about traveling the area, and scanned my WeChat QR code to stay in contact. They told me to go find them so that they could host me and take me to dinner.

How funny, that Xinjiang just happens to be the land that my current wanderlust reaches for with open arms…

 

Day 503

25 June 2019

Tian Hai → Huangshan South Entrance → Huangshan Bei Train Station → Hefei

Getting off the mountain with nothing notable beyond the fact that the cable car we rode was made by the Austrian Doppelmayr company.

 

 

Getting to Huangshan

China is well-connected with high-speed and regular trains. We took a bullet train to Huangshan Bei station, and switched to a mountain bus. All forms of Chinese transportation can be booked at Ctrip.com, with the option to change the language in the upper left corner (English site here).

To get to the trailhead, we walked from the parking lot, until my parents waved down an empty bus that gave us a lift for the last fifty meters. From there, we followed the points on the bilingual tourist maps.
 

Sleeping

For budget travelers, I recommend camping in Tian Hai and using that spot as a base for exploration. I saw lots of tents set up just off of the main hiking paths.

My parents preferred a real bed, but I do not personally support the hotel industry because of the environmental stress it causes, and its demand for the labor of human porters.

 

 

Gear

In late June, it was still cool and breezy in the shade. Nights were chilly. I brought a change of clothes, toiletries, rain gear, sunscreen, bug spray, GoPro camera, phone, sunglasses, and plenty of water and trail snacks. I also had a rain jacket and compressible puffy down jacket, but used them very little. Everything was kept in my 36-liter Osprey backpack.

While hiking I wore a light quick-dry top, athletic shorts, and Chaco outdoor sandals.

Had I been camping, I would have also brought a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and supplies for meals.

 

 

Eating

Huangshan had an abundance of food stands, pricey hotel restaurants, and even a small cafe. Water and drinks are sold throughout the mountain, but only in half-liter plastic bottles (8 RMB, $1.16) which disgusted me. I heavily regretted not bringing three liters worth of my own reusable bottles.

A boiled egg sold for 4 RMB, a cucumber 6 RMB, boiled corn 6 RMB, and a pork zongzi* 10 RMB. A large can of beer at the mini-market attached to Bai Yun Hotel set me back 25 RMB ($3.63).

 

*A sticky rice glob shaped like a pyramid,  wrapped in bamboo leaves, and tied with a string. Usually filled with beans, mushrooms, or meat. Traditionally eaten during the Duanwu (Dragon Boat) Festival, a national holiday that takes place each June.

 

 

For more DIY Chinese mountain trips, read about a snowy death trek (a route usually done in summer) through the monasteries of WuTai (Five Terrace) Shan.