Return To Yangshuo

After bringing my sisters up from Hong Kong to Lanshan I had planned one more little excursion, to show them the unmissable scenery around Yangshuo. A little timetable reshuffling gave us a three day weekend, which we reckoned would be just enough time to experience this amazing place. We hadn't reckoned that there would be no actual road to drive along for a decent part of the journey. We'd all been dozing for a bit when suddenly we were woken by the bus lurching heavily to one side. We looked out the windows to find the road was gone. Instead we were driving along a muddy strip that was like a motocross race track. We weaved in and out of the deepest holes and highest mounds, crawling at a snail's pace. It became apparent after a while that this was actually just a construction site, and that they were rebuilding the road, but it was only at the end of the stretch and after about an hour that we saw anyone at all - three men, sat in a tent, playing cards. I will never ever complain about UK roadworks again.

Annoyingly we also stopped just outside Guilin for a lunch that we didn't want, before finally arriving in Guilin 6 hours later and still with an hour's ride to Yangshuo ahead of us. At least that portion was bearable, with a good Hong Kong movie on the TV complete with English subtitles. The main distraction was the amazingly surreal landscape we were passing through though. Eight months earlier that same drive had been my first experience of China and one I will never forget. Arriving in Yangshuo it was pizzas all round, a look in the guide for a suitable hotel, a quick shower and nap and then we hit the town. Sarah and Sam went souvenir shopping and bargained themselves some nice little gifts before returning to the hotel. Anthony and I decided to stay out and find a bar. We must be getting old or something. We opted for the quietest place we could find, shunned the alcoholic drinks menu, ordered two fruit juices and a large bottle of water each and drank water all evening. Crazy, man.
Next morning, full of good intentions, we were up and eating breakfast by 9am, accompanied by the sound of heavier and heavier falling rain. It was torrential, and was seriously threatening our one and only full day here. We optimistically thought that it might die off later, so arranged to visit Silver Cave in the morning and see how things turned out after lunch.
The cave was cool, if a little artificial-looking with all the lights, but once we managed to lose the tour groups it was quite nice to explore. There were some strange shaped rocks. In the Chinese manner, every single formation was named. Unfortunately there was no English translation provided for the formation my sisters spotted below. Maybe that's a good thing.
When we left the cave the rain had stopped. Back in Yangshuo after a good lunch it was still dry so we decided to rent out some scooters and go for a ride around the countryside. Great decision. We rented out three, and I took Sam on mine. The things could only do 20mph tops, but that was plenty fast enough, and the aim was to take in the scenery in any case.
We pulled over every few minutes to take photos and I wish I could have taken more. This place is just beautiful.
The roads were quiet once we got out of town, but were broad as well, with a wide hard shoulder for scooters and bikes. Oftentimes we were the only ones on the road, save for some crossing water buffalo maybe.
We went as far as we dared before our battery gauges hit the half-empty level, taking in rice paddies and fruit orchards before heading back. Sarah and I had no problems on our scooters, but soon Anthony's began to flag. Within no time it was barely making 10 mph and was cruising sedately down the road looking for all the world like an OAP-mobile. Everything was passing him. Sarah and I had a race with some Chinese bikers but had to give up after a while to wait for Anthony to catch up. He really was a pathetic sight.
It was great fun though. An excellent way to spend an afternoon. Much recommended. That evening was a quiet one, as we had another early departure for Lanshan the next morning. Some shopping, and to bed. The next day we took that horrendous, off-roading adventure of a bus home. After all the rain the road was even worse, and yet still, there they were, the three men sat in their tent playing cards. Things work differently out here, or at times, apparently not at all.

One more day of classes for Sarah and Sam and one night to pack then we were off again, back down to Guangzhou for one night. We stayed in the same hotel as last time and had time just for one more German meal and a ferry ride along the river. The lights weren't as good this time round, though I suppose last time round was New Year's Eve... Still we amused ourselves by laughing at everyone losing their dignity by tripping up over a hidden change in the floor level near our table (noticing it was mostly men) and with a game of ridiculous eye-spy. The next day was way too hot to do anything and the girls needed to sleep in anyway, so we did very little except relax and eat. Then all too soon it was time to say goodbye. I couldn't see them all the way to Hong Kong as my visa wouldn't let me re-enter China one more time but Hong Kong is a very easy place to get round so after clueing them up on the situation I had no doubt they would find their way.

They did and are now happily back in the UK. It was great to have them here, despite certain differences (not mentioning the M-word), and great to show them round my adopted home. The best part was being able to categorically say at the end that I would see them in less than three months. The race down the home stretch is on.