Waiting for a visa renewal with limited funds, my 24th birthday this past Wednesday was probably the toughest day of the entire trip. Not only was I not allowed a visa renewal in the town I was currently located (Jiulong in western Sichuan), I lost both of my debit cards and credit card! So I am stuck in Xichang waiting for some money to arrive via western union money transfer so I can pay for my new visa (thank goodness!), replaying the last week in my head.
From Chengdu, I cycled a few days to the beautiful town Ya'an, where you exit the Sichuan Basin's constant cloud cover. The next day and half were all up hill, cycling among steep, lush gorges with clear water good enough for drinking. At the top of a large hill ~ 2,500m high there was a 4KM tunnel which led me into a different country it seemed. Everything was Tibetan, the people, the landscape, the architecture. A much drier climate.
I arrived in Kangding, a very touristy town for a night in a nice hostel. The next day led me towards a huge pass, about 4,300m (~14,000ft.) high! It is November, so it was pretty cold, but the roads were dry and the sky clear. On top, I had a view of what seemed to be the Tibetan Plateau, absolutely beautiful - rolling hills at 4,000m high. For the next few days I cycled towards a village called Gongga Shan, famous for its namesake mountain, which you can get an amazing view of. I stayed with a Tibetan family this night, eating beef noodles and drinking butter tea.
After cycling another pass further south (about 4,100m) I descended towards Jiulong, and I felt as if I was back in China. Here I contacted the police to get a visa extension. They sent me on a bus to Xichang! And here I am, waiting and dealing with the Chinese banks. I visited the PSB today (the folks who give you visa renewals) and met the head honcho, an extremely nice man who, after hearing my story of losses, put me in his car and took me out for a huge lunch. We met with an Australian expatriate who ended up helping me with the banks. Sadly the outcome was not so good and I will have to wait another few days to receive some dough. I have finally found a hotel to sleep in though (for around 7 bucks), so I don’t have to worry about finding a dodgy camping spot on the fringes of town.
Southern Sichuan is one of the poorer areas of China. There are many ethnic groups living here that have just recently (within the last fifty years) integrated into modern civilization. The Yi predominant this region and are beautifully dressed. I ignorantly thought them to be Tibetan, but there have been some disputes between the two neighboring cultures for years.
Anyways, still waiting for cash (with passport in hand)!
From Chengdu, I cycled a few days to the beautiful town Ya'an, where you exit the Sichuan Basin's constant cloud cover. The next day and half were all up hill, cycling among steep, lush gorges with clear water good enough for drinking. At the top of a large hill ~ 2,500m high there was a 4KM tunnel which led me into a different country it seemed. Everything was Tibetan, the people, the landscape, the architecture. A much drier climate.
I arrived in Kangding, a very touristy town for a night in a nice hostel. The next day led me towards a huge pass, about 4,300m (~14,000ft.) high! It is November, so it was pretty cold, but the roads were dry and the sky clear. On top, I had a view of what seemed to be the Tibetan Plateau, absolutely beautiful - rolling hills at 4,000m high. For the next few days I cycled towards a village called Gongga Shan, famous for its namesake mountain, which you can get an amazing view of. I stayed with a Tibetan family this night, eating beef noodles and drinking butter tea.
After cycling another pass further south (about 4,100m) I descended towards Jiulong, and I felt as if I was back in China. Here I contacted the police to get a visa extension. They sent me on a bus to Xichang! And here I am, waiting and dealing with the Chinese banks. I visited the PSB today (the folks who give you visa renewals) and met the head honcho, an extremely nice man who, after hearing my story of losses, put me in his car and took me out for a huge lunch. We met with an Australian expatriate who ended up helping me with the banks. Sadly the outcome was not so good and I will have to wait another few days to receive some dough. I have finally found a hotel to sleep in though (for around 7 bucks), so I don’t have to worry about finding a dodgy camping spot on the fringes of town.
Southern Sichuan is one of the poorer areas of China. There are many ethnic groups living here that have just recently (within the last fifty years) integrated into modern civilization. The Yi predominant this region and are beautifully dressed. I ignorantly thought them to be Tibetan, but there have been some disputes between the two neighboring cultures for years.
Anyways, still waiting for cash (with passport in hand)!
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