Recording My Colorful Journey to Enchanting Jiuzhaigou
This trip was hastily decided after a drinking session, to the extent that when I woke up the next morning, I doubted whether it was a joke I had told. But no matter what, it also felt like 'speaking the truth after drinking.' I had always been stuck in this southern city, though I had the idea of going out, it was shelved for various unfounded reasons. My friend was right: don't make excuses, go if you want to do something. If you deny your own thoughts today, you might never have any thoughts tomorrow. So, after five days of inadequate preparation, we flew to Sichuan.
On the first day, as soon as we got off the plane, Chengdu came into view. I thought it would open my eyes, but the result was quite the opposite—it felt a bit like old Changsha. It was already half past ten in the morning, the sky was still gray, indicating some air pollution. Since it was the weekend, there weren't many cars on the road, and we soon arrived at the reserved hotel.
Although Chengdu's modern architecture is not particularly distinctive, its ancient alleys and streets are unique. The first place we arrived was the entrance of Kuanzhai Alley. As we got out of the car, an old hotpot restaurant appeared in front of us. Already hungry, the aroma of hotpot drifting everywhere led us by the nose into the restaurant.
But to be honest, the hotpot was not as delicious as I had imagined. Although we were hungry and had ordered a full table, there was no lingering satisfaction. I wonder if we didn't get the most authentic one. Next time I must Baidu which place is the most authentic! After eating and drinking, we started wandering in the alley. At the beginning of the alley, there was a row of snack stalls, with all kinds of snacks neatly displayed on the stalls, fragrant with red chili peppers, green coriander, yellow sesame oil... cleverly matched, very pleasing to the eye. On both sides of the road were rows of dazzling small shops, decorated in ethnic style, with colorful goods inside.
Kuanzhai Alley is divided into Kuan Alley and Zhai Alley. Although it is called Kuan (wide) Alley, it couldn't withstand the large number of tourists. We slowly moved forward with the crowd. After walking through the staggered alleys, we took a taxi to Jinli Ancient Street. The two attractions are not far apart, about a 10-minute drive. Compared with Kuanzhai Alley's combination of simple design and ancient architecture, Jinli is more ethnic, with all buildings antique and the goods sold also emphasizing ethnic culture. However, the common point between them is that everywhere is colorful. Perhaps due to generations of inheritance, Chengdu people seem to be good at color matching. Whether it's food, clothing, or items, there is a bright color, not abrupt, very beautiful.
We visited the two attractions from 12 noon to about 5 p.m. After dinner, we bought some snacks for the upcoming itinerary and then returned to the hotel to rest. The hotel we stayed in that night deserves a grand introduction.
Location: The hotel is located in Kuanzhai Alley, known as 'Chengdu's living room.'
Metro: The entrance of Kuanzhai Alley is Metro Line 4.
Geographic location: The location is really great! It's right in the Kuanzhai Alley scenic area, so you can go out for shopping and eating, very convenient. It's not far from Chunxi Road, Taikoo Li, Tianfu Square, etc. You can take the subway or a taxi. If you take a taxi, it's about 10 yuan.
Hotel style: The overall style of this homestay is what I really like. The guest room design is Japanese-style, made of pure wood structure, with a unique fragrance in the room, very comforting. There are also handmade Shu embroidery in the room, and a wren (Jiaoliao) bird specially painted by a famous painter.
The hotel has many calligraphy and paintings as well as antiques, which the owner spent great effort to procure. Every detail is thoughtfully arranged, impeccable.
Room: The door uses an electronic lock, ensuring safety. The entire room, including decorations and beds, is made of sycamore wood, exuding a faint woody aroma, very relaxing.
There is a dedicated dining area in the room, and the lunch and dinner were quite tasty.
Bathroom: When I go out, whether staying in a hotel or a homestay, my biggest concern is definitely the bathroom. The cleanliness of the bathroom can absolutely affect my mood. The bathroom of Jiaoliao deserves full marks! The details show understated luxury. Five-star super luxurious configuration: Kangnaixin (Carnation) linens, King Koil mattress, Kohler bathroom products, TOTO smart toilet. Even turning on a faucet makes you feel the owner's care.
Wash area: It's worth mentioning that the wash area is separated into wet and dry zones. You can take a shower or lie in the bathtub, and the hotel also provides bath salts.
The three-piece toiletries use June Jacobs (a high-end spa skincare brand from New York, USA). I had used this brand before at a Sheraton in Guangdong and really liked it, so I didn't expect to use it again in Chengdu. Moreover, according to the butler, June Jacobs tailored a set of techniques specifically for the hotel, based on local culture, environment, climate, plus some traditional Chinese medicine physiotherapy methods, to create the hotel's unique 'Jiaoliao Chaolin' (Wren in the forest).
Bedding: Lying down was extremely comfortable—I fell asleep in minutes. The quilt and mattress were very soft and skin-friendly. I like buckwheat pillows, and the hotel thoughtfully provided one for me.
The biggest highlight is the hotel butlers—a very enthusiastic group of young people. When I was about to arrive at Kuanzhai Alley, the butler contacted me in advance, even came to the alley entrance to pick me up, and along the way introduced the culture of Kuanzhai Alley. This alone made me feel very favorable toward the hotel. After arriving at the hotel, the butler learned that I can't eat spicy food, so for breakfast they specially prepared wonton without spicy sauce for me.
To avoid booking hotels and tickets separately everywhere, we booked a three-day-two-night tour from Chengdu to Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou from the 25th to the 27th. Looking back, this decision was very wise. With the guide arranging dining, accommodation, and transportation along the way, it saved us a lot of trouble. Since the departure time was 5:30 a.m., we got up at 4 a.m. the next day, groggily packed up, and went to the hotel lobby to wait for the pick-up car. This is one of the benefits of a tour group—you don't have to arrange the car yourself. Chengdu is 8-9 hours away from Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou. To not delay the time for visiting Huanglong that day, tour groups usually depart very early, so sleep was definitely insufficient. After boarding the bus, we listened to the guide's long introduction and instructions, and then most of the bus fell asleep. Until around 7-8 a.m., the sky began to lighten. The guide started chattering again. Having not eaten anything in the morning, travel-weary, and with the guide's buzzing voice in my ears—the content being about the Wenchuan earthquake, how many people died, etc.—my stomach felt like churning. I really wanted to shout 'Shut up!' but I didn't have the courage to offend the person controlling my life for the next few days. Motion sickness medicine is really important for long bus rides! Fortunately, we passed a rest stop, and I got off to get some fresh air, narrowly escaping vomiting. The restrooms at stops along the way were run by locals, costing 1 yuan each, and the conditions were disgusting—I don't want to recall. At noon we arrived at a hotel and had lunch—well, just enough to stave off hunger. The guide had already warned us about the food, and I don't have high demands for meals, but even I thought it was truly bad. But there was no choice; we had to make do. Next time I will definitely bring my own Lao Gan Ma chili sauce—then you'll eat well and stay healthy! After lunch we set off non-stop. The road wound upward along S-shaped mountain roads. The peaks on both sides became steeper, and the colors of the plants on the mountains increased, giving an illusion of about to drive into a paradise. But the constantly swaying car kept pulling our eager longing back to reality. After twisting and turning until around 2 p.m., we finally arrived at the nearest medical service station to Huanglong Scenic Area. After the car stopped, a staff member came up and explained precautions about visiting the scenic area and altitude sickness. Regarding altitude sickness, I hadn't done much research before coming; I just bought a box of Rhodiola capsules simply. I didn't realize the capsules should be taken a week in advance; taking them then didn't help much. But to protect my health, and since I had already started feeling slight chest tightness and shortness of breath, I bought a box with tears. I must emphasize here: altitude sickness is no joke. If you plan to travel to high-altitude places, you must prepare in advance—whether taking medicine beforehand or buying oral solutions to take on the spot. They are much cheaper outside the scenic area. If you really haven't prepared, don't take risks to save a few dollars—a healthy body is the foundation of everything. Shortly after drinking the medicine, the car drove to the main entrance of Huanglong Scenic Area, but it didn't stop. It continued along the long line of tourists, which extended endlessly three to four hundred meters behind—even longer than the long queue at Chimelong during peak season! My heart sank. How long would it take to get in?! The guide was also a bit anxious and urged us to get off and line up before the car even reached the end of the line. As soon as I got off, a chill hit me. We were already at an altitude of about 3200 meters. Although the sun was shining, the temperature was quite low; I couldn't help pulling my clothes tighter.
The scenic area entrance was built in a valley between two mountains, not very wide apart. Looking up, the blue sky and white clouds were like a narrow, beautiful oil painting covering the mountain tops. To the right of the line was a small stream, babbling gently, clear and melodious. I don't know when it started, but every sight that caught my eye became a beautiful picture. Perhaps that is the charm of this place. After waiting in line for about forty minutes, we boarded the cable car up the mountain. Maybe because they have to handle many visitors daily, the cable car ran relatively fast. For those afraid of heights, I suggest you don't open your eyes—it's really thrilling! As the cable car rose, the view gradually escaped the confines of the valley, filled with distant other mountains. I don't know if it was the rapid ascent or the sight of the magnificent peaks in the distance, but my heart beat faster and faster. However, this feeling quickly disappeared upon reaching the top. Honestly, I felt a bit unsatisfied.
After getting off the cable car, we walked along the boardwalk, enjoying the primeval forest scenery. The boardwalks with relatively single direction are a common feature of the scenic areas here, which protects the landscape from damage and ensures tourist safety. Huanglong doesn't have many attractions; our main goal was to see the Colorful Pond (Wucai Pond), but it is at the highest point of the scenic area, so we had to follow the boardwalk all the way. Initially, we were attracted by some tall or oddly shaped trees, but as time passed and energy decreased, such scenery no longer held our attention. Moreover, Guo Feng had started to show altitude sickness, making the walk even harder. We walked and rested intermittently. At about one-third of the way, at the first observation deck, I saw snow-capped mountains on the plateau for the first time in my life. The towering peaks rose into the clouds, the snow on them sparkling under the blue sky. White clouds lingered on the peaks, reluctant to leave. Sunlight poured through thick clouds, like Buddha's light, truly magnificent. I had seen snow mountains in TV shows, movies, or novels before, especially Changbai Mountain in 'The Lost Tomb.' Although I was shocked when reading, I couldn't fully appreciate its grandeur. Now seeing it with my own eyes, my understanding deepened, and I felt a desire to visit Changbai Mountain.
After enjoying the view for a few minutes, we continued along the boardwalk toward the more snow-mountain-close attraction—Huanglong Colorful Pond (stressing Huanglong because Jiuzhaigou also has a Colorful Pond). This section was even harder. Guo Feng's altitude sickness worsened. Fortunately, I bought a bottle of oxygen while in line, or I would have feared she might pass out. She had to take a puff every few steps, like a critically ill patient, and my arm became her solid support. She wore high-heeled boots, clacking and attracting glances and exclamations of surprise and admiration from passersby. Her face showed helplessness—I think she was mentally collapsing inside =_=. At about two-thirds of the boardwalk, it began to slope upward. At that point, I was also a bit out of breath, but it was similar to climbing eight floors to my home. I suddenly felt glad I lived on the 8th floor, which allowed me to breathe normally at an altitude of 3500 meters. These discomforts melted away the moment we saw the Colorful Pond. Huanglong's Colorful Pond consists of more than a dozen large and small pools, each like a color palette, independent yet complementing each other. The colors are mainly green, blue, and yellow, interspersed with other hues. Looking out, it was like an exquisite painting displayed between heaven and earth, breathtakingly beautiful. At that moment, the snow-capped mountain stood majestically at the end of the valley, like a solemn and loyal guard, protecting this sacred place on earth for thousands of years. How much nature favored this land to grant such beauty! If only I could lie by the Colorful Pond, close my eyes, and feel its peaceful atmosphere... But the edge was crowded with people, as solid as a city wall—I couldn't squeeze in. Alas, this is the common phenomenon of visiting popular attractions. I stood on tiptoe to take a few photos, then reluctantly walked downhill.
As the saying goes, going up the mountain is easier than coming down. Indeed, going up was supported by excitement, but coming down relied entirely on perseverance. The downhill boardwalk passed a few attractions, but none were as beautiful as the Colorful Pond, and with limited time, we trudged on in silence. Guo Feng's 'two highs' (altitude sickness + high heels) had completely depleted her usual fighting spirit; she limped along supported by me. It was already quite dark, well past the meeting time set by the guide, so I started to worry. I thought if I had the strength, I would have hoisted her on my back and run down without a word. At around 6:40 p.m., we finally walked out of the scenic area entrance on the verge of collapse. A simple downhill path had taken us nearly two hours. At that moment, all I wanted was to shower and sleep! But we weren't the latest ones down; two other groups from our tour hadn't come yet, including a group of six elderly people. These were six old folks from Shenyang, chatting and laughing along the way, their average age clearly over 60. Sometimes seeing them made me think: when I am as old as them, will I be able to walk such a tough path? Will I still have friends willing to accompany me to see the great rivers and mountains of our country? Thinking this way made me a little sad. We waited in the car for about half an hour before they came down. One of the elderly aunties had severe altitude sickness and was vomiting heavily. At such an advanced age to climb Huanglong with a maximum altitude of 3700 meters—I really admired them! But I also broke a sweat for them. At 8 p.m., there was originally a complimentary show ticket, but due to the delay on the mountain and everyone being tired, we unanimously agreed to cancel it. That night we stayed in Chuanzhusi at an altitude of about 3000 meters. Upon getting off the car, I felt the deep cold of this place; my teeth started chattering, and my feet trembled involuntarily. After an unremarkable dinner, we returned to our rooms to rest. Since we had gone directly from Chengdu at 500 meters altitude to over 3000 meters that day, the guide specifically told us not to shower or wash our hair to avoid catching a cold, and to sleep on our side to prevent altitude sickness during sleep. I thought that day was over, but my companion's altitude sickness didn't disappear after descending.
Around 1 a.m., I was woken by heavy breathing and light. Guo Feng was sitting weakly on the bed, with a pained expression, saying she felt like many stones were pressing on her chest and she couldn't breathe. I got up to boil some water to give her the Rhodiola capsules we had prepared earlier. I didn't want to drink the local water; the guide had said the water here is rich in minerals and though clear, it's not suitable for drinking—it can cause kidney stones. But we had no choice; the bottled water we bought earlier was gone. After the water boiled, Guo Feng took a sip and felt a burning sensation in her throat. She ended up taking the medicine with cold mineral water. After tossing around for a long time, I was wide awake, but Guo Feng showed no signs of improvement. She said she still felt terrible and wanted to call the guide. I hesitated—calling someone in the middle of the night was not nice—but seeing that the medicine didn't work, I dialed the guide's number, only to find that the phone, which claimed to be on 24/7, was turned off. I called two or three more times with the same result; my heart sank again. Guo Feng suggested going to the hotel front desk to check which room the guide was in. Thinking of the cold wind outside, I was quite scared, but seeing Guo Feng in pain, I gritted my teeth and went out. We were on the third floor. Before closing the door, I looked around and saw no one—well, at this late hour in the cold, who would be out? The hotel had a 'square' layout, so the corridor was clearly visible. Because it was an enclosed structure, the echo was particularly distinct. Every step I took seemed to produce one or two echoes, which was very creepy. Maybe due to the cold or to save electricity, the corridor lights were very dim, a mix of yellow and pale white. I had to turn on my phone's flashlight to walk forward, creating multiple light sources and multiple shadows on the ground. Every step I took, I glanced around, and the corner of my eye would catch the shadows on either side. I knew it was my own shadow, but my mind couldn't help conjuring up frightening images—the atmosphere was unbearably scary! I walked nervously to the first floor, thinking I would soon see someone at the front desk, but to my surprise, the front desk was empty, and the hotel's main door was wide open. My scalp crawled again. Although the walk there was scary, I had always assumed the front desk would have someone. If something happened, I could shout for attention. But now, I was certain that in this empty, silent environment, I was alone. My heart raced even faster. At that moment, horror scenes I usually watched promptly played on a loop in my mind. I wanted to teleport back to the room! I considered going outside to buy medicine, but through the glass wall, I saw the pitch-black abyss outside, like a wide-open mouth waiting for me to walk in. I instantly gave up that idea. I looked for a contact number at the front desk but didn't find one, so I turned around and rushed back. Strangely, the more scared I was, the more I wanted to pretend to be calm, thinking that would make others fear me. Now I think it was just a self-comforting method. If someone were lurking in the dark, they would only care if you have money or are good-looking, not whether you're calm or nervous! After what felt like a long time of fear, I finally returned to the room. Only after confirming the door was locked did my hanging heart finally settle. Fortunately, Guo Feng had vomited just after I left and was now much better. Looking at the time, it was already 3 a.m. If we had to get up at 5, there were only two hours left to rest. So I quickly got into bed, and within two minutes, I drifted off to sleep.
At 5 a.m., the familiar yet annoying alarm went off. After struggling for a few minutes, I reluctantly left the warm bed. The 26th was the most important stop of this trip: the fairy tale world of Jiuzhaigou. We had a whole day to enjoy the scenery. Fortunately, Guo Feng's strength had basically recovered; otherwise, if she were still sick like yesterday, this trip would have been in vain. The weather that day was a bit dim, with dark clouds on the mountain tops. A heavy rain was inevitable. I really missed yesterday's weather in Huanglong! But we had brought raincoats and umbrellas; even if it hailed, it couldn't stop us from seeing the beautiful scenery! While waiting to get tickets, I noticed a father and daughter from the same tour group. Guo Feng had mentioned them earlier; on the bus, when she was carsick and vomiting, that uncle had handed her tissues. He appeared very gentle and refined, so seeing him up close made me pay extra attention. The uncle had some gray hair but looked very energetic, wearing glasses, and would smile when meeting eyes with others—a truly warm person. His daughter was young, about 20 years old, with a delicate appearance, and her smile was as warm as her father's. I can hardly recall seeing someone so old still traveling alone with her father these days. I felt a bit touched, but when I discussed the reason with Guo Feng, she gave a less touching explanation: maybe her mother had passed away. That made me feel a bit sad again.
Thinking and walking, the main entrance of Jiuzhaigou scenic area appeared. The entrance gate was much wider than Huanglong's, and there was no need to take a cable car, so the line moved relatively fast. While queuing for the sightseeing bus, it indeed started to drizzle, and soon it rained harder. We had to put on raincoats. At that moment, I felt like slapping myself: the raincoat I bought in advance was in my suitcase on the bus, not in my small bag. Now I only had a very flimsy complimentary raincoat, a pullover type. Looking at my steamed-bun-like figure, I had ten thousand alpacas galloping through my mind. I wanted to rip that raincoat to shreds. But rationality overcame impulse. I opened my umbrella and put the raincoat over my small bag, then waited in line for the sightseeing bus. Jiuzhaigou has three developed valleys (gou), each of different lengths. The longest one takes over half an hour by sightseeing bus, the shortest one or two hours. Walking is impossible unless you spend three days here. So the touring method relies on more than 600 sightseeing buses shuttling constantly. The intersection of the three lines is the only visitor service center in the valley and the only smoking area. All buses are dispatched from here to decide which valley to go to first. Once decided, the bus drives along the road to the highest point of each valley, then tourists walk back along the boardwalk. At attractions far apart, you can get on and off the bus, so we could visit one spot and then quickly take the bus to the next. We first visited Rize Valley. Following the guide's advice, we didn't go to the highest point (the primeval forest) but got off at Arrow Bamboo Lake (Jianzhu Sea). Actually, on the sightseeing bus, the guide had briefly introduced the origins and legends of each attraction, and we had already hurriedly enjoyed the picturesque scenery. But when we finally got off and walked into the fairy tale world ourselves, we were deeply shocked. These large and small lakes are called 'haizi' (seas) here, each with its own legend and characteristics. The first to come into view was Arrow Bamboo Lake. Being the innermost lake in this valley, compared to the outer ones, it had more depth and tranquility. The water surface was not very wide, and there were many reed-like plants on the shore. Because it had just rained, the plants on both sides of the boardwalk were dotted with crystal-clear water droplets. When the wind blew, they fell onto the lake, causing ripples.
Walking down the boardwalk, we arrived at Panda Lake (Panda Sea). Panda Lake is named because the surface color is divided into black and green, resembling a panda. It is much more spacious than Arrow Bamboo Lake, with no water grass on the surface, calm as a mirror. By now the rain had stopped, and the sky was filled with blue sky and white clouds, reflected on the water, making the lake appear even more serene and blue.
When one's vision is fully satisfied, the sense of taste becomes insignificant. We had breakfast at 6 a.m. and then drove to Jiuzhaigou. From 8 a.m. until noon, we finally felt hungry. So we had a simple snack at the Panda Lake rest area and then took the bus to one of Jiuzhaigou's gems: Five Flower Lake (Wuhua Sea).
If Jiuzhaigou's lakes are masterpieces of nature, then Five Flower Lake is a divine creation! Seeing it, you feel that all the hardship of the past few days was worth it—whether it was the 7-8 hour bus ride or the soreness from climbing up and down. Its beauty can heal everything. It is a beauty that makes you so intoxicated you can't extricate yourself; a beauty that no words can describe; a beauty that one is willing to endure all hardships to find. Those who see her can't bear to look away, afraid to miss a single second of this encounter; those who see her reflexively pull out their cameras to freeze her beauty, because such moving beauty cannot be fully absorbed in a short time; those who see her temporarily forget all worries, with every corner of their heart filled with her image. I have always dreamed of beautiful scenery, but I had never even dreamed of the beauty of Five Flower Lake. Unfortunately, the edge of the lake was crowded with people reluctant to leave. With reluctance, we left this wonderland one step at a time, but my heart could not calm down for a long time.
Below Five Flower Lake is Pearl Shoal Waterfall. The waterfall's grandeur cannot compare to big waterfalls across the country, but its whiteness set against the specific scenery is unique. Plus, this waterfall was the filming location for the 1986 version of Journey to the West, attracting many people to watch and take photos.
Further down the waterfall is Mirror Lake. But with the outstanding beauty of Five Flower Lake in front, the other lakes somewhat lost their charm. Continuing down, we returned to Nuorilang Visitor Center. After a short rest, we took the bus to the next valley: Zechawa Valley. This is the longest of the three valleys, but with relatively few attractions—only four. Going up along the way, we decided to visit just two: Long Lake (Changhai) and Colorful Pond (Wucai Pond). After a half-hour bus ride, we reached the highest point of the valley: Long Lake.
Long Lake is like the mother of all lakes in Jiuzhaigou. Because of its high altitude and location at the foot of a snow mountain, the water volume is stable every season, supplying water to other lakes. Standing on the observation deck and looking down, a pure blue color came into view. Although there were blue sky and white clouds overhead, the lake did not reflect them but seemed to absorb the sky's blue deeply into itself. Through the ripples occasionally blown by the breeze, it playfully teased visitors' eyes. The white snow-capped mountain stood at the end of Long Lake, selflessly giving its love and guardianship. If Long Lake is the mother, then the distant snow mountain is the father like a mountain. By the observation deck below Long Lake, there is a magical pine tree with branches growing in one direction, like an old butler silently welcoming distant guests. The boardwalk from Long Lake to Colorful Pond is the steepest section in Jiuzhaigou. At this point, my calf and right knee began to ache. I don't know if it was because I had walked too much these days or caught a chill. This section was also somewhat hard. Fortunately, Guo Feng's altitude sickness was gone, but my knee started acting up. Sigh, visual enjoyment always comes at a price.
Coming down from Long Lake, we arrived at Jiuzhaigou's second gem: Colorful Pond. Jiuzhaigou's Colorful Pond is different from Huanglong's: it's a single pond and relatively small, but it has another color that other lakes don't possess. Besides the clear-to-the-bottom green, there is a special fluorescent green. I don't know if it's a refraction of light or unique minerals in the pond. This interplay of deep and shallow, moving and still, decorates Colorful Pond with a breathtaking beauty. Because of its small size, the edge was even more crowded, making it hard to get close. I managed to take a full view using a selfie stick, but the photo was filled with other people's phone screens. It seems that for great beauty, everyone's aesthetics are the same.
After leaving Colorful Pond, we took the sightseeing bus directly out of the valley. Arriving at Nuorilang Visitor Center, it was already 3:30 p.m. Since the guide's meeting time was 5:30 p.m., we had only two hours left, and we still hadn't visited Shuzheng Valley toward the exit. So without resting, we immediately boarded the bus. Fortunately, the gems of Jiuzhaigou were already deeply imprinted in my mind. Along the way, we made brief stops at Rhino Lake, Spark Lake, and Bonsai Shoal before directly exiting the scenic area. This time we came out relatively early, reaching the bus at 5 p.m. The sky in Jiuzhaigou was already starting to darken. This day was really tiring, but it was a joyful tiredness. Interestingly, the young couple sitting next to me seemed to be quarreling for some reason. The woman looked very angry, and no matter how the man coaxed her, it was useless. Whenever the man put his hand on her, she would ruthlessly shake it off. The scene was awkward, but I felt a bit amused. Before that, they would chatter nonstop from getting on the bus until getting off, but now they were completely silent. I didn't pay too much attention. Soon after getting on the bus, I fell asleep. When I opened my eyes, the bus was empty. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming or had encountered something supernatural. Although a bit startled, I knew calmness was the key to solving problems, so I sat still. Until Guo Feng came to wake me, I realized that an hour had passed since we got on the bus. It was now one of the scheduled activities: visiting a Tibetan family. Everyone else had gotten off, but because I was sleeping, I hadn't felt the bus stop or heard the guide's voice. Even with so much noise, I didn't wake up—I kind of admired myself! But I was too tired, so I asked Guo Feng to go alone, while I stayed in the car to rest and wait for them. I waited for an hour until they returned, and then the day's itinerary was completely over.
On the 27th, we still got up at 5 a.m. and departed at 6:30 a.m. Since it was the last day back to Chengdu, I couldn't help feeling reluctant. Although it was the last day, we still visited three attractions in the morning that were supposed to introduce ethnic culture but were actually shopping spots: a silver jewelry store, a specialty supermarket, and a silk product store. Though tinged with commercialism, they did teach us a lot about minority cultures, which was another gain.
After leaving the silver store and getting on the bus, I noticed the young couple next to me had reconciled, back to their usual chattering. The woman had a silver bracelet on her wrist. Truly, shopping is the best way to appease a woman! At 2 p.m., we departed from the silk culture point in Chuanzhusi and began our 8-hour return journey. The bus first had to cross a snow mountain at an altitude of about 4200 meters before driving out of the mountains. Since it was daytime, we could enjoy the snow mountain scenery up close. Although I was very sleepy, I couldn't bear to close my eyes all the way. Despite my deep reluctance, the blue sky, white clouds, and lofty mountains gradually receded from my view. The bus still spiraled upward. Chuanzhusi at the foot of the mountain became smaller and smaller. When the bus reached the highest point, looking out the window, the continuous snow-capped mountains appeared starkly before us. Unlike previous snow mountains that seemed high and untouchable, now the snow mountains seemed almost within reach. The shock from this eye-level view was incomparable to looking up. I suddenly had an illusion that the bus would break through the guardrail on the cliff and drive straight to the snow mountain. I wondered if there were bronze doors and Zhang Qiling in these snow mountains? The majestic snow mountains were incredibly beautiful and spectacular! I didn't expect to enjoy such a wonderful view on the last day. One word: worth it! Unfortunately, I didn't manage to take a photo because I was on the bus. After descending the snow mountain, the scenery became ordinary, like falling from heaven to earth. I finally allowed myself to sleep. The journey out of the mountains, without the anticipation of scenery, felt excruciatingly long. Every time I dozed off and woke up, only a few minutes had passed—a day felt like a year. The only thing I was grateful for was that I didn't feel carsick at all. Perhaps I had gotten used to the swaying after these days. I don't want to elaborate on the hard details of this road. After bumping along for six hours, the scene outside gradually took on a city feel. Oh my god, we finally came out of the mountains! The bus stopped at Jinniu Ba Road on Chengdu's Third Ring Road, and our tour group journey came to an end. Our guide, though she had many flaws—especially on the night of Guo Feng's altitude sickness—was dutiful in her work, so I am still grateful to her. After getting off the bus, we planned to take a taxi to the booked hotel, but the road to the hotel was blocked, so we had to rebook a hotel near the drop-off point. After checking in, it was already past 11 p.m. We were so hungry we had to go to the nearby McDonald's for a burger, and we didn't sleep until 12:30 a.m.
That night's sleep was especially comfortable. When the alarm went off at 7 a.m. the next morning, I thought I was dreaming. Because the last day's itinerary included going to Chongqing, and we had bought bullet train tickets at 10:50 a.m., I didn't dare sleep any longer. After washing up, we hurried out. At 10 a.m., we arrived at Chengdu East Railway Station, picked up our tickets, looked back at the city of Chengdu, and plunged into the waiting room. On the bullet train, I kept recalling the bits and pieces of this journey and didn't even enjoy the scenery along the way. Before I knew it, we arrived at the mountain city—Chongqing. The reputation of the mountain city was well-deserved. Looking out the taxi window, high-rise buildings as tall as mountains could be seen everywhere. The roads were rugged and narrow; the car would go a short distance and then go up a slope, some of which were incredibly steep. Even in the city center, you could still see low hills, so the greenery was extensive. Mountain city: mountain first, city later. The mountain didn't conform to urban development; rather, the city accommodated the unyielding mountain. The taxi driver recommended a decent Wanza noodle shop near Jiefangbei in Chongqing, said to have appeared on TV. Since it was close to Hongya Cave, we went to try the noodles there. To be honest, it was just okay. I don't know why, but as soon as I got off the bullet train, I felt an inexplicable dislike for this city—not even half the favor I felt for Chengdu. Maybe it's because I felt Chongqing people were more indifferent. After eating, we dragged our luggage, not knowing where to go. Dragging suitcases to sightsee is not a wise choice—crowds made it awkward. So when we reached the entrance of Hongya Cave, I decided to stay and watch the luggage, not going inside. Guo Feng, walking alone, soon came out as she didn't find it interesting and was feeling a bit unwell.
Since the taxi driver had said that Chongqing's narrow roads with many one-way streets cause severe traffic jams during rush hour, we took a taxi to Beichuan Airport at 4 p.m. to avoid traffic. We arrived at the airport at 5 p.m. Our flight was at 8:30 p.m., so we spent the last three hours of the trip in a buffet restaurant. At 10:30 p.m., the plane landed at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, and our journey truly ended.
This trip had both hardships and surprises. Overall, it was very worthwhile. This spontaneous journey started from Chengdu and ended in Chongqing, allowing me to appreciate nature's wonders and feel the different characters of each city. If there's any regret, it's that I didn't stay longer at Five Flower Lake. But regret is the motivation for next time. The beauty of Jiuzhaigou is such that even a thousand visits are not enough. However, next time I must fly directly to Jiuhuang Airport and never again suffer the 8-hour 'bumpy and turbulent' ride.
