Jiuzhaigou in My Dreams, A Paradise on Earth
This trip was hastily decided after a drinking session, so much so that when I woke up the next morning, I wondered if it was a joke. But regardless, there was a sense of 'truth from wine.' I had always been stuck in this southern city, with thoughts of going out but shelved for various unfounded reasons. My friend was right: don't make excuses, just go if you want. If you deny your own ideas today, you might never have any ideas tomorrow. So, after five days of inadequate preparation, we flew to Sichuan.
On the first day, as soon as I got off the plane, Chengdu came into view. I thought it would impress me, but it was the opposite—it felt a bit like old Changsha. It was already 10:30 in the morning, but the sky was still gray; there must be some air pollution. Since it was the weekend, there weren't many cars on the road, and we quickly arrived at the booked hotel.
Although Chengdu's modern architecture isn't particularly distinctive, its ancient alleys and streets have a unique charm. The first place we arrived at was the entrance of Kuanzhai Alley. As soon as we got out of the car, an old hotpot restaurant appeared in front of us. We were already starving, and the aroma of hotpot drifting around led us straight into the restaurant.
But to be honest, the hotpot wasn't as delicious as I imagined. Even though we were hungry and ordered a full table, we didn't feel that lingering satisfaction. Maybe we didn't get the most authentic one; next time I'll have to search online for the most authentic place! After eating and drinking, we strolled around the alley. At the beginning of the alley, there was a row of snack stalls, with all kinds of snacks neatly displayed on the stands, fragrant aromas everywhere—red chili peppers, green cilantro, yellow sesame oil... A clever combination, very pleasing to the eye. On both sides of the road were rows of small shops full of dazzling goods, decorated in ethnic styles, with colorful merchandise.
Kuanzhai Alley consists of Kuan Alley and Zhai Alley. Although it's called Kuan Alley (Wide Alley), it couldn't handle the large number of tourists, and we slowly moved forward with the crowd. After walking through the patchwork alleys, we took a taxi to Jinli Ancient Street. The two attractions weren't far apart, about a 10-minute drive. Compared to Kuanzhai Alley's simple design combined with ancient architecture, Jinli had more ethnic flavor; all buildings were antique, and the goods sold also leaned toward ethnic culture. However, the commonality between them was that everywhere was colorful. Perhaps due to generations of heritage, Chengdu people seem good at color coordination—whether food, clothing, or items, everything was bright and vivid, not jarring but very beautiful.
We visited these two attractions from noon until around 5 pm. After dinner, we bought some snacks for the upcoming trip and returned to the hotel to rest. The hotel we stayed at that night deserves a special introduction.
Location: The hotel is located in Kuanzhai Alley, known as the 'Chengdu Living Room.'
Metro: Kuanzhai Alley entrance is right at Metro Line 4.
Geographic Location: The location is really great! Right inside Kuanzhai Alley Scenic Area, you can go out and eat and shop conveniently. It's also not far from Chunxi Road, Taikoo Li, and Tianfu Square; you can take the subway or taxi (taxi fare is about 10 yuan).
Hotel Style: The overall style of this homestay is my favorite. The room design is somewhat Japanese, made of pure wood structure. The room has a unique fragrance that is very soothing. There are also handmade Shu embroidery in the room, and wrens painted by a famous artist.
The hotel has many calligraphy, paintings, and antiques, all carefully sourced by the owner with great effort. Every detail is thoughtful and impeccable.
Room: The door uses an electronic lock, ensuring safety. The entire room, including decorations and bed, is made of phoenix tree wood. The room has a faint woody scent, very relaxing.
There is a dedicated dining area in the room, and the lunch and dinner were quite good.
Bathroom: When I go out, whether staying in a hotel or homestay, my biggest concern is always the bathroom. The cleanliness of the bathroom definitely affects my mood. The bathroom at the Wren Homestay deserves full marks! Details show understated luxury. Super five-star luxury configuration: Carnation linens, King Koil mattress, Kohler bathroom products, TOTO smart toilet—even turning on the faucet makes you feel the owner's effort.
Wash Area: Worth mentioning is 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 are from June Jacobs (a high-end spa skincare brand from New York, USA). I used this brand at a Sheraton in Guangdong before and loved it. I didn't expect to use it again in Chengdu. Moreover, according to the butler, June Jacobs custom-made a set of techniques for the hotel, combining local culture, environment, climate, and some traditional Chinese medical therapies, creating the hotel's exclusive 'Wren Nest in the Woods.'
Bedding: It was so comfortable to lie down, I fell asleep instantly. The quilt and mattress were very soft and skin-friendly. I like buckwheat pillows, and the hotel thoughtfully provided one.
The biggest highlight was the hotel butler—a very enthusiastic group. When I was about to arrive at Kuanzhai Alley, the butler contacted me in advance and even came to the alley entrance to pick me up, introducing the culture of Kuanzhai Alley along the way. This alone made me feel very positive about the hotel. After arriving, the butler learned that I couldn't eat spicy food, so for breakfast, they specially prepared wontons without chili for me.
To avoid booking hotels and tickets individually, we booked a three-day, two-night tour from Chengdu to Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou for the 25th to 27th. Looking back, this decision was very wise. With the guide arranging food, accommodation, and transportation along the way, it saved us a lot of trouble. Since the bus left at 5:30 am, we got up at 4 am the next day, groggily packed up, and waited in the hotel lobby for the pickup. This is one of the advantages of a tour group—you don't have to arrange the transport yourself. Chengdu is about 8-9 hours away by car from Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou. To not delay the day's tour of Huanglong, most tour groups depart very early, so sleep is definitely insufficient. After getting on the bus and listening to the guide's lengthy introductions and instructions, the whole bus dozed off. It wasn't until around 7-8 am, when the sky began to lighten, that the guide started chattering again. Since I hadn't eaten much in the morning, the fatigue of the journey, and the guide's droning voice in my ears talking about the Wenchuan earthquake and how many people died, made my stomach churn. I really wanted to shout 'Shut up!' but I didn't have the courage to offend the person who would control my life for the next few days. Motion sickness medicine is really important for long bus rides! Fortunately, we stopped at a rest point, and I got off to get some air, avoiding vomiting. The restroom stops along the way were run by locals, costing 1 yuan each. The conditions were disgusting—I don't want to recall them. At noon, we arrived at a hotel for lunch, or rather, just to fill our stomachs. The guide had already warned us about the food, and I don't have high expectations for meals, but even I thought it was really bad. But there was no choice; when in Rome, you have to compromise. Next time, I'll bring Lao Gan Ma chili sauce, which makes everything delicious! After lunch, we set off immediately, winding along S-shaped mountain roads. The peaks on both sides became steeper, and the colors of the plants on the mountains increased, giving the illusion of entering a paradise. However, the constantly swaying car kept pulling my longing back to reality. We kept twisting and turning until around 2 pm, finally reaching the nearest medical service station to Huanglong Scenic Area. After the car stopped, a staff member came on board to explain the scenic area tour and precautions for altitude sickness. I hadn't done much research on altitude sickness before coming; I only bought a box of Rhodiola rosea capsules, not knowing that they need to be taken a week in advance. Taking them on the spot was not very useful. For the sake of my health, and since I was already starting to feel a bit of chest tightness and shortness of breath, I reluctantly bought a box. I want to emphasize that altitude sickness should not be underestimated. If you plan to travel to high-altitude areas, prepare well in advance, whether by taking medicine beforehand or buying oral solutions on the spot. They are much cheaper outside the scenic area. If you really haven't prepared, don't risk it to save a few dollars; good health is the foundation of everything. Shortly after taking the medicine, the bus drove to the gate of Huanglong Scenic Area, but it didn't stop; instead, it continued along a long line of tourists that stretched endlessly. The queue extended about 300-400 meters, longer than the peak season queue at Chimelong! My heart sank instantly. How long would we have to wait? The guide was also anxious; before the bus even reached the end of the line, she urged us to get off and join the queue. As soon as I got off the bus, a chill hit me. We were now at an altitude of about 3,200 meters. Although the sun was shining, the temperature was quite low, so I instinctively wrapped my clothes tighter.
The scenic area entrance is built in a valley, with two mountains not far apart. Looking up, the blue sky and white clouds were like a narrow but vibrant oil painting covering the mountain peaks. To the right of the queue was a small stream, with water murmuring and flowing clear and melodious. At some point, everything that came into view turned into beautiful pictures; that might be the charm of this place. After about 40 minutes of queuing, we got on the cable car going up the mountain. Perhaps because there are many tourists daily, the cable car ran relatively fast. For those afraid of heights, I suggest not opening your eyes—it's really thrilling! As the cable car ascended, the view gradually escaped the confinement of the valley, filled by distant high mountains. Whether due to the rapid ascent or the sight of magnificent peaks, my heartbeat accelerated. But this feeling quickly disappeared when we reached the top; actually, I felt a bit of lingering excitement.
Exiting the cable car, we followed the boardwalk, enjoying the primitive forest scenery. The relatively single-direction boardwalk is a common feature of scenic areas here, both protecting the landscape and ensuring visitor safety. Huanglong doesn't have many attractions; our main goal was the Five-Color Pond, but it's at the highest point of the scenic area, so we had to walk the entire boardwalk. At first, we were attracted by some tall or oddly shaped trees, but as time passed and energy waned, such scenery no longer held our attention. Additionally, Guo Feng was starting to experience altitude sickness, making the walk even harder. We walked and rested for about a third of the way when, at the first observation deck, I saw snow-capped mountains on the plateau for the first time. The majestic peaks towering into the clouds, the snow sparkling against the blue sky, white clouds lingering quietly at the peaks, unwilling to leave. Sunlight poured through thick clouds, like Buddha's light, truly spectacular. I had seen snow-capped mountains in TV, movies, or novels before, especially the Changbai Mountain in 'The Lost Tomb.' While reading, I was also shocked, but I couldn't fully appreciate its grandeur. Now seeing it firsthand, I understood more deeply, and I felt a desire to visit Changbai Mountain.
After a few minutes at the observation deck, we continued along the boardwalk toward a scenic spot closer to the snowy mountains—Huanglong's Five-Color Pond (I emphasize Huanglong because Jiuzhaigou also has a Five-Color Pond). This section was even harder. Guo Feng's altitude sickness worsened. Fortunately, we had bought a bottle of oxygen while queuing, or I feared she might faint. She walked a bit and then took a puff of oxygen, looking like a high-risk patient. My arm naturally became her solid support. In her high-heeled boots, she clicked along, attracting the attention, surprise, and admiration of passersby. Her face showed helplessness; I think she was internally freaking out =_=". The boardwalk started to ascend after two-thirds of the way. At that point, I was also a bit breathless, but it felt like climbing eight floors at home. I suddenly felt glad I lived on the eighth floor, allowing me to breathe normally at 3,500 meters. All discomfort vanished the moment we saw the Five-Color Pond. Huanglong's Five-Color Pond consists of more than a dozen pools of various sizes. Each pool is like an individual palette, independent yet complementing each other. The colors are mainly green, blue, and yellow, with other hues interspersed. Looking out, it's like a exquisite painting displayed between heaven and earth, so beautiful it intoxicates. At that moment, the snowy mountains stood majestically at the end of the valley, like a solemn and loyal guard, protecting this sacred land for thousands of years. How much nature favored this land to give such beauty! How wonderful it would be to lie by the Five-Color Pond, close my eyes, and feel its serene atmosphere. But the pond was surrounded by a crowd as solid as a city wall; I couldn't squeeze in. Alas, that's the common phenomenon at popular tourist spots. I stood on tiptoe to take a few photos and then reluctantly headed down the mountain.
The saying 'It's easier to go up than down' is true. Going up was supported by excitement; going down relied entirely on willpower. The descending boardwalk passed several scenic spots, but none were as beautiful as the Five-Color Pond. With limited time, we trudged forward in silence. Guo Feng's 'two highs' (altitude sickness + high heels) had completely sapped her usual fighting spirit. I supported her as she limped down. It was getting dark; we had already passed the meeting time set by the guide, making me anxious. I thought that if I had the strength, I would just carry her down. At around 6:40 pm, we finally exited the scenic area entrance at the brink of exhaustion. The simple downhill path took us nearly 2 hours. At that moment, all I wanted was to quickly shower and sleep! But we weren't the latest to descend; two groups from our tour hadn't come down yet, including a group of six elderly people. They were six old men and women from Shenyang, chatting and laughing all the way, their average age around 60. Sometimes watching them, I wondered: when I'm that old, could I also walk such a difficult path? Would I have friends willing to accompany me to see the great rivers and mountains of our country? Thinking about that made me a bit sad. We waited about half an hour on the bus, and finally, they came down. One elderly aunt had severe altitude sickness and was vomiting badly. At such an age, climbing Huanglong with a maximum altitude of 3,700 meters—truly admirable! But it also made me worry. At 8 pm, there was supposed to be a complimentary show ticket, but due to delays and fatigue, we unanimously agreed to cancel. That night we stayed in Chuanzhu Temple at about 3,000 meters altitude. When we got off the bus at the hotel, we felt the deep chill of the place; my teeth started chattering, and my feet trembled involuntarily. After a disappointing dinner, we went back to our rooms to rest. Since we had gone directly from Chengdu at 500 meters to over 3,000 meters, the guide specifically advised us not to shower or wash our hair to avoid catching a cold, and to sleep on our sides to prevent altitude sickness during sleep. I thought that day was over, but my companion's altitude sickness didn't subside after descending.
At around 1 am, I was awakened by heavy breathing and light. Guo Feng was sitting on the bed limply, her face pained, saying it felt like a pile of stones were pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe. I got up to boil some water, planning to give her the Rhodiola capsules we had prepared. Originally, I didn't want to use the local water; the guide had said the water here is rich in minerals, clear but not suitable for drinking, as it could cause kidney stones. But there was no choice; we had run out of bottled water. When the water boiled, Guo Feng took a sip and felt it burning her throat, so she ended up taking the medicine with cold mineral water. After all this fuss, I couldn't sleep, but Guo Feng didn't improve; she said she still felt very uncomfortable and wanted to call the guide. I hesitated—calling someone up in the middle of the night wasn't nice—but seeing that the medicine hadn't worked, I had no choice. I dialed the guide's number, which was supposed to be on 24/7, but it was switched off. I tried two or three times, same result. My heart sank again. Guo Feng suggested we find the hotel front desk to check the staff's room. 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; there wasn't a soul in sight. Well, who would be out at this late hour in such cold? The hotel had a 'square' layout; you could clearly see the entire corridor. Because it was enclosed, echoes were very distinct. Each step I took produced one or two footsteps, which was creepy. Whether due to the cold or the hotel saving electricity, the corridor lights were very dim, yellowish with a hint of pallor. I had to turn on my phone's flashlight to walk forward, creating several light sources and shadows on the ground. Every time I took a step, I looked around, and my peripheral vision inevitably caught my own shadows on both sides. I knew it was just me, but my mind still conjured many things—the atmosphere was terrifying! I made my way to the first floor with a pounding heart, thinking I would soon see someone at the front desk. But to my surprise, the front desk was empty, and the hotel door was wide open. That made my scalp tingle. Although walking here was already scary, I had always assumed someone would be at the front desk. If anything happened, I could shout for attention. But now, I was sure I was alone in this empty, silent environment. My heart raced faster, and at that moment, horror movie scenes played in my mind on a loop. I wished I could teleport back to my room! I even thought about going out to buy some medicine, but looking through the glass wall, the outside was like a dark bottomless pit, mouth wide open waiting for me to walk in. I immediately gave up that idea. I looked for a contact number at the front desk but found none, then turned around and hurried back. Strangely, the more scared you are, the more you try to act calm, thinking it will make others fear you. Looking back, it's just a way to comfort yourself. If someone were lurking in the dark, they would only care if you have money or not, not if you're calm or panicked! After what felt like an eternity of fear, I finally returned to the room. Only after confirming the door was locked did my suspended heart finally settle. Fortunately, Guo Feng had vomited right after I left and was now feeling much better. I checked the time: 3 am. We had to get up at 5, so there were two hours left to rest. I quickly got into bed and fell asleep within minutes.
At 5 am, the familiar yet annoying alarm rang. After struggling for a few minutes, I reluctantly left the warm bed. The 26th was the most important stop of this trip—the fairyland of Jiuzhaigou. We had a whole day to enjoy the beauty. Guo Feng had basically recovered her strength—a great relief! Otherwise, if she were still like yesterday, this trip would have been for nothing. The weather that day was a bit gloomy; dark clouds gathered over the mountaintops, and heavy rain seemed inevitable. I really missed yesterday's weather at Huanglong! But we had raincoats and umbrellas; even if it hailed, nothing could stop us from seeing the beautiful scenery! While waiting for tickets, I noticed a father and daughter from our tour group. Guo Feng had mentioned them earlier—on the bus when she was carsick and vomiting, the uncle had handed her tissues. He was very gentle and refined. Seeing them up close, I paid more attention. The uncle had graying hair but looked very energetic, wearing glasses, and would smile at anyone who made eye contact—a warm person indeed. His daughter looked young, about 20, with delicate features and a smile as warm as her father's. These days, it's rare to see a child still traveling alone with their father at this age. I felt a bit moved. But when I discussed the reason with Guo Feng, she gave a less touching explanation—maybe the mother had passed away. That made me feel a bit sad.
As we walked and thought, the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area gate appeared before us. The entrance was much wider than Huanglong's, and there was no need for cable cars, so queuing was relatively fast. While queuing for the sightseeing bus, it started to rain lightly, then heavier. We had to put on raincoats. At that moment, I could have slapped myself—I had left the raincoat I bought earlier in my suitcase on the bus, not in my small bag. Now I only had a cheap gift raincoat that was a pullover. Seeing myself looking like a bun, countless 'what the hell' thoughts ran through my mind; I wanted to tear the raincoat to shreds. But reason won over impulse. I took out my umbrella, put the raincoat over my small bag, and continued waiting in line for the sightseeing bus. Jiuzhaigou has three developed gullies, each of different lengths. The longest requires over half an hour by bus, the shortest 10-20 minutes. Walking is impossible unless you spend three days here, so the touring method relies on over 600 sightseeing buses shuttling constantly. The intersection of the three routes is the only service center in the valley and the only smoking area. All buses are dispatched from here to decide which gully to go to first. Once decided, the bus drives along the road to the top of each gully, and tourists walk back along the boardwalk. Attractions far apart can be accessed by getting on and off the bus, so we could visit one spot and then quickly take a bus to the next. We first toured Rize Gully. Following the guide's advice, we didn't go to the pristine forest at the highest point, but got off at Arrow Bamboo Sea. Actually, on the bus, the guide had briefly introduced the origins and legends of each attraction, and we had a fleeting glimpse of the picturesque scenery. But when we finally got off and stepped into this fairy tale world ourselves, we were deeply stunned. These large and small lakes are called 'haizi' here, each with its own legend and characteristics. The first we saw was Arrow Bamboo Sea. As the innermost lake along this gully, it was deeper and quieter than the outer lakes. The water surface wasn't very wide, and there were many reedy plants on the shore. Since it had just rained, there were crystal-clear water droplets hanging on the plants along the boardwalk. When the wind blew, they fell into the water, creating ripples.
Continuing down the boardwalk, we reached Panda Sea. Panda Sea gets its name because the water surface is divided into black and green colors, resembling a giant panda. It was much broader than Arrow Bamboo Sea, with no water plants on the surface, calm as a mirror. By then, the rain had stopped, and the sky above was filled with blue sky and white clouds, reflected on the water, decorating the lake even more with a deep blue tint.
When one's vision is fully indulged, the sense of taste becomes insignificant. We had breakfast at 6 am, then drove to Jiuzhaigou. We toured from 8 am until noon before our stomachs signaled hunger. So we had a simple snack at the Panda Sea rest area and then boarded the bus for one of Jiuzhaigou's highlights—Five Flower Sea.
If Jiuzhaigou's lakes are nature's masterpieces, then Five Flower Sea is nature's divine work! Seeing it, you feel that all the hardship over the past few days was worth it—whether the 7-8 hour bus ride or the soreness from going up and down mountains. Its beauty can heal everything. It's a beauty that intoxicates you beyond rescue; a beauty that no words can describe; a beauty that makes people willing to endure all kinds of hardships to find. Those who see it can't bear to look away, afraid of missing a second of this encounter; those who see it instinctively reach for their cameras to capture its beauty, because it's too much to absorb in a short time; those who see it temporarily forget all worries, and every corner of their heart is filled with its image. I've always dreamed of beautiful scenery, but I never dreamed of such beauty as Five Flower Sea. Unfortunately, the lake was surrounded by people reluctant to leave. With reluctance, we left this fairyland step by step, but our hearts couldn't calm down for a long time.
Below Five Flower Sea is Pearl Shoal Waterfall. The waterfall's grandeur can't compare with famous ones across the country, but its unique whiteness in this specific setting is unparalleled. Plus, this waterfall was the filming location for the 1986 version of 'Journey to the West,' attracting many onlookers taking photos.
Continuing down, we reached Mirror Sea. But with the brilliance of Five Flower Sea before it, other lakes seemed somewhat lackluster. Further down, we returned to Nuorilang Visitor Center. After a short rest, we took a bus to the next gully—Zechawa Gully. This gully is the longest of the three, but has relatively few attractions—only four. Going upward, we decided to visit two main spots: Long Sea and Five-Color Pond. After a half-hour bus ride, we arrived at the top of the gully—Long Sea.
Long Sea is like the mother of all lakes in Jiuzhaigou. Due to its high altitude at the foot of snowy mountains, its water volume is stable every season and supplies water to other lakes. Standing on the observation deck looking down, a pure blue expanse greeted us. Although the sky above was blue with white clouds, the lake didn't reflect them but deeply absorbed the blue of the sky, playing tricks on visitors' eyes through ripples stirred by the breeze. The snow-capped mountains stood at the far end of Long Sea, selflessly offering their love and protection. If Long Sea is the mother, the distant snowy mountains are the father-like mountains. Beside the observation deck below Long Sea, there's a magical pine tree whose branches all grow in one direction, like an old butler silently welcoming visitors from afar. The boardwalk from Long Sea to Five-Color Pond is the steepest section in Jiuzhaigou. At that point, my calves and right knee began to ache, perhaps from too much walking or catching a chill. This section was also a bit tough. After Guo Feng's altitude sickness finally subsided, my knee started acting up. Ah, visual enjoyment comes at a price.
Descending from Long Sea, we arrived at Jiuzhaigou's second highlight—Five-Color Pond. Unlike Huanglong's Five-Color Pond, Jiuzhaigou's has only one pool and is smaller, but it possesses a different color that other lakes don't. Besides the clear green, there's a special fluorescent green, perhaps due to light refraction or unique minerals in the water. The interplay of deep and shallow, still and moving, gives Five-Color Pond a breathtaking beauty. Because it's small, the pond was even more crowded, making it hard to get close. I managed to take a panoramic photo with a selfie stick, but the picture was full of other people's phone screens—apparently, everyone shares the same aesthetic for great beauty.
After exiting Five-Color Pond, we took a sightseeing bus directly out of the gully. We arrived at Nuorilang Visitor Center at around 3:30 pm. The meeting time set by the guide was 5:30 pm, leaving only two hours. We still hadn't visited Shuzheng Gully, which leads toward the exit, so without resting, we boarded the bus. Fortunately, the essence of Jiuzhaigou was already deeply etched in our minds. Along the way, we only made brief stops at Rhinoceros Sea, Spark Sea, and Penjing Shoal before going directly out of the scenic area gate. This time we came out relatively early, reaching the bus by 5 pm. The sky in Jiuzhaigou was already starting to darken. It was a very tiring day, but tiring and happy. Interestingly, the young couple sitting next to me seemed to be arguing for some reason. The woman looked very angry, and no matter how the man tried to appease her, it didn't work. Whenever he put his arm around her, she pushed it away mercilessly. The scene was a bit awkward, but I found it a little funny. Before this, they would chatter non-stop from boarding to getting off, but now they were completely silent. I didn't pay too much attention; soon after boarding, I dozed off. When I opened my eyes, the bus was empty. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming or something supernatural. Although a bit startled, I knew staying calm was the key. I remained still in my seat until Guo Feng came to get me. It turned out that an hour had passed since we boarded. The next itinerary arranged by the guide was visiting a Tibetan family home. Everyone else had already gotten off the bus. Since I was sleeping, I hadn't noticed the bus stopping or the guide's voice. Even with all that noise, I didn't wake up. I was a bit amazed at myself! But I was too tired, so I told Guo Feng to go alone while I stayed on the bus to rest, waiting for them to return. I waited for an hour until they came back, and then the day's itinerary was over.
On the 27th, we still got up at 5 am and departed at 6:30 am. Since it was the last day returning to Chengdu, I couldn't help feeling reluctant. Although it was the last day, we still visited three attractions in the morning that were ostensibly about ethnic culture but were actually shopping stops: a silver jewelry store, a specialty supermarket, and a silk product store. Despite the commercial aspect, we learned a lot about ethnic customs and culture, which was another kind of gain.
After leaving the silver jewelry store and boarding the bus, I noticed the young couple next to me had made up and were chattering away again. The woman now had a silver bracelet on her wrist. Indeed, shopping is the best way to appease a woman! At 2 pm, departing from the silk culture site in Chuanzhu Temple, we began the 8-hour return journey. The bus first had to cross a snow mountain at about 4,200 meters altitude before exiting the mountains. Since it was daytime, we could enjoy the snowy mountain scenery up close. Although I really wanted to sleep, I couldn't bear to close my eyes. Despite all my reluctance, the blue sky, white clouds, and towering mountains gradually receded from view. The bus wound upward; Chuanzhu Temple at the foot became smaller and farther away. When the bus reached the highest point, looking out the window, the distant snow-capped mountains appeared starkly before us. Unlike previous views of snow mountains that seemed high and untouchable, these mountains seemed almost within reach. The sense of shock from seeing them at eye level was incomparable to looking up. I suddenly had the illusion that the bus would break through the guardrail on the cliff and drive straight into the snowy mountains. I wondered if there were bronze doors and Zhang Qiling in these mountains. The majestic snow mountains were incredibly beautiful and spectacular! I never expected to enjoy such beauty on the last day. One word: worth it! Unfortunately, I didn't have time to take photos because I was on the bus. After descending from the snowy mountains, the scenery became ordinary, like falling from heaven to earth. I finally allowed myself to sleep. The journey out of the mountains felt excruciatingly long without anticipation to sustain me. Every time I dozed off, I woke up to find only a few minutes had passed; it felt like an eternity. The only saving grace was that I didn't feel carsick at all—perhaps I had gotten used to the swaying motion after these days. I don't want to elaborate on the details of the arduous journey. After bumping along for 6 hours, urban scenery gradually appeared outside. Oh my god! We finally made it out of the mountains! The bus stopped at Jinniu Ba Road in Chengdu's Third Ring, marking the end of our group tour. Although our guide had many shortcomings, especially on the night of Guo Feng's altitude sickness, she had been dutiful throughout the process, so I was still very grateful. After getting off the bus, we planned to take a taxi to the booked hotel, but the road to the hotel was blocked. We had to rebook a hotel near the drop-off point. After checking in, it was past 11 pm. We were so hungry that we went to a nearby McDonald's for a burger, and we didn't sleep until 12:30 am.
This sleep was particularly comfortable. When the alarm went off at 7 am the next morning, I thought I was dreaming. Since the final day's plan was to go to Chongqing, and we had bought bullet train tickets at 10:50 am, I didn't dare sleep in. After washing up, I hurried out. At 10 am, I picked up the tickets at Chengdu East Station, looked back at this city of Chengdu, and then entered the waiting room. On the bullet train, I kept reminiscing about every bit of this journey, so much so that I didn't enjoy the scenery along the way. Before I knew it, we arrived at the mountain city—Chongqing. The name 'mountain city' is well-deserved. Looking out the taxi window, high-rise buildings rose like mountains; the roads were winding and narrow. Every few seconds, the car had to climb a slope, and the slopes were particularly steep. Even in the city center, you could see low hills, so there was a high degree of greenery. Mountain city—mountain comes first, city later; it's not that mountains adapt to urban development, but the city accommodates the unyielding mountains. The taxi driver recommended a decent pea-and-noodle shop near Chongqing's Jiefangbei, which apparently had been on TV. Since it was close to Hongyadong, we went there to try the noodles. To be honest, it was just okay. I don't know why, but as soon as I got off the bullet train, I had an inexplicable dislike for this city, not half the fondness I had for Chengdu. Maybe I felt that Chongqing people are relatively indifferent. After eating, we dragged our luggage with nowhere to go. Strolling through attractions with a suitcase is not a wise choice; it's a bit awkward with the crowds. So when we arrived at the entrance of Hongyadong, I decided to stay and watch the luggage instead of going in. Guo Feng, not interested in going alone and also feeling a bit unwell, came out shortly.
Since the taxi driver had warned that Chongqing's narrow roads and many one-way streets cause severe traffic jams during rush hour, we took a taxi to Beichuan Airport at 4 pm to avoid congestion. We arrived at the airport at 5 pm; our flight was at 8:30 pm. We spent the last three hours of the trip at a buffet restaurant. At 10:30 pm, the plane landed at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, marking the true end of our journey.
Throughout this trip, there were hardships and surprises, but overall, it was worthwhile. This spontaneous trip, starting in Chengdu and ending in Chongqing, allowed me to appreciate the wonders of nature and the different personalities of each city. If there's one regret, it's that I didn't stay longer at Five Flower Sea. But regret is motivation for the next time. Jiuzhaigou's beauty is such that even a thousand visits wouldn't be enough. But next time, I'll definitely fly directly to Jiuhuang Airport and avoid the 8-hour bumpy ride.
