Leisurely Travels Through Four Seasons – Northwest by Northwest (Part 13)
For this trip to the northwest, I joined a mixed tour group. Fortunately, I met two other solo travelers, and the three of us decided to stick together, adding extra joy to the journey.
The older one, Mr. Fei, was from Jiangxi. He was a cultured, steady, and kind man with a benevolent appearance. He carried his own selfie stick but occasionally asked us to take a photo or two for him. He was quite enthusiastic about group photos, never refusing our requests, and his smile was as radiant as the highland sunshine, just like ours. When we split the bill for dinner at the Dunhuang Night Market, Mr. Fei ordered a bottle of beer. Since the two of us didn’t drink, the old man insisted on paying for the beer himself. We couldn’t persuade him otherwise, so we let him have his way.
Xiao Zhou was from Anhui, a handsome young man in his early twenties, warm and polite, with a well-behaved demeanor. He helped everyone take photos along the way. At the Water Yadan, he trotted off to pick up a scarf that had been blown away by the wind for a lady, only to stand there gasping for air due to altitude sickness, prompting a round of good-natured laughter. I took many handsome photos of him, and thanks to him, the Qinghai-Gansu route left countless traces on my phone. I also left the footprints of a traveler on the vast and boundless Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
After finishing the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop tour, we all went home to rest. Only Xiao Zhou seamlessly boarded a train heading to Tibet. Seeing his photo in front of the Potala Palace on Moments, I couldn’t help but sigh: youth is truly wonderful.
The tour guide, Xiao Yang, was a young man from Gansu in his early twenties, not very tall, quite different from the typical tall Northwestern man in my impression. However, he was very capable, decisive and quick in action, never dragging things out, with a straightforward Northwestern personality.
As a graduate of tourism, having organized service and a warm, approachable attitude are basic qualities, which was not surprising. What amazed me was his professional competence. Throughout this Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop trip, Xiao Yang’s explanations focused on the customs, historical anecdotes, and Buddhist culture of the Northwest. He spoke along the way almost without error. Especially his explanations of Tibetan Buddhist culture—many difficult Buddhist terms, such as names of people, doctrines, and sects—he pronounced very clearly and fluently. Listening to him, I often wondered: I could barely read these words smoothly even with a book, but how could he speak them so fluently? Expertise lies in specialization, as they say. And he is still so young—truly remarkable.
Writing this, I can’t help but think of two guides from my trips to Guizhou and Fenghuang—it’s a long story.
At the foot of Mount Hua, there was a guesthouse owner in Huayin County. I can’t recall his surname, but I will never forget the help he gave me.
He was a young man who had come alone from Jiangxi to start a business in Shaanxi. He was warm and gentle but never talked much; conversing with him made you feel a warmth in your heart. After learning about my itinerary, he proactively reminded me that I could go directly from Huayin to Lanzhou without needing to transfer through Xi’an. The next afternoon, after I finished hiking Mount Hua and returned to the guesthouse, there was little time left before the bus departure to Lanzhou. The boss decisively hopped on his small electric scooter and took me to the bus stop. At the bus stop, he estimated the time, resolutely flagged down a taxi, spoke a few words to the driver, and put my suitcase into the back. After I got in the car, I told the driver I wanted to go to the train station. The driver replied, "That guy already told me."
It’s been over a year, and every time I recall my northwest trip, I can’t forget this guesthouse owner. Being alone in a foreign land and receiving such help is truly unforgettable.
After all, it was just a group tour, though it was touted as retracing the Silk Road; it was still a superficial glance. The Silk Road today is no longer all sand and dust as in the old days, nor is its prosperity the same as before. Along the way, straight and flat roads, towering high-rises, and green shelterbelts stretching into the distance are all signs of modern civilization. Stories of the Han and Tang dynasties, legends of the Western Regions—some scatter in the desert sky, some linger in our hearts, and some wait quietly in museums for the next visitor.
Of the four Han-dynasty prefectures in Hexi, we stayed one night in Dunhuang and brushed past the edge of Zhangye. As for Jiuquan and Wuwei, along with Yangguan and Yumen Pass, we could only commune with them in spirit while the bus drove by. In this land long ago, Zhang Qian trekked thousands of miles through countless perils; Huo Qubing advanced with overwhelming force and majesty; later, Master Xuanzang endured hardships to travel alone to the West. History has left indelible marks of the Chinese nation here.
Compared with these predecessors, how fortunate are the Chinese people today. As we walk on the new Silk Road, the Northwest welcomes friends from all over China and even the world with bustling prosperity and smooth roads, bringing us not only a relaxing journey that cleanses the soul but also an exhilarating pleasure that strikes the heart.
