china

Packing for a trip away is usually a last-minute thing for me, because the trip is rarely longer than a couple of days. I can (and all too often do) throw some things in the bag just before heading to the airport, and pick up any forgotten items at the destination if really necessary.

But China is going to be a different proposition altogether: one whole month, with everything I take being carried on my back for extended periods of time. I’ve done backpacking before of course, and know how heavy every unnecessary gram can be. But this time I want to be totally prepared as I’ve no idea how hard or easy it will be to buy things outside of the major cities.

So last Friday night I laid out all the essentials on my bed and fitted them into the pack. Space wasn’t a problem – in fact there is plenty of room to spare in my 70+15 litre pack – but the weight did seem borderline. I figured the only way to give it a proper test was to actually go somewhere and lug it around for a while. With an unexpectedly empty weekend ahead, I decided to go to Central early Saturday morning and see what my options for a hiking daytrip were…

The Blue Mountains were the most likely, I thought before I got to Central, but didn’t appeal too much because I’ve been there plenty of times. I really wanted to go somewhere new that wasn’t too far or expensive to get to – which turned out to be Bundanoon. At the end of the Southern Highlands line, it’s still technically part of the Cityrail network but takes almost three hours on two trains and a bus to get there. For $25 same-day return, it seemed perfect. 

And it was, even more than I’d realised. For starters it’s pretty remote: only one other person took the bus from Moss Vale with me. Quite a pretty village too, with one decent cafe, one bad cafe, an odd general store and of course a pub. It was a cool, sometimes drizzly day and there is a national park with several bushwalks only 1.5km from the township. A great chance to test my new gear for warmth (did I mention it will get well below zero while I’m China?). I walked for about two hours with pack on back, trekking down (and up) the aptly-named Constitution Hill on my way out to the Grand Canyon lookout.

Overall a good test. Lessons learnt: I need new walking shoes (tick – that was Sunday’s mission), I need to trim the weight a bit, and I definitely need a warmer jacket for China. What I’ve got simply won’t be enough in sub-zero conditions

I often like to get advice on things I want to do from those who might know something about it. It was great to catch up with James’ friend Kate recently, for example, because she gave me oodles of tips on where to go and what to see in China based on her extensive travels there last year.

So when I discovered today that a customer was originally from Shanghai, I didn’t hesitate to ask his opinion too. I don’t think he’d get a job with the China Tourist Board…

“Don’t talk to anyone, watch your money and camera VERY closely.”

“Take your own towel and toothbrush – don’t trust the ones in your hotel”.

Ïf someone walks up to you and offers you anything, just say no”. 

“Never touch local women”. 

I was quietly amused by his relentlessly negative viewpoint, so I pushed further by asking whether he’d been to the more remote provinces such as Yunnan that I intend to visit next year.

“Why would you want to go there?” he exclaimed. “Too poor, too dirty. Just visit the big cities, they’re okay, then come straight back to Australia. It’s much better here”. 

His words have been taken on board, but I rather prefer Kate’s outlook. He makes China sound as inviting as a weekend with dysentery.

Just had dinner with James and Kate at Thai Tha Po in Surry Hills. Kate has travelled all over China (and is about to return again), and has given me loads of tips on where to go and what to see.

The broad plan for the big trip is firming. Starting in Hong Kong, I hope to travel inland to Hanoi and roam around the northern parts of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand for a while. Then back into Yunnan province in China, north to Shangri-La and then northeast to Xián. After a few days in that area I’ll board the high train to Lhasa in Tibet. Yes, into Tibet by train, travelling at altitudes of over 5000m. 

Afterwards who knows, but wandering around Tibet and Nepal before heading down into India for a month or so sounds like heaven to me. I should certainly have the time to do all that and more, even with inevitable delays obtaining visas and other permits of entry.

As another occasional mate said today, only half-jokingly, I’ll be “living the dream!”. Yep. 😀