The morning began at 3 am. Yups!!! That was when we started to crawl out of bed and slowly began to prepare for our day ahead. First stop for the day was Guang Ming Ding (光明顶)

– just like in the Martial Arts story (倚天屠龙记) … 我们杀上光明顶了 !!! Ha Ha!

On top of the peak, we sat down in a circle and began to picnic! We ate our breakfast consisting of bread, tuna, sausages, lettuce amidst the crowd (and there was a crowd there, and I think they were staring at us!) Who cares!

We waited for the sun to rise, patiently, then gradually we became more and more impatient. There was just too much clouds and the sun for all her glory was refusing to let her mighty rays illuminate the earth. Eventually, the sky got bright and we still did not catch the glimpse of a sunrise. The sun had eluded us and risen anyway!

At least the scenery was good, we were high enough to see the clouds cover the mountains and from a far, the mountains looked like crocodiles swimming in the river. (Pictures of the Cloud Sea 云海) Breathtaking!

Group photos taken @ Guang Ming Ding (光明顶)

At this point, I must relate an interesting happening! Well, it was actually quite a pissed a** situation. Yvonne was helping me take a picture when this guy wanted to pass right between the camera and me. I raised my hand to stop him before the shot but he walked through anyway. I ust admit that I am a little ‘vulgar’ these days and the first words that came out of my mount were “ta ma de” (他妈的). That guy obviously heard it since I said it loud enough for it to be heard and he stared at me. He kept staring at me all the way. Like he was so shocked! Well, I stared back at him too! Anyhow, when we were taking the group photo above, he came over and said “你最好注意你说的话! ” I simply smiled at him and said, “Do you speak english? I don’t understand you!” He stared back at me once again in shock, surprise or anger, whatever! and I continued, “F*** u!” a couple of times, all the time maintaining my perfect smile and looking at him. I think he wanted to hit me, but cos’ I was with my whole gang of friends, I was positive he wouldn’t dare! Well, want to know who that A*s@ is? I actually caught him on photo the day before at Pai Yun Ting (排云亭)

Its the guy in red at the bottom of the picture!

After the sunrise, we kind of broke up into 3 teams – the ‘slacker’ team [Shuhui, Weixiong, Meiqing, Huiling, Huixian, Limin :: no offence meant!], the ones that did not want to walk too much, the ‘gungho’ team [Chee Wei, Justin, Chin Keong, Lee Tong, Zihui, Ming Han] aka the Xian Ren Qiao (仙人桥) team who did a very gungho thing, but in then end still lost out to the last team. The Lian Hua Team (莲花组) [min chuan, yvonne, annie, charmaine, alvin, fionna, edwin] which was the only team that made it to the highest peak in Huang Shan – Lian Hua Feng (莲花峰) which stood at 1864 feet above sea level. The Lian Hua Team was also the only team that climbed all the way up the mountain and all the way down the mountain. “Osh” again!

Too tired to speak liao, but still taking pictures, haha!

Yi Xian Tian (一线天) – was a long narrow path down the mountain. It is angled at 65 degrees (normal roller coaster is only about 45 degrees). It was a thrill climbing down that. Quite a memorable experience. Definitely a good place to train your threshold for heights!

After climbing for a long time, we finally made it to the final lap of the Lian Hua Feng. This was taken at the foot of the peak.

As we climbed higher and higher, there were less and less people. The air was clearer, it was more peaceful without the persistent shouting of the tourists. It was like entering a heavenly realm. Till we reached the highest peak and we entered once again the uncivilized stone age. People pushing each other, shouting at each other, scolding each other, etc …

Finally at the top of the peak!!! and we then begin our descent on the other side of the mountain!

On the way down, we bumped into this red dressed auntie. She was 50 plus years old and was climbing Huang Shan on her own. I am impressed by her courage and her determination!

First stop of our descent was to get to Ying Ke Song (迎客松) at Yu Pin Lou (玉屏搂) where the cable car was. BUT we eventually did not take the cable car. Our Lian Hua Team decided to walk down the mountain via the front. Although we made a wrong track due to someone misleading us that there was no way down the other side, we still headed down the mountain on foot. I must admit that when we made that wrong track and ended up very near the Cable Car Station, I had second thoughts of climbing down. The cable car was simply too alluring! But we still hardened our minds and made our descent slowly but surely down the mountain on foot!

Us and Huang Shan Pears!

We finally made it down to the Huang Shan Visitor Centre.

The slacker team was already there waiting for us. I must say that as we gradually got closer and closer to the foot of the mountain, my pace got quicker and quicker! Cos’ I wanted to get down as fast as possible and be done with climbing all those stairs! Mean while, the gungho team was somewhere up there still. Chee Wei did give me a call and I was stunned. I asked her “你们现在在那里?” and her reply was “我不敢告诉你我们在那里.” BEST! They were at some far off place very far from anywhere to getting down. Well! We just had to wait for them to come down anyway! Lucky they managed to get to the cable car and made their way down by 1 pm, only half and hour later then planned.

Mission Accomplished!!!

The Lian Hua Team (莲花组) – Osh!
Lunch at the restaurant that the drivers were “recommending to us” … they were so happy that we eventually agreed to eat at the place … I’m sure they get a nice commission out of the meal!

Finally, we were on our way back to Shanghai. Happily we chatted and rested while the driver drove back ‘home’. Little did we know what was installed for us. First, on the way back from An Hui to Hang Zhou, one of the bus tyre burst and we ended up going to a tyre repair shop to repair the tyre … here is a picture of the guy taking out the tyre!

looks scary , yar! it was raining and the wind was big due to the Typhoon! So looks like we ran over a man!

Then we finally reached Hang zhou, but we were stuck there! We went to like 4 toll gates, but they refused to let us out on to the highway cos they said the typhoon was around and it was dangerous! Eventually we tried to take the ‘normal’ way back to Shanghai but that road was small and dark. We even contemplated staying over in Shanghai, but then decided that the drivers if they drove safely will be able to get us back to shanghai safely. Unfortunately, one more mishap happened. A tree stood in the way! Yup, a tree had fallen and blocked the road. What happened? We ended up going out to pushed the tree to the side! Lucky got another bus behind who also sent some guys to assist us!

Next mishap – we were running out of oil. Went to 4 petrol station, but there was no oil. I was amazed that the driver got us back … I guessed he intermitenly turned off the air conditioning to safe power!. When we finally got back to Shanghai, the wind was still howling and the rain pouring! What spoiled next? The wind screen wiper of the bus!

Of course, there were people who were sound asleep and oblivious to the entire situation.

Through the rain, they still managed to get us back to Zhong Shan LRT where we alighted just 2 days ago. The time was 2 am on 12 Sept 2005. We were 4 hours late and we had been on the bus for 12 hours! It was an amazing ride, a ride that I would never forget!!!

The pudong people managed to get cabs back home thanks to Shuhui who knew a taxi driver and the puxi people just walked home!

Our little adventure ends here, but the memories remain in my mind. No matter that my legs are aching, my shoulders are pain, the bus ride was ardous but exciting, overall the entire trip was most enjoyable — to me lah! I hope the rest also OK, yar?!