We woke up at 5:30 to discover that today would not be a good hiking day, the forecast was thick fog and a lot of rain, but sadly for us we’re on a tight schedule so we would be hiking regardless!We kicked things off with a bit of sightseeing by taking a bus up the mountain. Honestly, I am still not sure if it was more or less stressful navigating the sharp mountain turns when you couldn’t see more than a foot in front of you. Thankfully, we made it to the top in one piece. From there, we shuffled along in a massive queue toward the cable cars. The path was lined on both sides with vendors selling bamboo walking sticks, prayer beads, warm clothes, snacks, and pretty much anything else you could possibly think of. I thoroughly enjoyed the abundance of free food samples. Ribs and corn on the cob seem to be the go-to hiking staples around here.
When we finally reached the cable car, my nerves of how hard this hike was going to be started kicking in, especially after spotting several people in line clutching small oxygen canisters and masks. We hopped into a little cable car to ride up toward the peak. Because of the pea-soup fog, we couldn’t see a single thing on the way up, but at least it saved us from a grueling uphill slog in the rain.
Once off the cable car, we continued on foot toward the temple at the summit. As it turned out, my anxiety about the “hike” was completely unnecessary. The biggest hazard was simply trying not to get poked in the eye by a sea of umbrellas. The trek was really just a mildly steep walk up a fully paved path. It was wild seeing people using oxygen spray cans and even hiring porters to carry them up. I thought I was out of shape!
Eventually, we reached the temple. Even in the gloom, it was an impressive sight, though I was a little bummed we missed out on a clear view. On a sunny day, it must be incredible. A big flight of stairs lined with intricate elephant carvings leading to the giant, shimmering gold Stupa. Sadly for us the stupa was mostly obscured in fog but we did get glints of gold peaking through and managed to see the bottom which was still an impressive scale. We wandered around the surrounding buildings until we were thoroughly soaked, then took the cable car back down to grab some lunch.
Adam spotted his very first monkey in the wild on the way down. We spent a good while snapping photos, keeping a respectful distance since they can get a bit feisty. Right after that, we rounded the corner only to encounter about thirty more of them scattered along the trail.
After many more photos and another tasty lunch, our group split up. Half wanted to head back to the comfort of the hotel, while the rest of us opted for a more energetic trek. Once again, calling it a “hike” was generous. It was essentially a pleasant three-hour stroll with a few stairs thrown in, but the best part was having the path mostly to ourselves. I am starting to gather that strenuous walks are not particularly popular here.
For me, this afternoon’s walk was the highlight of the day. The rain finally cleared up, the fog lifted, and for three hours we soaked in the quiet scenery. We passed through peaceful rural villages and caught glimpses of daily life. People were tending to their vegetable patches, gathering around tables for cards and mahjong, and selling traditional herbal remedies. At one point, we even saw two men carrying a large branch with a buzzing bag suspended from it, which turned out to be a live beehive.
We paused at a few small monasteries along the way, including one that was practically overrun by monkeys. It was so popular with the locals that a security guard was stationed outside armed with a slingshot just to keep them at bay.
As dusk settled in, we were given a choice: sleep at a nearby monastery or walk another half hour to a proper hotel. Adam, myself, and two others decided to embrace the adventure and stay at the monastery. The beds were hard as rocks, the windows were just holes in the wall covered by bin bags, and the bathroom was communal. It was a cold and decidedly rustic night, but hey, who needs luxury on a honeymoon? Besides, how often do you get the chance to sleep in a Chinese monastery?!
We spent a lovely evening at a small open-air restaurant further up the path. After a good deal of miming and pointing at the menu, we managed to order a delicious spread of food. We ate under cover while listening to the rain fall outside, enjoying a cozy meal together. Afterward, we wandered back to the monastery for the night. I’m writing this right now, tucked under a massive pile of duvets on a rock-hard mattress!
Tomorrow we will wake up when the monks start their chanting at 6am and them make our way back down the mountain.
Tell you all about it soon, love Alice x