Well the day has arrived to climb but the weather hasn't improved...the end of the week is supposed to be better but I can't wait that long so here goes. The rain and mist were pretty bad on the 2 hours bus ride out to the mountain the cab up to the beginning of the walking track didn't reveal anything better. 230RMB to get in ($35 - super expensive for China) and a couple of hours uphill on steep steps and we got a few glimpses of what I agree is an amazingly grand landscape. Luckily the weather had kept the masses away - I'd read that the wait for the cable car could be 2-3 hours. When we got there there was no one in line at all (not that we were using the cable car, but it was a good sign). As we neared the top and I was fairly close to punching a couple of tourguides and disabling their PA systems we were lucky and the clouds cleared for about 15 minutes - enough time to get some photos in, but it was the only clear view we got in 2 days! The scenery is really breathtaking. It is written up as being like every Chinese landscape you've ever seen - and it really is, I see what they're basing those paintings on now. It's like a bonsai scene, in full size.
Haaaa haaa ha! I was waiting for the 'almost punched him" bit! I can see the disgusted look on your face now.
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