Arrive early hours again and get bus to Mt Tai. (holiest of the five holy chinese mouintains) More steps up to the top (seriously hard work even after the Great Wall!) but loads of pancake stalls along the way to keep you going!

 It was freeeezing up the top so didnt stop long before getting the cable car back down! Didnt really pick up the spiritual vibe but the views from the cable car were fab – (slightly disconcerting by them selling insurance before boarding…! )

Tonight we get a bus to the local village “Tai” – kim and I stay with a family who spoke no english but luckily the daughter was staying and she was able to translate a bit (She usually stayed in Taichen as a history teacher) The houses are such a change from what we have seen so far – they are all stone floored bungalows with three rooms and an outside squat toilet. The food is amazing but they dont understand the word “full”!!! Every few seconds they woudl all say “Can Bay” and we woud all ahve to toast and down our beer! Mrs wong was obsessed with my hair – she kept stroking it and when they found out I was 19 there was uproar! (“sp young, so young!!”)

Thankgod for my sleeping bag – would have frozen! We both slept in our clothes and woolly hats!
Posted from Hong Kong:

posted Saturday March 2006