I got up earlyish to head to a Yuntaishan, a pretty famous mountain in China but not one of the 'top 8' so hopefully a bit less busy.
I got on the bus in a bit of mist but as I left town the must got heavier and heavier but the busy driver, keeping to his timesheet just kept on driving at the same crazy speed.
At one point visibility was less than 5meters and we were still doing 60kph, unfortunately the cars in front were holding up the trucks and limiting it to fairly safe speeds, but that was no problem, we just overtook on the otherside of the road with zero visiblity!
It was the scariest drive yet, and to the point that Chinese people were shouting at the bus driver to chill out and slow down!
At one point visibility was less than 5meters and we were still doing 60kph, unfortunately the cars in front were holding up the trucks and limiting it to fairly safe speeds, but that was no problem, we just overtook on the otherside of the road with zero visiblity!
It was the scariest drive yet, and to the point that Chinese people were shouting at the bus driver to chill out and slow down!
I did make it to the next town in one piece and the bus driver told me to get off at a random roundabout, there i negotiated until I found a taxi willing to take me to the foot of the mountain and the tourist town that's there. Once there he also recommended a hotel.
The hotel he recommended was completely empty, not a single customer, and they showed me to the best room, a huge 20m long room but not hugely wide, at one end a huge bed, in the middle a study, at the other a bathroom and curtains dividing it up. They started at 350rmb, and after a bit of bargaining they wouldn't budge. As I walked out the door I offered 100rmb, and they accepted it, but I wanted to have a look around first.
I went to a few more hotels and ended up in one on the corner that offered WiFi! I checked in for 80rmb a night for a suite and went up to my room after eating a bit in reception.
When I got to the room I found a few problems, firstly a group of dogs chained up outside the window, and then I decided I wanted a shower after a long days travelling.
I went to the shower room but there was no towels, I went down to reception to ask about their being no towels and they told me that there was no hot water! The whole hotel had no hot water! I asked and they said that all of the hotels in this area had no hot water, it was the middle of winter and pipes had all frozen. (or at least there wern't enough guests to be worth turning them on, I was on my own in the hotel again).
It seemed I would just have to live with it, so I went back up to the room, and went to wash my hands and face at least, only to find not only was there no hot water, there was no water at all!
This for me was a step too far, no toilet, no washing of hands, no nothing, I went downstairs and the same answer, 'all the hotels were like this'.
I went for a walk and ended up finding a different hotel, I asked them if they had hot water, and by luck managed to find the only hotel that actually did!
The room was cheaper 70rmb, had aircon (a must in the minus 10 nights), nearly hot water (at least lukewarm 20 degrees) and so after a bit of negotiation I got my other room fee back and switched rooms, and the best part, right opposite the mountain bus stop! perfect! and also empty!
This for me was a step too far, no toilet, no washing of hands, no nothing, I went downstairs and the same answer, 'all the hotels were like this'.
I went for a walk and ended up finding a different hotel, I asked them if they had hot water, and by luck managed to find the only hotel that actually did!
The room was cheaper 70rmb, had aircon (a must in the minus 10 nights), nearly hot water (at least lukewarm 20 degrees) and so after a bit of negotiation I got my other room fee back and switched rooms, and the best part, right opposite the mountain bus stop! perfect! and also empty!
I had a quick nap and by now it was afternoon, so mountain time....
A couple of pictures from the road,
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