Knobcottage in China

We went to Fanjingshen today.  By Chinese standards it was not busy... but for me it was busy, very, very, busy. It kind of went like this: Show passport buy ticket, queue, scan ticket, queue, get on a bus, climb stairs to cable car, scan ticket, queue, get on cable car, get off cable car, scan ticket, climb stairs, lots of them.  Visit, take photos, go down the stairs to the cable car, queue, scan ticket, queue, get on cable car, get off cable car, queue, scan ticket, get on bus, get off bus and no scan ticket! Always very busy, but the queues were always moving.  It was well ordered, and due to the scanning of the ticket numerous times my position was well known to whoever wanted to know it! The steps were steep and numerous, constantly filled with people, some quicker than others, but a constant 'trudge' onwards and upwards.  BUT respect to these guys.  The sedan carriers.  They had these makeshift sedan chairs made from bamboo, wire and a normal...

Today , actually tomorrow, I am going to the famous UNESCO Heritage site .  Fanjingshan.  A mountain with a monastery at the top.  I am going with Anna, the Russian girl and my Chinese friends sister Meng.  Her home town is Tongren which is maybe forty-five minutes from here.  We are meeting at the hotel we were at the other day.  An early start, we need to be there for 7a.m.  So it's an early night for me! So I was headed to bed early when my WeChat pinged.  It was Mentioned.  She was coming to meet me tonight!  After a while since got the message. "I'm at your downstairs now". I went down and there she was!  Me and Meng last night Almost didn't recognise her, longer hair and she looks like she's lost weight.  I went to give her a big hug and ended up in that sort if awkward hug you often end up with with Chinese folks who are not used to that much physical contact. (There's even a section English in Chi...