walking on

To go to Tibetan areas is for me like to explore some exotic spots. There are anything different from what I am used to live with, as the sceneries, the people and the way they live.

I was told that once I had been in Tibetan areas, wherever it is, I would go there again and again, addicted to it. I had no idea what it really meant. I looked at her face while she was describing her exciting experience in Hongyuan, one small Tibetan town in Sichuan. Her face was shinning brightly and voice was louder excitedly.

I was too upset not to think about any danger or uncertainties I would encounter on my first time to Tibetan area. I called my friend to ask her idea on slide sand. It was ringing for several minutes but nobody answered.

“There is no big deal if I buy the ticket. They will know better about road condition than I do,” I thought and then bought the first ticket to go to Tibetan area, the unknown place for me.

I cannot remember if I knew anything about Tibet. It seemed that I had not read, listen to or watch a little about Tibet and Tibetan. However I had my first little adventure.

I forgot to be afraid when I just stepped into the bus to Zoige. I enjoyed the whole bus trip instead. When the bus was approaching to Zoige, everything was changed without any telling and expectation. Grassland was spreading out to reach me. It was so soft and I would like to roll down from the top of a little hill. It rained suddenly and then hailstone hit the front glass of the bus. Everyone was screamed at this sudden change. But the most shock happened later after we drove some minutes. Someone started to shout, “the rainbow”, then every of us turned our heads to that direction and I held my breath while staring at it flying over the road. The one after one appeared before us or next to us. The rainbow is quite rare in the cities, especially in Chengdu. No matter whatever the explanation is, because of landform or pollution, there is not much rainbow representing in the city.

It happened once in my memory after the pouring-down rain for one night. Then it was caught by somebody accidentally. The news spread very soon in that morning. It took a long time for people to talk about the rainbow.

This cruise, or even this trip, was picked by Xiaoyu, my husband. I never thought I would go to see the dam or even Changjiang. It is just so familiar to me and then it has never become one choice of mine. But this trip shows that it is not bad to have a try.

We got the chance to see Wuhan. This is completely different city from Chengdu where we come from. We were all impressed by the weather first off when we stepped out the train. It was hot, just like summer. But Chengdu was raining by that time. We were told when we came back from the cruise that it kept raining for the whole holiday.

There are some old buildings from colony time and the first Changjiang Bridge. I was so curious to see so many people playing majiang or poker just next to the security area of the Changjiang Bridge. Nobody cared about if there was any soldier standing so close to them.

We even found out a little beach by the river. A few people were playing there, with weaves and sand. Some couples were sitting on the bank in the sunset, just like us.

There is also one shopping street as the one in Chengdu. It is obviously very popular and modern, because most were young people. I only saw less than 10 persons around mid-ages that day when we were there.

I like to see those ferries to get people moving about in such a giant city. That is really cool.

It was just a short stay in Wuhan for one and half days. And then we went to Yichang to get aboard.

The cruise was nice and cozy. Everyone was kind and friendly. Of course, we met some interesting people too.

She is the only and first one I did not ask for cell phone number while I meeting some new friends from the trips. But I regret now.

She is the tour guide, young and mild. At least I did not see her bad temper. She took all the complaining from her group and still did her best to offer them better and cozy service. She complaint too, but only when we had meals together. She asked us for a picture and I am so glad we did. She is in my memory anyway. I guess she will try to learn English well, because she witnessed how different people treat their guides.

The other one is him. He is able to speak very fluent Germany and this let both of us, me and my husband, jealous of him. That is a so complicated language, but he does. I tried to learn Germany for one year, but gave up eventually because of too much grammar. I even wonder how Germany could organize their sentences before speaking out.

Most of people think Chinese is difficult, like my husband. However, except four tones we don’t have any complicated grammar at all. At this point, Chinese is even easier than English. English has tenses, but Chinese doesn’t have. You may just add one more word to change its time. Does it sound easier?

The other him is the guide from the cruise. He is the guide for everyone. He impressed us by his so-strong American accent. I was almost puffed off by his accent. But he is nice guy and works very hard. He is the guide in suit in daytime and is the host of the shows at nights. It is hard to believe what his trick is to keep so energetic.

The other thing about the cruise is I wanted to know how local people lived after the dam built up. And it is not so difficult. Just looking at the both sides of the boat, there are still some bricked small cottages set along the hill, but there are more new apartment buildings.

The guide told us in his American accent that for the old, who did not want to move out, they would still stay there, but they got help to move higher than now and the younger, they move to those new buildings and start their new lives.

It is still hard to believe that those old cities were just under our feet, in the water.

We stepped onto the bank of Chongqing 3 days later. I want to have this cruise again, but need to remember to bring more summer clothes.