Hi Guys, Welcome to the first post, I will try my best to keep things as organized as possible.
But keyword is try.
As I am quite scattered brained.
Trip: Singapore - Beijing - Zhangjiajie - Singapore
Duration: 7 days
Total Cost : SGD $1600 +/-
Air Tickets: SGD $823 (Expedia, China Southern Airlines)
Hostel: CNY 160, 4 nights (Booking.com, Bajie Youth Hostel, Zhangjiajie)
Money: SGD $700
Temp: 10degrees to 24degrees
Beijing's accomdation was free because I have a friend staying there.
Day 1
Started with a major flight delay that effectively took off a day from my 7 days trip.
Longest wait from 8am to almost 7pm before we flew.
Always buy travel insurance. (i claimed $350 for delay[delay must be full 6 hours block] and missed connections)
Reached Guangzhou at midnight, saw people going hysterical because there are no more flights out to Beijing and the next flight is next morning.
They arranged some hotel near the airport and managed to get like 2 hrs slp before my flight at 8am at Guangzhuo next morning and i have to reach at 6am and i got to get up at 4am. This is a killer seriously.
Thank goodness I woke up in time to catch the transit and because of my passport i got a room to myself. There are privileges if you are a singaporean in these situations. the others got to share a room. but really, 2 hrs... I couldn't care less if the other person is noisy or what.
Day 2
Finally reached Beijing after such a long delay. lesson learnt about booking flights with transit, if really i was on the amazing race, i would have phil coming to me already. haha. oh wells, but it was the cheapest air tickets i could find.
Found my friend, Joy and took a nap on the couch in her office. heaven.
After which she brought me to some korean bbq dinner. yums.
it was a lot of food for us both but we enjoyed it!
it was like around 300Yuan per pax?
My accomdation in Beijing. Awesome. plus it's free. haha.
Day 3
Woke up to a rather sandy day as it was forcasted that there might be bad weather.
amist the weather, the mulan flower is still so pretty!
Take the train to Dongzhimen, and mostly will say take 916 from the bus interchange there, we met some locals who told us to take 980 express and get off at (oh dear i can't remember what stop) however, it will not be at the great wall itself, the ride was a about 2 hrs plus have to hire a private car, otherwise we will be stuck there. there will be other tourists , so try to make a grp of 4 to lower the cost of the car. however, i think taking 916 will be a more sound choice as it seems it will be nearer to mutianyu.
A combination of subways, bus and private cab to bring us....
The Great wall of China! we went to Mutianyu, not as touristy as badaling, well mixed between preservation and human needs, namely you can find food and water there.
the entrance of the Mutianyu
The cable car to bring you up to the base point of the great wall. there is cost involved together with the entrance tickets. 200 or 300 yuan?
memory lost.
The weather was considered good despite the warning in the morning.
we literally tried climbing the great wall at one of the side entrance. haha.
When the heads are too big for the scenery. =p
The steepest of the steps.
Cherry blossoms
The walk down,
wear good shoes, and bring a backpack. the climb is tedious if you are not fit. be prepared for like 3000 - 5000 of steep steps.
took the luge down at the beginning point of the cable car. so whatever distance you climbed, you have to walk that same way back to get back to the luge.
Cost for great wall: roughly around : 500yuan? the cost for the private taxi, and entrance fee.
Evening we cooked at home as we were hit by a sandstorm and i had to leave beijing for zhangjiajie in the wee hours again.
Day4
Left my friends' place at the wee hours again and headed to beijing airport, reached zhangjiajie airport at around 9am and it was too early to check in at my hostel. deposited my bags and did a quick wash up and headed off to Tian Men Shan
The hostel is at the 4th floor, stamina training.
Madness of Queing for the Tian Men Shan
close to 2 hours to take the cable car which is about 200 Yuan. (expensive!)
alot of Koreans, people watching
Majestic view, there's a lot of people as well. occasionally there are pockets of walkways where there are fewer people
Too tired by the end of the west line that i took a cable car back to the main cable car.
Went to the mid station to grab a pic, no i didn't climb it. haha.
enojoying their streetfood. one of the few that i dare to try, it's just pineapple in sugar syrup.
took bus no. 6 back to hostel at 1yuan.
they got like only 7 lines for buses, most of it goes back to city centre. so not to worry much. but the cabs will try to weasel money out of you.
the next day was the climb at Zhangjiajie National Forest and the staff at Bajie Youth Hostel recommanded to have a night stay at the forest itself, and transferred my credits to the hostel in the mountains.
another night of packing and moving.
Day 5
Woke up at wee hours again and an almost 2 hrs ride to the entrance of the mountains. pair up with some travellers as well and did the climb with them
breakfast
not kidding about the steps
The view is beautiful only after like 4 hrs of uphill climb!
omg!
carrying a day change of clothes with me somemore. omg!!
the famous avatar rock.
full of people.
lunch with my new friends
bajie hostel in the forest.
continue another 4 hours hike with the new friends. almost killed me. lol
people used to leap over without this grills.
freaking cold.
Day 6
The staff at Bajie were going to bring us to a secret place for the misty looks over the moutains.
we were very lucky, not everyone have this luck. it's usually too white out to see anything.
breakfast. 10 yuan.
gear up and bought this rainboots. 200 yuan?
gruelling hike.
worth it.
fell during the muddy climb. haha
Time to head down the mountains. and hike some more
I'm not kidding about the steps like i've said.
pretty views.
one step to falling
and then there were steps
mad rush to catch the last bus back to the city, bumpy ride. 20 yuan?
bajie hostel back at the city
gathering with new found friends. before we all left for different places.
clothes were caught in the rain.
Day 7
decided to go to tian men shan again because i missed the glass walkway. (bad at reading maps) i thought it was closed but there was another glass walkway at another route!
you have to pay another 5 yuan to walk on the glasswalkway on top of the entrance fee and wear this shoe cover to protect their glass.
super crowded.
it was a mere 50 metres. and the end. haha.
Went back to hostel to tidy up before heading home.
the breakfast place.
the staff were all super helpful and friendly, they know enough English to help out if you dont speak their language.
lo and behold another flight delay again!
But i made it back.
=P
