Hin's 2nd C.O.U.N.T. 1,000,000 steps (Sep 3rd – 26th, 2010)

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8. Con-tricked - "Wang Ba Dan"

 

Thean Hin Ooi <ooithin@gmail.com>   Sun, Sep 26, 2010 at 10:07 PM

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21/09/10.  06:45 – 17:35.  Dongmaojie – 37°49'48.49"N 109° 7'41.83"E near Yang Kiln Ze.

 

Sep21: 06:46 - 17:34hr. Though the mountains were behind me, today is still a hilly walk, and had a wonderful view of a horizon ring of mountains during the lunch break. Cracks and fissures along/around the wall created deep ravines, gullies, canyons and gorges. It was so difficult to by-pass, at times had to detour a long way around them, some, just had to climb down and up the other bank.

 

It was towards evening after passing a hill top that I spotted CH on the road and promptly stopped for the day. Met a passing herdsman and enquired whether we could stay at his place, and as always we were welcomed with open arms. We then trek back round the corner to his pleasant place, while Mrs Zhao prepared dinner. What a dinner, large pot of braised mixed vegetables, another pot of "stew" with vegetables and we joined the family of 5. I was told there was meat in the stew and ... I was glad I got a piece of fat. The day wasn't too difficult, managed 39,647 steps, with total ascent of 1191m and total descent of 1271m (elevation range: 1241-1400m). The sleep was fitful with the flock of sheep just outside shuffling and bleating away through the night.
 

 

22/09/10 06:15 – 19:05.Resumed from 37°49'48.49"N 109° 7'41.83"E – LiuQiang, Hengshan, Xian. (29.4km).

Sep22: 06:16 - 19:03hr. Fairly hilly hike and again on approaching a valley, the large fissures forced a protracted detour. After almost 2 hours of mountain trails found me confronted by a long dammed up river. Asked a group of people how to cross and they pointed to a crossing about 1.5km by line of sight.

 

Then, out step a "well-dressed" very keen young man rendering his assistance and before I could ask, offered to take me across on his motorbike and re-join the wall side, and of course for a tidy sum. He estimated that the wall was 20km away, though my GPS track indicated 3.9km. So I thought, some 1.5km+ mountain trails to the river crossing, another 3.9km to the wall - oh what the heck, I didn't want to wander for another couple hours round the unknown mountain trails, so decided to take up his offer of 60RMB ride. I sensed something was amiss and the suspicion became even stronger when after 100m, he stopped and complained what a long way for him to go, and if I wanted him to take me to the wall, I'll have to pay some more - the ride price went up to 80RMB. I felt I had no choice, so agreed, and he wanted to see the money (he was afraid that I wouldn't pay him upon reaching the said destination). I assured him that I would and we resumed our ride. Finally we got to the wall and when I looked at my GPS, we had travelled 6.8km, but an agreement is an agreement.

 

So I pulled out a 100RMB note and here it comes (as I anticipated), he had no money on him, so asked would he be able to keep the whole note. He sniggered and held the note up to see whether it was a fake. I thought of "taking the red Mao Zedong, tore in half and gave 1 piece to him (that's 50RMB), then proceeded to tear my half into 2 and handed him 1, that makes 75, and finally gave him a 5RMB note which then totalled 80. He would be stunned and am sure would miraculously find in his sleeve a 20RMB note on him, as change." Swindler, dirty rotten scoundrel, "Wang Pa Dan", "Hwai Dan", but as MJ said, " a bad egg doesn't spoil the whole basket" (sing; "1 bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch, girl...").

Resumed my walk and God knows, confronted by the same long dammed up river again - couldn't cross. I decided to take the road and walked (hoping to go round this end) and found myself way off track. I knew CH was nearby and managed to get him to take me across and re-join the other side. We came to a sentry tower and there were a dozen cars parked outside with a live sentry on the high wall. Apparently a gambling session was in progress and the ancient tower suddenly became useful. I knew it, when there are gamblers, there are bound to be cheats.

The rest of the day's walk went well with new cement roads along it, and at 19:03hr (with 56,032 steps, total ascent 1441m, total decent 1558m and elevation: 1094-1367m), stopped in front of an old couple's house and again were eagerly ushered into their little home. An old couple in their late 70's, wife aided by a walking stick, cooked us noodles with eggs - we had our fill. We made sure that there were no sheep in old Liu's house and looked forward to a good night's sleep. Would you believe it - 2 cockerels started to crow every half hour from 4 - 6:00am. We got up early, had the hen's eggs for breakfast and left with a smile.

Now it had been 4 days and nights in a herdsman's house, no shower, no change of clothes, we held our distance from each other. My socks and ... had become "kiam chai" (preserved vegetables). Surely, we won't be able to stand each other another night?

Look for a better outcome in the next narration.

All the best.

Regards,
Hin

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