Zhangjiajie, China
1 - Our tour in China is off to a rough start, as we fight our way through a sea of people at Guangzhou train station in order to catch our connection to Zhangjiajie. Upon arrival, hungry and feeling icky after more than 12 hours in transit, we are stuck waiting in line for a cable car, sweating in the unforgiving Chinese heat for nearly 3 hours.
2 - We meet some interesting people in line, such as a Spanish man who lives in Beijing and can speak Mandarin - an odd thing to witness. I occupy myself by coaxing smiles out of the adorable baby in front of us.
3 - The mountains and scenery of Zhangjiajie are stunning, but as it is still the humid summer season in China, the skies are anything but clear. There are also more Chinese tourists than I could have ever imagined. The overwhelming crowds threaten to take away from the beauty of our surroundings, but we enjoy ourselves all the same.
4 - The 999 steps up to “The Hole” in Tianmen Mountain is a workout. Eric’s uber-fit mom does it without blinking an eye - or taking a breather - while I take my time along with the other huffing and puffing Chinese tourists.
Zhangjiajie
