The Road To Chengdu - Part 1 - Xiancheng

An early start - and another good breakfast at Sean's, and it was off to the bus station. It's 8 hours to Xianchieng - and only the first hour is paved. The rest is on bumpy rough roads cut into the mountainsides, climbing higher and higher to reach the mountain passes.

The scenery was incredible, and it's worth doing this trip just to sit and stare out of the window.

Here are some pics:







When I finally arrived at Xiancheng there was a huge conversation going on in Chinese and English about whether there were any buses to Litang the next day. I got chatting to the people I'd met in The Raven who'd set off the day I tried to buy my ticket, and they told me that there had been no bus that day, so they'd been stuck.

We were told that there was a bus the next day, but tickets weren't available until 5am the next day, but after some negotiation we were able to get tickets.

I checked into the hostel, and then headed out with Michael, Clare, Stefani, and Alix for food at one of the local restaurants.

As they'd been in town that day they'd already been up to the monastery, and they said it was pretty good, so I headed up after dinner and after climbing the hill found it was closed.

One of the monks said he'd open up for me and gave me a guided tour. It's a really exceptional place - really colourful with paintings everywhere. He even insisted I take photos even though there was a sign at the main gate that said you weren't allowed.

Xiencheng:



Giant Buddha Hand - they are making a new statue at the monastery:



Inside the monastery - it was all like this:



And on the outside:



From there it was back to the hostel and beer on the roof with everyone...