There has been rain and wind all night, but at least it has cleared the smog a bit. We are due to fly out to Chengdu this morning, but the typhoon is still threatening. Five members of the group are French and it gives me a chance to practice. I must say I was pretty rusty so the conversations flowed back and forth between English and French. The rain stopped during the trip to Hongqiao Airport which is closer to downtown Shanghai than Pudong, but serves mostly domestic traffic now. Security was tight in the airport and we had to remove our shoes to have them x-rayed. The flight was comfortable and was on a Boeing 757 operated by one of China's domestic airlines. We were met at the airport and taken to the Traffic Hotel in downtown Chengdu. This hotel caters to the Western crowd and includes internet access. We had an hour or two for a quick wander around town and then it was off to yet another banquet. Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province and the food is a bit spicier than in Shanghai. The dishes included rabbit, pig's feet and soya bean tofu. Naturally the tea and beer is plentiful.
After dinner there is a small conference to discuss some aspects of the field work. It is thought that moderate grazing of pastures creates a better habitat for rodents and leads to an increase in their numbers. Rodents are an integral part of the Echinococcus multilocularis life cycle. One objective of the study is to model the rodent and small mammal habitats and correlate them with satellite imagery. Then in the future, rodent/small mammal populations can be predicted by regular satellite imagery. This in turn leads to a prediction of risk to human health via the foxes and dogs that hunt the rodents and small mammals.
After all that thinking, it is back to the bar for a nightcap and then to bed.
This is an easy morning with a light breakfast. One essential item for the study is searched for: chopsticks! Not as easy to find as you would think. These chopsticks will be used to secure traps in the field so they need to be strong, but also cheap. The right ones are eventually found. We wandered through the local market where almost anything edible can be found: fruit, spices, fish, frogs, rabbit, beef, pork (even their noses), duck, snakes, flowers, eggs, brains, intestines, etc. Some animals were alive, some dead, some ready for cooking. In most cases these were separate. However, I came across a pile of gutted rabbits. Huddling on top were two live rabbits, partially covered in the blood of the carcasses below.
We return to the hotel for lunch. It includes fried spaghetti which is really spaghetti in tomato sauce and had never seen a fryer. Translations are not always accurate, but they are usually amusing. Just as a treat, we also have banana crépes, hardly a traditional Chinese dish.
It is time to board the bus out to the research site. However, the bus is late! We eventually get sorted out. The bus appears to be suited to rough roads rather than smooth highways. We have a few extra passengers who are going in the same direction, so the bus is a bit crowded once all the luggage is stowed. The first few hours of the trip are uneventful with good flat roads. The scenery has changed from Shanghai. There are few rice fields and a lot more corn. Then: a flat tire! We stop at a roadside tire repair shop for about an hour. Once we started again the road began to climb; we were beginning the ascent into the mountains to the west of Chengdu. We began passing heavily laden lorries as they struggled up the roads. Then everything came to a complete standstill - a mountain traffic jam! During the next hour we inch up to the obstacle which is due to construction and a broken-down truck. Free at last, we charge up the road, only to stop again after two kilometres! It is at this point I learn that our route is far from straightforward. Ahead there is a tunnel running under the mountain peaks, and beyond that the road is being rebuilt...all the way to our destination! Large segments are restricted to one way traffic and the queue we have joined is waiting for the next chance to use the segment beyond the tunnel.
Eventually we get moving again. The tunnel is modern and is quite long, several kilometres at least. Now the fun begins. The road we are using is of strategic importance to access Tibet, but it has suffered from major landslides in recent years. The Chinese government has decided to upgrade it, all at once it seems. The next 5.5 hours is spent hanging onto the edge of the mountains, navigating through construction crews, boulders, potholes, etc. There are many bottlenecks causing delays. As the trains do not travel out to Tibet, all the supplies go by truck. But many trucks were carrying supplies for the road building, especially barrels of tar, which they didn't seem to be in need of for a good few years. These trucks are slow, so at every opportunity cars and our bus would attempt to pass, often finding the opportunity disappearing rapidly.
We arrive at our hotel in Kang Ding at 0115 hrs and have to stir the doorman asleep on the foyer sofa. This segment of the trip had taken about 12 hours and we have climbed to 2005 m (6580 ft) above sea level. Of course the first thing on our minds is ... no, not sleep, but food! So a quick check in and then dinner. We find a "hole in the wall" restaurant on the main street and took three of its four tables. The dishes included a lovely egg and tomato dish, spicy tofu, beef, chicken, tea, and of course beer (after all, it is cheaper than bottled water!). We get to bed at 0230 hrs.
Up at 0730 hrs and breakfast at 0800. A delicious meal of chicken feet, boiled eggs, steamed breads, tofu and vegetables. The bus arrives at 0915 and we are off again. The temperature is much cooler than yesterday. Today's roads are meant to be the best of the 3 day trip. We seem to make good time and stop eventually to stretch our legs. We are now at 4290 m (14,075 ft) above sea level. A herd of Yak pass by. The road is not living up to expectations as there are many delays due to construction and road repairs. However, we are seeing more and more of the Tibetan people. The Tibetan people are found further afield than just the Tibetan Autonomous Region at the western edge of China. Many live in Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. The houses in this part of Sichuan province are two-storied and highlighted with vibrant colours. The bottom storey houses the Yak in winter and they in turn provide the "central heating" for the family above. The scenery is marvellous, especially one valley that is carpeted in blue flowers. The mountains are green and there are two horses grazing in the distance. I just can't reach my camera in time. I have noticed a lot of roadside tire repair shops along the road. I now know why. We've blown out 2 tires, one on each side at the back. It is another 1.5 hours to fix.
Midnight. A detour around a construction zone. It is raining. The road is mud. An overturned truck looms up in front. While negotiating a tight bend in the road, this truck has managed to end up on its side. There is no way to get around it, and the road is too slippery to attempt reversing back down. Nothing to do but put a rock behind the back tire and call it a night. I knew this trip was going to be different, but I had not imagined sleeping on a bus, on a back-road in western China, sipping whiskey from a coke bottle, eating dry crackers, watching Red Scorpion (a Dolph Lundgren movie), with the rain gently falling outside. After the movie I get what sleep I can, though I am too long to be comfortable in the short seat.
In the clear light of day, it is still not possible to pass the truck. Our guide hires a few locals to fill in the drainage ditch to give us the extra few feet of space we need. While this goes on, trucks and buses are lining up on both sides of the overturned truck. Some decide to brave the off-roading route down the hill, dodging the Yak along the way. They make it, but find that they are blocked by the trucks wanting to come up. There is no attempt to let them pass either. Eventually the bus makes it around, but now has to negotiate its way around the uphill trucks that decide to start moving down. As the road is still slick this is a dodgy idea, but everyone manages it without further damage. During this episode, I spied a hare out for a run nearby.
We get underway just after 0800. The construction continues with many one-way sections. The smaller ones have no form of traffic control. The workers appear to be mostly Tibetan families who camp beside their section of road. The women work equally with the men. Compared to the enormity of the task of rebuilding hundreds of kilometres of road there is relatively little mechanical assistance.
Just after 1000 hrs we stop in Ganza, the last stop of civilisation I'm told. We consume last night's dinner, breakfast and lunch all at once. We are back on the road at 1145 hrs with extra snacks and water, just in case. The roads get worse from here on, as there has been a fair bit of rain. However, the mobile phones still work!
The skies are clearing and the scenery just gets better with rocky outcrops reaching to the sky, velvet green valleys below, and beautiful butterflies everywhere. By 1400 hrs we have left most of the agricultural land behind. The new terrain is rockier, with low brush cover, and more Yak. There are lots of flowers of every colour and many species of birds. As several of the group are avid bird-watchers this provides lots of excitement and debate on just which species was just seen.
We get stuck at another road block. This time there is truck that has a broken axel in the middle of the fording site around a bridge replacement project. The bridge is 6 feet from being finished. The truck is overloaded with bags of cement. The workers attempt to move the truck by lifting its back end with a front loader. However the truck is too heavy. They are successful once they have manually off-loaded over half of the bags. This all takes an hour to clear. We stop in Mangango for dinner. Due to the lateness of the day we decide to stay at the local hotel instead of carrying on. I do use the term "hotel" loosely. There is four to a room and the rooms are comfortable. However the toilet is across the street. By the way we have left the porcelain toilet behind and are now on the reliable technology of strong wooden floors, a hole and a deep pit. Half height partitions are the only luxury.
During our visit to one of the alligator breeding centres, we had each been given a can of tea as a gift. We have now discovered that the cans contained a sealed foil bag. Due to the lower atmospheric pressure at this altitude, the bags has expanded and popped the lid of the tins. There is nothing to do but wait until we return to sea level.
We are up at 0630 hrs and on the road by 0700. These roads are dry and passable. We reach 4600 m (15090 ft) above sea level on one mountain pass. Another blockage just before 1100 hrs. This time it's a truck stuck in the mud of the construction. There is only a wait of half an hour. Shortly after this, we stop for lunch including mushrooms and mountain fish. Then on again. The weather turns and threatens rain. At 1630 hrs we are blocked by more construction. A digger is tearing down one side of the road and spreading it around, both widening and raising the road surface. The driver is determined to get some work done before making a path to let us through. By 1800 hrs we arrive in Sheshun and then by 1920 hrs we arrive at our destination: the small town of Tuanjie, only one day late. Both ourselves and the bus have survived, though the air-conditioning ducting and a light fixture rattled loose and 3 tires were repaired along the way. I must credit the driver with not tipping over or getting bogged down, thought at times it seemed very close.
Now we settle into our new home. The local government compound, down the road from the main camp, has a spare room, so the men of the group are given this, rather than sleeping in tents as we had expected. There is no electricity at the moment, but it is promised. We return to our main camp to eat dinner and sketch out a plan for the following 13 days. The fare is simpler, but still tasty, including fried bread, soup and noodles. Then it is off to bed to try and sleep through the conversations of the local hounds which persist all night.
It's our wedding anniversary today, but the nearest phone is too far away so I can't call Jen.
Breakfast consists of steamed bread and warm Yak milk.
The actual work starts today. Christine has retrieved her samples and equipment from her last trip out here. She has about 80 samples that were preserved. It will be my job to go through them once she has demonstrated the methods. In a few days' time Christine is travelling up to the summer pasture to collect samples there. She will have to travel three days there and back on horseback for one day's work! But it is the only way to go due to the remote location. We have a lab tent in which to do the work. There is a pit dug in one corner into which we can put all the contaminated material and burn it each day. This ensures that our samples don't perpetuate the disease as the parasite eggs are still viable despite the preservatives.
We went into town to get a sieve for the lab work. This was my first real interaction with the locals. People followed us everywhere, curious about what we were looking at and what we were buying. Arm hair seems to really fascinate them as the local men don't really have any. Women and children will pull up your sleeves just to rub you hairy arms! Having a morning sponge bath and shave was guaranteed to draw a crowd.
We got down to processing the samples, which also attracted the locals' attention. I suppose it was because we were covered in white protective suits, bags over our boots and using face masks. I imagine that most people at home would avoid people dressed like us. We had to keep the locals from sticking their noses into the pans containing the parasites.
The daily routine was fairly straightforward. The other members of the group were off trapping, measuring, and observing in the area around the town for most of the day. We would settle down to analyse a few samples in the morning. The time taken for each sample varied from 30 mins to several hours depending on the level of infection and the amount of sample. Usually by lunchtime our backs were sore from bending over our sieves. After lunch, we might walk into town and buy a Pepsi (yes Pepsi, there wasn't any Coke alas!). Then we would get a few more samples done before dinner. Usually the afternoon brought a threatening storm which could include high winds, rain and hail. It would only last an hour or so. But you could watch it rolling up the valley for several hours before it hit.
Disaster has struck! The battery in my camera has died and I broke the photographer's cardinal rule of always having a spare. Lithium batteries are a bit hard to come by up here. Going back to physics lectures, and with inspiration from the god of improvisation (McGyver), I rigged an alternative using some standard AA batteries, electrical tape, a Swiss Army knife, and a set of Air France headphones. It looked odd as the batteries were strapped to the outside of the camera, but it worked very well.
Dinner starts with Yak yogurt. It's very good, especially with a spoonful of sugar!
Breakfast includes fried bread as well as the usual Yak's milk. This morning's audience during washing and shaving were 8 local women who had a good giggle, presumably at the amount of hair and the pasty white skin. Usual lab routine and finally got a positive sample. Dinner tonight included beer, which is easier to find than bottled water. We had some free time before dinner. We tried to pass the time with a deck of cards. Unfortunately we couldn't really remember the rules of most games (Go Fish, Cheat, Crazy Eights, etc) so we made them up as we went along. McGyvered another camera for one of the others in the group.
During the day we saw vultures circling over one of the hills behind the town's monastery. Later I was told this could have been part of the ritual of Sky Burial. Certain locals are entitled to this ceremony after they die. The monks remove the body to the top of this sacred hill and offer it to the vultures. To ensure that everything is consumed, the monks will break up the body. The belief is that the birds will carry the spirit up into the sky.
Our shack is down the road a bit from the main camp; there is a five minute walk each night. Tonight there are no clouds and we can enjoy one of the clearest night skies I've ever seen. The town has no street lights, but from each house comes the flicker of a candle or a single light bulb. It is rather impressive. You can just stand there in the darkness looking up for ages.
Woke up this morning to the pounding of drums; no, not in my head from last night's nightcap, but the locals practicing their dances just outside our door. This went on for several mornings. My understanding is that the dance is part of worshipping the sun.
Managed to do some laundry. I must explain the source of our water. The base camp included a long thin single storey building divided into several rooms. Some of the rooms were used for families, others for our kitchen or stores. There is a hand operated water pump in one of these rooms, which is also the living room/kitchen/bedroom for one family. The water is then boiled if it is going to be used for washing or cooking. This is accomplished using a Yak dung stove. The dried Yak dung is an effective heat source once it gets going, though when it is cool the fires smoke greatly. Once the water is boiled, it is poured into the ever present thermoses to keep it hot.
After work and before dinner, a few of us take a hike up one of the near hills. Along the way, we pick up several small children (literally as they seem to enjoy piggy backs) who proceed to embarrass us by running up and down the hill as we struggle just to walk up. In our defence, the top of the hill was about 200 metres (650 feet) above the camp and we were already over 4000 meters (13,120 feet)above sea level. Though not suffering from altitude sickness, it is still hard to do anything energetic at this altitude. The effort was worth it though as the view was dramatic despite the sound of car horns arising from the town. It is amazing how much noise was produced by the town. Mostly from dogs and horns.
The local customs regarding dogs are different from our Western habits. Some are kept as guards and very few as pets. Many are strays who seem to co-habitate as required. Many are roaming at night.
It has been a hot day, but the evening has become chilly.
Another routine day analysing samples. There were a few more positive samples including a rare mixed infection of E. multilocularis and E. granulosus. The afternoon was interrupted by rain and hail. The hail stones were about one centimetre in diameter.
Ended the day by getting a good burn going in the medical waste pit.
Except now it won't stop!! I try several litres of water to settle it down.
The pit is still smouldering this morning. So I give up fighting and relight it and let it finish up.
It is another beautiful day on the plateau. Christine is off to the summer pastures today. She'll be away for a week, but 6 days will be spent travelling on horseback. The remaining day will be used to collect samples.
I feel a bit like "White Man in Cage, Come and See!". Lots of locals come to the compound to visit and conduct business. The sight of a man dressed head to toe in white protective gear is a curiosity. The same sight in the West would send people running, fearing a biological attack! Instead they were all getting a bit too close for safety.
Dinner tonight is fresh fish that our host plucked himself from the local river. It was accompanied by the usual beer, and bijou (rice liqueur). The bijou is potent stuff, commonly used to strip paint in other parts of the world. Three shots of that as well as the beer and the evening became very mellow. Left the daily medical burn to smoulder away (actually completely forgot about putting it out, oops!). I wonder what pains tomorrow will bring?
Dr Chou seems to have had a delivery of supplies as there are piles of Albendazole stacked around the place. These are anti-parasitic drugs used to treat the locals that have become infected with the parasite. The occasional patient is brought to him for a check up.
I'm finding the lab work to be hard on the back as I have to crouch over the pit.
Dinner included a nice mushroom soup. There was plenty of watermelon on hand as well.
More tribal dancing at seven this morning.
Today we have honeydew melons!
I've almost finished the samples. In the meantime, during my down time, I've finished reading The Code Book by Simon Singh and I have started Kipling's Debits and Credits. There is some sort of event at the monastery today. Hundreds of people seem to have arrived in the town for a celebration. There was a story going around that the son of the living Buddha was visiting. But there was also supposed to be monkey/monk fighting. I am not sure which story is true.
Apparently the Yak are seen as a measure of status. The more you have, the richer you are. They are kept for their milk, some of which is used for yoghurt and butter. The hair can be used to make carpets. A few are slaughtered each year in December for their meat. It is also possible to pay your taxes in dried Yak dung. This is sold on by the government as solid fuel. Many of the Yak herdsmen supplement their income by collecting something nicknamed winter worm. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine. A single kilo will provide enough income for a family of five for many months, but it takes a month to collect. The winter worm is actually a caterpillar that has been infected by a fungus, and can be found at the base of certain plants. Because of its value it is probably the main economic product of the area. It should be noted that the herdsmen directly support the monks. It takes five herdsmen to support one monk.
I watched construction on a house today. It consists of packing earth between two planks used as forms. The earth is compressed using poles. Each layer is left to dry before the next is added. A basic roof then tops off the house. The majority of dwellings are made this way.
I have learned how to play real Mahjong, not the computer copy. This game has four players and resembles poker. The game is based on forming pairs, triplets, and sequences. It is won by the person who clears their hand first. The finer points of the game are a bit more complicated, of course.
A storm is brewing, there are light showers but it later becomes fierce rain and lightning. The local dogs are all a bit wilder tonight. At least we are cosy in the tent, playing Mahjong. The walk back to the shack and to bed is particularly dark as the moon is completely obscured. It is a bit intimidating as you can hear the local dogs all around you, but the flashlight is a bit too dim to pick out more than their eyes! Some pass you by with a grunt, others circle you a bit, but keep their distance. I think all the dogs have gathered under our eaves, and outside the door, to share in a chorus of some canine tune.
It is overcast this morning, with the clouds only about 200 metres above us.
This afternoon's work is interrupted by a sudden wind/rain/hailstorm for three-quarters of an hour. Finished up the last of the samples after it abated. Now that my work is done, I'll chip in with the other groups for the next few days.
Took a trip into the town with colleagues. Again, the dogs are everywhere and they are territorial. A gully running down the street is their boundary. Stay to your side and everything is okay; cross it and the snarling starts.
A monk let us into a small temple for a bit of a look-round and a greasing of the palm. It was a bit run down. The young trainees should be in dusting instead of being out wandering around town. The windows could do with a wash as well. Despite that it was interesting to get a good look at the statues and paintings.
The town itself is dirty as well, especially as the villagers drop their rubbish just anywhere. The river banks are dirty from trash being dumped into the river. With the number of people who appear to be idle, you would think a bit of effort could go into cleaning the place. I suppose when nomadic people are adapting to a sedentary lifestyle, there are likely to be growing pains.
We received a delivery of Yak dung today. A tiny man arrived pulling a cart loaded higher than he was! He seemed to struggle a bit with the ruts in the grass. A few of us got up to lend a hand (though not one of the locals raised a finger). This is when I found out just how thin the air was. Even though it had been about 9 days at altitude, I'm told it takes up to 3 weeks to acclimatise. After about 25 metres of pulling I was ready to collapse. On the other hand my cold tolerance was better than the others. While a colleague is wrapped up to the neck, I'm comfortable in a T-shirt.
More Mahjong this evening until the wind got up. We then had to rush around and secure the lab tent before it was lifted skyward. Returning to our game, we found that the 4 guys who had been playing all afternoon had taken over the tiles. Spoil sports! As our Chinese was not good enough to tell them to clear off and the storm was closing in, we headed to bed, warm in the sleeping bags.
A bit of consternation this morning as a dog got into the lab tent during the night and took/ate some of the rodent samples from the French team. Shouldn't have left them on the ground!
I went out this morning with the rodent group to check and remove traps. In the afternoon I enjoyed a siesta and a good sponge bath (self-inflicted unfortunately). I've almost finished reading my current book. It is very pleasant to sit back under the umbrella, reading, eating melons, and watching the afternoon storm roll up the valley. In the evening, we are back at the Mahjong, this time without interruption.
The rodent group is taking the morning off, so I'm hanging around in order to go out with them in the afternoon. They had previously hired two locals as trap watchers (as traps can be nicked during the night) who are now hanging around, perhaps in hope of more work. But all the traps are now lifted.
The vultures are circling, perhaps they expect another sky burial today. They move off after a while, they must have been hunting.
I head out with the rodent group to one of the nearby valleys. Just beside the spot where the jeep drops us off is a long wall of flat stones. Many of the stones are covered in Tibetan writing; I assume they are prayers. While examining the wall I find a small owl peering out at me. I manage to get up close for a photo. Minutes later, other owls appear as does a buzzard. Nearby some picas are fighting. Picas are related to rabbits and hares (they are lagomorphs). Only thing is that they have stumpy ears, which just doesn't go with hopping now does it?? The French call then "aucoutonas".
Climbed from the valley up to 4330 metres (14,200 feet).We have divided up into different groups. The plan is to walk a bearing from one side of the valley to the other, noting the terrain and the wildlife. The terrain on this part of the hill is very rugged. The place is covered with rodent and pica burrows. Heads keep popping up and disappearing again. Sometimes they shoot across your path only to go down another hole. At times you can see them fighting in the distance. The picas have outdoor toilets near their burrow entrances, which are usually small pits or the centre of a particular broad-leafed plant.
A buzzard passes by, and later on a hare takes off from in front of us. I walk back down the hill to the valley. Down by the river bed I encounter more of the local rodents. All you see is their little grey heads popping up. A quick squeak and they bolt down the hole again. It is a bit like a fabric softener commercial. There is a babbling brook beside me, there are little creatures running around, the sun is shining and the valley is green with patches of colour. I half expect to see a rainbow and a line of washing. The pica have worn paths through the grass. They form a complex network that would make a highway engineer proud. You have to watch underfoot to avoid treading on the frogs as well as the occasional pat of Yak dung from the winter grazing. At least if we are stuck, we could light a dung fire!
As a few clouds pass in front of the sun, bright patches race across the valley highlighting the blues and yellows of the wild flowers. There are birds chattering and chasing each other through the air. After crossing the river I find myself in a boggy area where the frogs and flies dominate. Coming out of the bog, the terrain rises slowly, and the rodents and pica appear again. A lone rider on horse back passes in the distance. A lone black dog follows us for while, before continuing its travels. With the increasing slope it gets harder to breathe. I have to stop occasionally to catch my breath. I almost make it to the top of the hill on this side of the valley, but it comes time to head back to the jeep. I stop just short at 4433 metres (14,540 feet). I can see a wall of rain advancing towards us. It is a bit unnerving, as if it is tracking us on purpose. Despite my best attempt when re-crossing the river, I get my feet soaked. It doesn't matter as we soon meet with the jeep and return to town where a hot dinner and a bottle of beer awaits.
After dark we head out on the road again for a night count. This is where strong searchlights are used to probe the darkness to either side of the jeep. Spotters look for the reflection from animals' eyes. The goal is to count foxes (the natural host for the parasite). Instead we find many hares, a few dogs, the occasional pesky human, and lots of rain. Perhaps the foxes were more sensible than we, and were cosily in their burrows instead of hunting. We return to base camp for a well deserved nightcap.
In China, if the jeep won't start, just get out the crank. Yes, Beijing Motor Company's best still come equipped with a crank start! Once it is running, I venture out with the fox group. They are looking for dens and trapping prey. The prey are examined for signs of the parasite. From our perch near one set of dens (identified by the presence of fox droppings) we watch gazelle, pica, wolves, and Yak wander by. The birds of prey are with us again. They seem to have a nest nearby. I find one of their perches (again identified by the droppings and some feathers). It offers a magnificent view of the valley below. It is so quiet that all you hear is the river passing 200 metres (650 ft) below and the slight breeze in the grass. I notice a pica nearby and decide to stalk it for a photograph. I get on my belly and crawl slowly to its burrow. It becomes a game between us. As I move closer the pica disappears below ground. After a few minutes the head pops up. If I stay still, it will start eating the grass around the entrance. If I move, it disappears underground again, letting me get a bit closer. As I do this, I hear a rather eerie sound. It is a gentle whoosh of air and rustling of feathers. Looking up I see a vulture circling above me, possibility to see if I stop moving for long enough. It goes away hungry. After about half an hour I get to within centimetres of the pica. I watched as it ate the grasses and broad leaved plants around the den opening. There was a second pica about a metre away. It would shear flowers of at the base of the stem, eat the stem, then let the flower drop away.
There are a lot of butterflies here, moving from flower to flower.
The afternoon thunderstorm appears right on time. Again it can be seen for hours before it arrives. I've gone for a walk, descending from my perch and crossing the valley. I notice four wolves in the distance and they seem to have noticed me. They move away slowly and I follow. Eventually they cross over the far ridge and into the next valley. I turn back to meet up with the others. The rain, no sorry, hail, has started. As I get back to the perch, the rain stops and the sun comes out. I bask in it and have a siesta. At the end of the afternoon we lift the traps, and return to the base camp. This evening the group returns from the summer pasture.
We are getting towards the end of our stay and the breakfasts are getting more basic. Gone are the eggs, the Yak milk, the Yak yogurt. Just the steamed bread and some processed meat product remain.
We are visited today by the local county governor and his aides (the population of the She Shun county is about 600,000 people). He has come to hear about the group's work. He did arrive late, but with the road conditions, that was to be expected. As a gift, he brought half a jeep full of food. There is little chance we will eat it all in the next day and half. It was a good, friendly meeting. A good thing too as the governor was carrying a pistol down the back of his trousers. Both he and his deputy were dressed like Texas businessmen with nice suits, cowboy boots and ten gallon hats. He stayed for lunch and then was off again.
After lunch, I helped Christine set up to analyse the samples collected on the summer pasture. Then I take it easy and wander around town a bit to do some last minute shopping. It does get a bit annoying when 10 locals are constantly following you just to see what you are buying. They all want to touch the items and pass comment. It was cute at first, but now you would like to be able to buy some loo roll (toilet paper) without the whole town being witness.
The base camp has started to come down as tomorrow is the last full day.
The plan today is for me to go out with the geographer to help him compare the satellite imagery to the actual vegetation. This was planned 10 days ago and required the jeep. However it was "forgotten" by the organisers and there is not enough petrol for the jeep. We plan a less adventurous outing and set off by foot. We spend a few hours on the town outskirts then return to camp.
I started up the last medical burn and included items like the pan and sieves. I turn my back for a minute and the locals are trying to pull things out of the fire. So I have to stand over the fire until most is cooked and then buried it. I wonder if it was dug up after we left.
After lunch myself and one of the group wandered over to the main temple to look around. We were invited in by the monks and given a guided tour. There were four floors of shrines and guest suites including one for the Dalai and the Banshi. The main shrine was in the centre and was centred on a giant Buddha that went up 3 stories. A few monks were gathered at the base chanting prayers. The opulence of the temple was in stark contrast to the rest of the buildings in the town. The smaller shrines in the wings were on all floors and each had a special significance. They were full of idols, including some in rather racy positions. And each had a donation box at the ready.
Nearby the temple is a 3 metre (10 foot) high prayer wheel enclosed in its own building and the main temple's predecessor. The older temple is now used as a monks' school. I learn that there are 20 reincarnations with dogs being the 19th and humans the 20th. As we walk back to camp we are followed by a begging boy, who is trying his luck. He isn't getting anywhere and eventually has a hard time keeping a straight face. We both laugh a bit as he tries to keep up the begging through his giggles. He moves on when we get to the base camp.
The bus that will take us back to Chengdu in the morning arrives. It has broken windows and bullet holes. Apparently it was attacked and robbed on the way up with other passengers. It is still a bit of the Wild West out here.
Nothing left to do now but pack, sleep, eat, sleep, drink, etc. It is early to bed as we have an early start.
It is up at 0500 hrs to finish packing and take a morning constitutional. If we are lucky there will be showers tonight! It is a bit frosty and at 5:30 hrs the horizon begins to brighten. The bus driver doesn't show until 6:00 hrs. We get on the road and make it to She Shun for an 8:00 hrs breakfast of dumplings. We can watch the sun rise as the beams touch the tops of the mountains and travels down into the valley.
Continuing along the road we stop for lunch at a mountain pass. We are at 4500 metres (14,760 feet), but the surrounding peaks are up to 5800 metres (19,000 feet). The trip is spectacular as we work our way around the twisting roads. We are in Ganzi at 2000 hrs. We were promised rooms and showers in the Golden Yak Hotel. It is not to be. We are in a different hotel and we are still on sponge baths. The dinner was okay, but the service wasn't great. At least we had a proper bed with sheets.
Up early again at 0600 hrs. As we wait for the bus we meet a tour group of Westerners. It ruins the atmosphere of adventure.
The road is not bad, except for the occasional broken truck, cars stuck in the mud, landslides, and another puncture of the bus's tire. Just what you would expect. We have to wait again at all the one way traffic zones around the construction. This time the wait was three hours so we watched Jurassic Park 3 in the bus and bought nourishment from the local vendors. We get going eventually. We are almost at the end of the zone when the road is blocked by a roller. We hear three stories as to why it is there: it is broken; the driver got in a fight and ran off; or the police ordered it there as they attempt to catch a driver going against the flow. After an hour, we get going again as the roller driver appears and drives off with no explanation. It is getting dark and the fog is moving in. We descend the mountains on the twisty roads at high speed. Other than the greyness outside that spirals off into the darkness, there is just the occasional set of tail-lights from the truck in front.
We arrive at the hotel at 0140 hrs. Finally a proper, hot shower. Then we get two hours of sleep. We have to leave early to join the convoy for the tunnel. It is important to get in front of the heavy goods trucks. We are on the bus at 0500, but then sit in the bus depot until 0600. We make good time for about 150 metres! The traffic is moving slowly, then grinds to a halt after a few kilometres. Turns out a truck with a broken axel is blocking the road. Another truck has become stuck on a pile of gravel as it attempted to pass. Eventually we get moving again and after other stops make it to the tunnel. There is great contrast on the other side as the roads flow freely. We stop for a bite to eat, including some of the best chicken soup I've ever had. The secret is to use the whole chicken carcass, as I discovered when I pulled out a piece of neck including the skin and spinal cord.
We make it back to Chengdu at 1930. Check-in is quick, followed by another hot shower and then out for some dinner. We stop by a bar for a night cap (the French do enjoy their night caps!). I see the drinks list includes bottled Guinness. Being adventurous, I order some. What the menu did not make clear is that it is Guinness Foreign Extra Stout which is sweeter than the regular stuff and has a bit more kick at 7.5 percent alcohol. I don't think I'll be rushing back for a second one. I still prefer the traditional pint! So it is off to bed.
Today is nice and slow as it wraps up the "business" side of the trip and starts the holiday. A few of us wander up to Carroll's by the Sea, an American theme restaurant. It sits by the river as the nearest sea is a good distance away. Just as a test, I try the pancakes. They are just like Aunt Jemima's, when they eventually do arrive. It is an interesting experiment, but I think I'll stick to Chinese food.
We wander around the markets, then the whole group meets for lunch, another feast. At 1600 hrs we all go to the Sichuan Institute of Parasitic Diseases that hosted us, to present a report of the field work and eat lots of watermelon. We also pay our bill for the trip to Tuanji which is very reasonable, considering the distances travelled. My portion for the 6th to the 25th July was 3190 Yuan or about 400 Euro. That includes hotels, buses, insurance, petrol, food, the cook, and "Yak faeces for cooking".
After the meeting the institute director takes us to dinner. Another huge and varied feast! To help wash down the food we retire to a karaoke bar for a few drinks and a good laugh, though we manage to avoid singing ourselves. The music is definitely Western and '80s, and the translations provide great amusement. We wrap up the night at the hotel with some Jack Daniels, and then head to bed.