recce report 1 19 April culinary processes including huge vats / urns of gloop that is on the way to becoming soya sauce Chengdu and spicy pickle, and a visit to an out of town food Over cast and 32degree C today. Pleasant. hall, our day was complete. The Rally will start at the Chengdu Hotel Shangri- La, one of an international hotel chain. The hotel has all the necessary facilities in the rooms, several Things to do Chengdu bars, places to eat, business centre and spa. Secure If you have time in Chengdu to venture out alone underground parking will be allocated for the rally then do make a trip to The Peoples Park. It’s not and there are petrol stations nearby. really about the very lovely gardens but more of Just over the road is an area called Bar-Street for the people who you will find in distinct areas of those who want to venture out after dinner, it’s a very the park, one for ladies to exercise together using pleasant walk. dance, one for elderly musicians and area known as couples corner. This is where generally young ladies The city of 16 million people is vast, incorporating but sometimes men write their cvs and advertise for high-rise blocks that go on for miles and an a spouse on a sheet of A4. They even say which impressive main square with one of the few profession they would prefer to meet and there is a remaining statues of Chairman Mao. There are not definite feeling of panic from them and their parents many historic buildings but the remaining few can be when they reach the ripe old age of 30. Once the easily found in the parks. interested party has made contact the parents of the love match meet up to make sure they approve. We On the road we found that traffic is not as disciplined weren’t told how often a positive match is made. as in Europe but it all flows pretty well with the liberal use of horns. People will switch lanes and The park is also used by hundreds of grandparents join from a side roads without giving way if they on daily childcare duties and is very social with see a gap which does take a little getting used to. wonderful tea houses where you have a large flask Generally roads are immaculately maintained with and stay as long as you like. The park also had a plenty of room, traffic not too fast with highways and significant statue marking the oler of Chengdu in trains overhead on huge concrete structures. If you the downfall of the royals and change in culture do venture out with your car then parking is available revolution. on the streets. Pandas of cause are synonymous with this region Sichuan regional food is world famous for the liberal and there will be an opportunity to visit the research use of herbs and the very potent Sichuan pepper. centre. The Panda Research Centre is excellent The food is varied and good quality. You will have the but so very busy so get there early. The City tours opportunity to choose your own venue and the menus including the Anshan Bridge which impressed have fantastic items including frogs and snakes, goose Marco Polo back in 13th Century and is very close web and chicken feet, rabbit heads, spicy dishes and to the time honoured Hejiang Pavilion Chengdu IFS traditional hotpots. Sweet, sour, bitter, spicy and salty luxury shopping experience Lan Kwai Fong, a trendy you will find it all and often on one plate! Chengdu expat district with great shops and wonderful was voted as a Unesco city of gastronomy 2011. restaurants With a quick visit to the Museum of Gastronomy, In Chengdu near the hotel you can also find the where we were shown the history of the regional usual range of international brands so don’t panic if you need to do a little last minute shopping. 2 April 20 Chengdu 28 degrees and & cloudy with high humidity. First thing this morning looking out of my room on 22 floor, it was impossible to see the streets or city through fog/ smog. Today we visited a local hospital to have a health check prior to applying for our Chinese Driving Permits (CDP). This really was a just an eye test so don’t forget your glasses. It seemed a lot of fuss but it is essential so just remain patient. Kim was gone much longer and had a hearing test of sorts. Our guides will be there to help with translation. CDP were made for us at the Police Station about 40 minutes drive from the hotel. Again just a process and more patience required. For this you simply need your normal driving license. You do not need photos either as the authorities will already have them. April 21 Nepal earthquake in 2015), we will follow G318 for a Chengdu - Ya’An - Yajiang considerable time. Depart from Chengdu at 7am There is more traffic on G318 with the occasional Arrival at Yajiang at 16:00 lorry slowing down the traffic. The road runs between Heading for the Hills. Raining but warm. the mountain and Dadu River and is strategic for Leaving Chengdu this morning was very easy and commerce and military alike. The mountains grow we simple took the expressway for 230 km out of loquat fruit, mulberries, cherries and tea. Chengdu towards Kangding. This is an excellent road with mountains in the distance and very little Around noon we were climbing our first mountain traffic. After 20 minutes the countryside appears pass (Zheduo 4298m – meaning zigzag). The pass has and we started to leave suburbs behind but it is a chortens and prayer flags by the thousands and we good hour before you leave the Chengdu region. can see Gongga Mountain - 7556m and a group of The Schwan region is predominantly agricultural and 6000m+ mountains. Next we descend and are actually produces oranges, pork and rape seed oil among on the plateau of Tibet. There are herds of small Yak others all for Chinese domestic market. and their calves as well as a few ponies some with ribbons in their tails for decoration in the open valley Motor Way services are clearly marked and have dotted with Tibetan style houses and white stupas. shops for snacks & coffee and clean loos. Yajiang is a Tibetan town built on the narrow area As you would expect the geography changes and between mountains and Yalong River. The streets have the hills start to appear. Green spring growth and a lot of shops of all sorts and small eateries. Houses terraces of tea accompanied by brighter weather. are built on mountain slopes. There is a small Tibetan We were now climbing slowly and saw the Tibetan monastery on top of the hill where 6 monks live and signage appear alongside the Chinese. Prayer flags can be visited if you want to stretch your legs before and Tibetan style houses become more common some square dancing after dinner in the town square. and trees give way to lower shrub growth. After the large suspension bridge the flora changes and you enter the cherry growing region. We got off the expressway in Luding where we officially entered the Tibetan regions (here in Sichuan, we are in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Region, which borders with Tibet Autonomous Region just after the town of Batang). It is from Luding that we start our journey on G318, China’s longest National Highway (5476KM) running from Shanghai to the old Zhangmu Pass on the China/Nepal border (abandoned after the 3 April 22 April 26 Yajiang - Batang Bome (Pome) - Linzhi Depart from Yajiang at 8:00 Depart Bome at 7:55 Arrival at Batang 13:20 Arrival in Linzhi at around 14:30 Fresh bright morning 4 degrees. Soon after we left Yajiang Town, we started to climb up the mountain road, very little traffic and 18 We leave the town this morning with the hairpins later we were at the top of the mountain at snowcapped mountains straight ahead. 4190m. We drove at altitudes over 4000m most of the morning, stopping to sample the wares for the There are stations across the road with cameras and store holders selling dried fruits, air-dried yak meat you may well see the locals and lorries parked up. and other hard to identify items. This is because they are waiting for their allotted time which is worked out on average speed and if Continuing on we reached Karzila Pass at 4430m. they get there two early they will be fined. The fine increases with each excessive mile. We entered Litang County, one of the highest settlements in East Tibet at 4014m. Litang Chode, Take time this morning to turn off Trashigan village founded in 1580 by the Third Dalai Lama, is one for a cuppa tea at family hotel ( 10 Yuan pp)and of the largest temples outside Tibet Autonomous visit prayer flags. Listen out for the skylarks. There is Region. We drove through a large village called plenty of room to park in center of the village. You Dela Village with beautiful Tibetan houses along can’t drive up to the prayer flags so, park up and both sides of the road. potter back slowly. There was some snow on the road and the Bome is nick named Little Switzerland because of the temperature was around 0C on the top, then we scenery. Mountain sides covered in pine trees and slowly descened into Batang and our destination ( the Parlong Tsangpo River running along the valley the most glamorous garage in China) at 13:20.