The Songstone

Farewell the Philippines, what can one write of pata, beaches, beauties every night? Needs must recover quick! Back to 广东 and Sanying Spa Resort, where weary schlong can longer bathe in waters nature's blessed and Rooster year seen in by broody rest A place of peace and quiet in this great nation enlivened by amusing mistranslation

  Delicious sinful unctuous pata yar!

You know it's not a major route when your plane's like this

3000 metres up. Effective oxygen 14%; important to control your breathing here. Not quite Tibet; as close as I can go, travelling alone. The largest prayer wheel in the world. I don't approve of superstition... Seems to keep the locals happy though, and tourists flocking in. Harmless enough, I s'pose.        

Time to move on. A bus to Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the world's great sights; photos can't do it justice, but I took some anyway. A word of caution: having taken thirty minutes getting down, I scornfully refused the easier path back up... To cut a gruesome tale short, I entered Tina's Guesthouse on a horse, exhausted and my wallet light. Still, at least I made the bus to Shangri-La.                

Trekking at Lashi Lake; the Ancient Tea and Horse road/trail. Wonder the poor brute coped (I weigh in at a 100 kilos plus). Whickered as I approached, greeted my mounting with a ripping fart. There is a thrill to mountain paths, 2 metres wide, 300 metre drop with just a pony's hoof between your life and death. The lake itself, where I had booked a kayak. One look at me, and a headshake: 'Too big, you'll sink.' Instead I got the VIP: a gondolier.