13th April 2019 (Saturday)
[To have a better view of the wide landscape photos, you are encouraged to download them, zoom in so that the top and bottom of the photos touch the edge of your computer screen and then scroll them left and right to get a 180° perspective of the landscape]
I stepped out of the hostel just after 6:00 a.m. On my way to the bus station, I stopped by a stall for an early breakfast.
[To have a better view of the wide landscape photos, you are encouraged to download them, zoom in so that the top and bottom of the photos touch the edge of your computer screen and then scroll them left and right to get a 180° perspective of the landscape]
I stepped out of the hostel just after 6:00 a.m. On my way to the bus station, I stopped by a stall for an early breakfast.
I arrived punctually at Wulingyuan Bus Station at 6:32 a.m. I went to the counter to ask for the ticket to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan), though I knew passengers would be paying their fares in the bus.
The ticket clerk told me to take the bus at bay number 2 and directed me with her gestures to walk through the security screening zone to the rear of the station. At the rear of the building, I saw that parking bay number 2 was for "Zhangjiajie City". I wasn't sure that was the correct bus to take to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan). The bus door was still closed and so I walked back into the station to take more photos.
The ticket clerk told me to take the bus at bay number 2 and directed me with her gestures to walk through the security screening zone to the rear of the station. At the rear of the building, I saw that parking bay number 2 was for "Zhangjiajie City". I wasn't sure that was the correct bus to take to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan). The bus door was still closed and so I walked back into the station to take more photos.
I went back to the bus parking bays and a man asked me where I was going. I said "Senlin Gongyuan", which was the Chinese name for Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. He asked me whether I was going to Huangshizhai, in which I responded affirmatively. My itinerary this morning was to go to Huangshizhai and Golden Whip Stream (Jinbianxi). He pointed me the direction to the bus and it was not at bay number 2. As he walked with me, I pointed at bay no. 5 and asked him whether that was correct or not. He replied positively. Written on the signboard was "Forest Park". Behind the sign was a green bus.
Thanks to him, I was not "misled" by the ticket clerk, who might have assumed that I wanted to go to Zhangjiajie City even though I told her I wanted to go to Senlin Gongyuan. He asked me to take a seat on the bench provided.
I did not sit down but walked around taking more photos. Then, I boarded the green bus and took my seat at the bus entrance.
Thanks to him, I was not "misled" by the ticket clerk, who might have assumed that I wanted to go to Zhangjiajie City even though I told her I wanted to go to Senlin Gongyuan. He asked me to take a seat on the bench provided.
I did not sit down but walked around taking more photos. Then, I boarded the green bus and took my seat at the bus entrance.
I was observing whether there were other foreigners taking this bus. It was just my way of being assured that I was in the correct bus. A couple who looked like "outsiders" got on the bus. If outsiders were taking this bus, then it must be the correct bus to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (or Senlin Gongyuan) or so I assumed.
It wasn't too long into the ride when I checked my Garmin. It was going in the direction of Grand Canyon. Something was not right. Negative thoughts started racing through my mind. I didn't know what to do. I continued to monitor the route on my Garmin and I knew that the bus was not going to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan), which was in the opposite direction.
After a long time, I thought the best option was to continue with the trip until it reached its destination, and then taking a return trip. My time would be wasted and I was not going to make it to both Huangshizhai and Jinbianxi (Golden Whip Stream)
At the same time, the positive side of me kept saying maybe, the bus would somehow be actually going to Huangshizhai, though I knew I was lying to myself.
Suddenly, I heard loud talking behind me. The "outsider" couple was talking very loudly to the conductress who was collecting the bus fare. The man was saying that he was going to "Senlin Gongyuan". He asked the conductress what she was going to do since the bus was not going to Senlin Gongyuan. She said something to him and that he needed to disembark. I got up and told the conductress that I was going to Senlin Gongyuan too. I wanted to get off too to follow the couple to get back to Wulingyuan bus station. I asked her how much was the fare and paid her ¥10 and left hurriedly before I lost sight of the couple. The bus had travelled 40 km from Wulingyuan Bus Station, based on my Garmin eTrex record.
We walked back to the town, which the bus passed through a short while back. I merely followed him, while the wife was falling behind. He asked around and was shown the direction to wherever it was.
After 15 minutes, we reached the town bus station. I kept silent and let the man did the talking. At first, we were pointed to one bus. He said he wanted to go to "Senlin Gongyuan" to the driver. I did not understand their full conversation. It did not work out. Then, we were pointed to another bus. The couple discussed with the driver. I thought the driver said that they could be dropped at an intersection and they could walk to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan) from there. I told the driver/ conductress that I wanted to go back to Wulingyuan Bus Station. The driver and the couple explained to me something which I did not understand fully but I just played along and paid ¥12.
It wasn't too long into the ride when I checked my Garmin. It was going in the direction of Grand Canyon. Something was not right. Negative thoughts started racing through my mind. I didn't know what to do. I continued to monitor the route on my Garmin and I knew that the bus was not going to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan), which was in the opposite direction.
After a long time, I thought the best option was to continue with the trip until it reached its destination, and then taking a return trip. My time would be wasted and I was not going to make it to both Huangshizhai and Jinbianxi (Golden Whip Stream)
At the same time, the positive side of me kept saying maybe, the bus would somehow be actually going to Huangshizhai, though I knew I was lying to myself.
Suddenly, I heard loud talking behind me. The "outsider" couple was talking very loudly to the conductress who was collecting the bus fare. The man was saying that he was going to "Senlin Gongyuan". He asked the conductress what she was going to do since the bus was not going to Senlin Gongyuan. She said something to him and that he needed to disembark. I got up and told the conductress that I was going to Senlin Gongyuan too. I wanted to get off too to follow the couple to get back to Wulingyuan bus station. I asked her how much was the fare and paid her ¥10 and left hurriedly before I lost sight of the couple. The bus had travelled 40 km from Wulingyuan Bus Station, based on my Garmin eTrex record.
We walked back to the town, which the bus passed through a short while back. I merely followed him, while the wife was falling behind. He asked around and was shown the direction to wherever it was.
After 15 minutes, we reached the town bus station. I kept silent and let the man did the talking. At first, we were pointed to one bus. He said he wanted to go to "Senlin Gongyuan" to the driver. I did not understand their full conversation. It did not work out. Then, we were pointed to another bus. The couple discussed with the driver. I thought the driver said that they could be dropped at an intersection and they could walk to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan) from there. I told the driver/ conductress that I wanted to go back to Wulingyuan Bus Station. The driver and the couple explained to me something which I did not understand fully but I just played along and paid ¥12.
The bus stopped across a bridge leading to Wulingyuan town. The man tapped me on my shoulder and said we would be getting off there. I was shocked. Didn't they say that we would be dropped somewhere and we could then take a transport for ¥5 or walk 20 minutes to get to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuna)? I had misunderstood their conversation.
The man had become friendly now. Since I told him I was going to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan) to Jinbianxi (Golden Whip Stream) and Huangshizhai, he went on to explain to me how to go about my itinerary and pulled out his map to show me. I pulled out my map from Destination Youth Hostel but he said it was not accurate and continued to use his map to explain to me how to get to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. He was dropping Zhangjiajie National Forest Park from his itinerary as he was running out of time. While he was talking to the conductresses in the wrong bus and in the last bus we took, I overheard him saying that he needed to take the bus to Fenghuang at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon.
During our conversation, he told me he was from Lanzhou city in Gansu Province. He told me he would walk me to Wulingyuan Bus Station. He wanted to settle the matter of the wrong bus there too.
As I examined the photos which I took of Wulingyuan Bus Station, I realised it was my own carelessness getting on the wrong bus. Parking bay no. 5 was vacant, hence the man asked me to take a seat and wait. The green bus to Sangzhi was parked on the adjacent lot, i.e. at bay no. 6. As I was used to seeing the destination sign in front of the bus, I had without due care boarded the green bus when it was actually parked in the adjacent bay no. 6.
Back at Wulingyuan Bus Station, I finally got on the right bus to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan) which departed at 10:36 am. The fare was ¥10.
It was already 11:00 a.m. when we arrived at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan) bus drop-off area. There was no time to go to both Huangshizhai and Golden Whip Stream (Jinbianxi). Since Huangshizhai would offer similar scenery as Wulingyuan, I opted to go to Golden Whip Stream. I could still go to Huangshizhai the next day, since I have nothing planned for the day except taking the bus to Zhangjiajie City.
The man had become friendly now. Since I told him I was going to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan) to Jinbianxi (Golden Whip Stream) and Huangshizhai, he went on to explain to me how to go about my itinerary and pulled out his map to show me. I pulled out my map from Destination Youth Hostel but he said it was not accurate and continued to use his map to explain to me how to get to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. He was dropping Zhangjiajie National Forest Park from his itinerary as he was running out of time. While he was talking to the conductresses in the wrong bus and in the last bus we took, I overheard him saying that he needed to take the bus to Fenghuang at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon.
During our conversation, he told me he was from Lanzhou city in Gansu Province. He told me he would walk me to Wulingyuan Bus Station. He wanted to settle the matter of the wrong bus there too.
As I examined the photos which I took of Wulingyuan Bus Station, I realised it was my own carelessness getting on the wrong bus. Parking bay no. 5 was vacant, hence the man asked me to take a seat and wait. The green bus to Sangzhi was parked on the adjacent lot, i.e. at bay no. 6. As I was used to seeing the destination sign in front of the bus, I had without due care boarded the green bus when it was actually parked in the adjacent bay no. 6.
Back at Wulingyuan Bus Station, I finally got on the right bus to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan) which departed at 10:36 am. The fare was ¥10.
It was already 11:00 a.m. when we arrived at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Senlin Gongyuan) bus drop-off area. There was no time to go to both Huangshizhai and Golden Whip Stream (Jinbianxi). Since Huangshizhai would offer similar scenery as Wulingyuan, I opted to go to Golden Whip Stream. I could still go to Huangshizhai the next day, since I have nothing planned for the day except taking the bus to Zhangjiajie City.
The distant from the bus drop-off area to Zhangjiajie Forest Park Gate was about 1.2 km or 20 minute slow-walk away. As I walked along the road into the park from the ticket gate, I saw a path perpendicular to the main road on my left. It led to Huangshizhai lower cable car station. As I continued forward, the road turned left to Huangshizhai lower cable car station too. However, don't turn left but walk along the tiled path straight ahead. A short distant away is the trail head to Jinbianxi to the right, perpendicular to the tiled path.
From the end of Jinbianxi trail, it was about 600m walk to Shuiraosimen (Water Winding Four Gates) bus drop-off zone. Then, it was a short walk to the bus queue station. Like the day before, the bus stopped at 10 Mile Natural Gallery before continuing to Wulingyuan Park Bus Terminal at the park entrance gate.
This morning, when the bus left Wulingyuan Bus Station and crossed the bridge, I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eyes the awesome view of the distant mountain peaks from the bus window. As I turned my head to look at it, the bus turned and I lost the stunning view. It was really a sight to behold. I have never had such a feeling in all these years of travel. Not even in Yangshuo in Guangxi Province. Not even Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan. The towering range of mountain peaks over the landscape in the distant ... I told myself that I have to come back in the evening to see it again.
My back was aching. I told myself that I would regret not going to the bridge to see the mountains if I let the aching back stopped me. I pushed myself to walk to the bridge. At 5:15 p.m., I reached the roundabout to the bridge and spent the next 45 minutes there to enjoy the amazing view and to take as many photos and video as I could until I was satisfied. I zoomed in, zoomed out and took photos from different angles but I just could not capture the beauty of the towering mountain peaks.
My back was aching. I told myself that I would regret not going to the bridge to see the mountains if I let the aching back stopped me. I pushed myself to walk to the bridge. At 5:15 p.m., I reached the roundabout to the bridge and spent the next 45 minutes there to enjoy the amazing view and to take as many photos and video as I could until I was satisfied. I zoomed in, zoomed out and took photos from different angles but I just could not capture the beauty of the towering mountain peaks.
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