CINDY TJAHJADI: March 2019

"Something that I can lean on while having life is called memories.

Memories which stayed in the past time just could be happened

when I do that something in the present."

Hike in the Winter? Why Not?

Good morning! Yes, it's good morning to continue the story when I traveled to Huangshan with my mom. It was 8.00 a.m., the time that my guide (Thomas) and I agreed to meet at the lobby hotel to start the day trip. Thomas already told us to separate our belongings which we should take those to the Yellow Mountain. We're not allowed to bring the luggage, big carrier, or many bags. According to him, he said it would be our burdened while we hiked up (heavy and the road was slippery back then). It made sense but I suggest you to bring the backpack at least, which can pack the clothes, outwears, medicines, mineral waters for you and your mom to prevent anything that we don't want. The track is safe but the problem is there's just a forest (no seller) while you hike up and the weather is unknown. We never know the mother of nature mood on that day, right? It was better to have heavy backpack than my mom was thirsty. :))

It took us an hour to arrive at foot of the mountain. Thanks to Thomas, we could be on the schedule and didn't have any problems cause by Mandarin. :') To reach the 'real' Yellow Mountain, we should take the bus first and cable car. The road has many sharp turns, climbs, and contortions following the contour of the mountain.

"Put your safety belt or we couldn't and wouldn't depart!" said the conductor.

Wuuu... I love that uncle's attitude. Then, here we us after 15 minutes!

I was wearing masker because it's too cold guys, freezing!

The wind went through to my face and made my lips dry. My mom was wearing it after felt the same as me. Lol. I wasn't kidding!

Bus Terminal

The Bus Ticket (19 Yuan)

Cable Car Ticket Office

Cable Car Ticket (160 Yuan for round trip)

"Look at that ice... *shockemoticon"

I could say the weather was not too good enough to take the cable car, guys! :') Not black out, it's white out! I couldn't see the mountain, the cliff, the sunlight, or the sky, I just could see the fog, the black cable, and the pillar of the cable. :') Negative thought came, "Even if our cable car had free fall, no one would know and see." :') After another 15 minutes passed, we arrived at the 'entrance' of the Yellow Mountain. Just the entrance, guys! The real journey just will begin from here! :')

"White out guys!"

I had booked the hotel at the mountain before, North Xihai Hotel. The price was quite expensive actually but it's worthy after having nice experience because stayed at this mountain. It costed me around 840 Yuan/night by booking it on trip.com. It will cost you a lot if you booked on another application or even on the spot. 840 Yuan by booking it on trip. com and 1.530 Yuan by the other application. For China trip, I would like to recommend trip.com for booking the hotels and the train tickets.

It's 10.00 a.m. while we reached the entrance. And... It took us 2 hours to reach our hotel by walking, hiking, and climbing the stairs. How many steps? Even I couldn't have a mind to count the steps while I counted on my breath. I'm 25 guys! :') Then, how about my mom? :)

I've heard this information before I went here, they said there's a human porter for who don't have any stamina to continue the journey. Once you climb up, there's no turning back because you will have the same route to go back. They said that service fee is around 400 Yuan and 800 Yuan for round trip. Fortunately, we had booked our hotel in the middle of the mountain so we could take some rest before we climb up or before we go back.

I felt sorry to my mom due the track and the bad weather but in the other side I was also proud of her. She wanted it and she did it. She climbed up step by step and could manage her breath well. Thanks to Thomas again because he was so patient to climb with us without any complaints. He's a good local guide, guys!

There are so many peaks at Yellow Mountain, we chose the Brights Summit Peak since the track was moderate and it just took us 4 hours to have a round trip. The others peaks would take more hours to reach so we would skip in this trip. Remembered the bad weather and my mom's condition, we would just enjoy the beauty of the mother's nature. Hmmm... How's bad? Back then, we hiked on January 8 when the temperature was at 3 Celcius degrees. A lot of fogs, the haze was melting like a drizzle, the wind was coming from many directions, and it's dry at the same time too. That's why the bottles of mineral water are important! Not enough if only you have a bottle when you were with your mom. My mom needed more mineral water than me.

What Will You Find While Hike to Bright Summit Peak?

1. Family Pine Tree

Thomas said this pine tree looks alike a family so they named it Family Pine Tree

2. Hands in Mountain

Can you see the hand's form in that fogs? They called it Hands in Mountain. This scenery is one of the most famous scenery which been painted in Ancient Chinese painting. Have you ever seen this scenery? or this painting?

3. Flying Rock

The rock was behind my mother called the flying rock. Why? If you see this rock in the other direction and when the fogs come, that big rock looks like flying above the clouds.

4. Bright Summit Peak

Yeay!! Finally we reach the Brights Summit Peak on 1860 mdpl! Wohooo! We did it mom! I was so proud of you back then! Without complaining, kept going, and persistent! Lol! Look what we saw back then... Fog, guys! :') But, we were so happy! It's like the other accomplishment in life. I had never imagine before to hike with my mom on a 'such' track (Once again, I'm sorry Mom!). Sure, it was a wonderful memory to have it with Mom. I've never imagine to my mom would reach it too! Thomas also encouraged her by saying she could do it, just took the time well. And... That trip day became an unusual hike trip. Enjoying the beautiful view, relaxed hiking, but had proud on our soul and mind too at the same time. I'd like to recommend this hike trip! Yesss!!!

After a long long long journey, up and down, finally we could see the 'head' of our hotel.

"Teng-Tong-Teng-Tong." My mom's Cinderella clock was ringing just right when we reached our hotel. Since we have gotten nothing, Thomas asked me to take another chance to catch the sunset at 5 p.m. on the other peak. My mom was too tired so she decided to stay at the room. :') I hope a lot for this chance to get the 'real' Yellow Mountain's beauty. But after walked 1 km, I thought maybe not today maybe not this chance too! Bye Huangshan's sunset! :')

Sunset, What's sunset? Where's sunset? Where is it? :')

Thomas said the possibility to see the sunset in the winter was around 10% :')

No Wonder...

Not stopped put an effort, Thomas asked me if I wanted to take the other chance to see sunrise on tomorrow morning. Didn't want to skip another chance, I said absolutely YES! I love his attitude how he's willing and put some efforts so we could get the best trip and see how the Yellow Mountain should be. How nice this uncle was! And... I just couldn't ignore it! :))

SO... WOULD WE GET THE SUNRISE? WOULD WE SEE THE GREAT YELLOW MOUNTAIN?

SEE YOU IN THE NEXT ARTICLE, GUYS!

I had such a wonderful trip! Plus if I remembered how my mom smiled while hiked.

Couldn't forget this moment! If your parents still on their 40-50s, I'd like to recommend this trip!

Oh yeah! Before closing the story on this article, I'd like to inform that everything on the mountain is expensive. Not quite expensive but IT'S EXPENSIVE! Mineral water 600 ml for 20 Yuan, Mineral water 1,5 L for 40 Yuan, Small packed of peanuts for 30 Yuan, Rice for 10 Yuan, and Beer for 40 Yuan. No wonder, the workers must carry all of the groceries on their shoulder, walk, and hike on the same route like us. I was so amazed by their willing to get some money. Two thumbs up uncles! Your stamina must be good! And keep healthy!