Hey Hey and a Big G'day to you all,

Well, with the Himalayas behind me, the now finds me at Emei Shan (Emei Mountain) in Sichuan Province. About two hours from Chengdu. Hey it's China's Number One Sacred Mountain out of their five...at the moment it feels like 'Whooopdeeeefarking do....it's a good reason to double and TRIPLE everything in price is what it is! No really, it is a beautiful place and very quiet too, I guess we must pay for peace in what ever form it comes to us.

Judy and I left Leshan yesterday and bused it to the new 'Tourist Transit Passanger Centre' near Emei City. This was a much shorter ride than expected. It took around thirty minutes or so. As usual we were surrounded by the 'You stay at my brothers hotel. I give you good discount'. Instead we grabbed the local bus and headed into Emei Town. From where it dropped us off we only had to walk about two minutes to the Baoguo Bus Centre.

The bus ride there was only five minutes and we were dropped off at the Baoguo Holiday village. This is a very quiet bunch of sleepy hotels with Chinese names along with a number. Number 7 is in the good book. Number 2 offered a nice double with a bathroom for 60 Yuan. Bloody great deal if I may say so! Being up past the Baoguo Temple the Holiday Village is a tad too far from the local market place eatery for me so we headed back into town.

ACCOMMODATION: We found 'Teddy Bears Hostel' (about two streets down from the Passagner Transit Centre) and we were offered a double without bathroom for 80 Yuan. Strangely this was WITH a discount. Bugger that we said, walked next door to the Chinese Hotel on the corner and got a beautifully clean double with a bathroom and fly screens for 80 Yuan.

Whilst Judy rested I headed up the mountain just a smidge to visit the Baoguo Monestary. Cost 8 Yuan and was a nice walk. From there I headed up the hill further to visit the Fuhu Monastery which is also known as the Crouching Tiger Monastery. It was pretty much the same as Baoguo, nothing 'too' exciting but very beautiful. Many women in gowns with shaved heads were walking around offering smiles with big bright eyes. They were also very quiet.

I have no idea if this monastery has anything to do with the movie. No one was Kung Fu fighting...BUT...there were flyers stuck on walls mentioning Martial Arts. The rest was in Chinese so I have no idea what it was saying. Maybe the signs were actually saying:

'Foreign Devils whom have seen the movie of the same name,
please please please do not pretend and play martial arts in the temple!'

I spent a couple of hours both walking around the beautiful Temple area talking to people and then the town itself. The Baoguo town is just tiny and very beautiful. The streets behind the main street are full of outdoor eating areas. We found out later that nearly EVERY eatery and hotel has the same English menu.

So be it if it helps!

OVERSEAS CALLS: I found an International IP (telephone) shop about three or four stores up from the transit centre. Most stores advertise IP but it is only local. Sometimes it is impossible to find an international one in some small towns.

INTERNET: Apart from the three machines at Teddy Bear Hostel I found an Internet Bar/Cafe about a ten minute walk from town. When heading out of town go under the arch turn left with the main road and you'll soon come across a big IP phone shop on the corner. Head across to the other side of the road and continue towards Emei Town Proper. You'll see it. 1.5 Yuan an hour.

The night was spent at one of the outdoor eateries eating, drinking beer and playing cards. We chose 'Nathans' as it advertised NO BONES in their chicken and duck. They were serious too. We actually got no bones in our chicken. For those whom haven't been to China, the Chinese don't bother taking the meat off the bones, they just smash the meat into little pieces including the bones.

It so much fun eating chicken and fish!

The card scores are now: Me 34,170 & Judy 33,625