Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Notes about China

I spent six weeks in China. Culturally it is the strangest country I have visited so far. Here are some of my random observations:
- Chinese people in faraway areas look different from each other.
- Drug stores play loud party music.
- People speak to you in Chinese even though you understand nothing.
- Taxi drivers do not like picking up foreigners.
- Leaving food is polite. It signals you got enough to get full.
- English translations are absolutely hilarious.
- People photograph you like you were some rare species.
- When you are alone, people are very friendly and helpful.
- Spitting and coughing is common activity.
- The word meaning a white person is "hello".
- People make their babies pee (and even poop) on streets.
- Schedules and opening times are surprisingly accurate.
- Chinese climbers reserve routes for ages to project on them,
- People hold onto traditions and superstitions.
- Local beer is week (< 3,3).
- Airport personnel do not mind overweight luggage.
- Pointing and acting is the best way to become understood.
- Traffic lines are unorganized but functioning.

Market day

Giving autographs at Kailas store ;)





I traveled in Guangxi and Yunnan provinces. I enjoying experiencing varying landscapes, foods and styles in the different places, that reminds me what a huge country China is indeed.

My first destination was Yangshou, one of Asia's must-visit climbing spots. The crazy city is full of Chinese tourists, making it busy and noisy especially during public holidays. I stayed at Climbers Inn, which is run by Lily, who means well but keeps missing things. Every morning climbers decide what crag they want to go to and share a taxi to get there. To get most out of one's climbing, it is quite important to pick crags with adequate grades and styles. I liked long, technical face routes the best. Unfortunately my climbing performance got a bit distracted by late mornings and wine drinking, and I ended up leaving before I had sent any of my projects.





Moon Hill


Two flights and two bus trips (of which one was 12 torturous hours on bumpy unpaved mountain roads) took me to Dao Cheng. It is a small town at the Tibetan border, surrounded by snow capped mountains and influenced by its neighbor's culture. New bouldering areas are being discovered at high altitudes of 3600m - 4400m. We rode our bikes to the rocky hills and walked around them searching for potential boulder problems. Although the general rock quality was not great, we had fun identifying, naming and grading new routes. I missed making myself a route setter, though, since all my problems were too difficult for us to send.

Check out this video of Dao Cheng bouldering







Tibetan food


I ended my trip in Liming, which is one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The village, that is basically just one street, is in the middle of majestic big walls. It is China's major trad climbing area with potential for hundreds of high class routes. Walk-ups to the crags were long and strenuous, and crack climbing was a whole new thing for me. I was happy to be with experienced climbers, who set up ropes and taught me jamming techniques. I definitely got motivated to learn how to place gear, to someday add trad climbing to my skills! To top up the experience, we did a via ferrata going up the mountains and inside a large cave.









The transfer spot was Lijiang, where I visited altogether three times. For me, it was a city of annoyances (running around to arrange my visa extension), chill-out times (wandering in the idyllic, maze-like old town and staying in boutique hostels) and cries (leaving behind my only true travel romance). From there I flew to Finland.





Thursday, May 14, 2015

Appreciate each day

I wake up to the familiar sound of my alarm and reach out for the cell phone to turn it off. It reminds me of the previous morning, when I similarly woke up. Except that since yesterday one day has passed. One day of my life is gone forever. I am one day closer to death.

How did I spend that one day? Did I do anything worth looking back to or being proud of? I sure hope I did not just blankly live it through. I hope I gave attention to the people I met, took notice on happenings around me and even initiated some sources of joy. Most of all, I hope I did not mistreat the day as an eternal source of time.

Today I am living the day that will be gone tomorrow. I may be going through repetitive tasks or big adventures. In whatever case, what do I want to remember of it the following morning? Or what if next day does not exist for me?


Gotta love Chinglish ;)