18/7/25
Tropical nights equal low quality sleep. Jonathan used a wet flannel to keep cool. We opened the room door in the early hours to try and create a breeze. We couldn’t be more disappointed that we’d spent extra money but the hotel didn’t actually have the air conditioning it claimed to have. Really though we should blame the unabated use of fossil fuels by the wealthiest people in the world. Not just billionaires. One only needs a mere $140k of net worth to be in the top 10% of the world, who collectively emit 50% of the world’s carbon emissions.
It was a very delayed start to the day, which included a stroll in the market. We couldn’t quite believe, both how long the market was, it went for a mile along the river side, and how many yaks heads there were on display. After seeing these gorgeous beasts grazing at 4000m it was sad to see their lifeless, bloodied heads static. People hatcheting up their corpses, pulling and prodding their meat. Mushrooms were the next most valued commodity. An express shipping service was available for customers to send them home.
After we’d checked out, resisting the urge to tell them how awful it was, we sat in the bus stop contemplating how to get to Moxi. It took an hour or so of deliberation. We, well Jonathan mainly, wanted to take the S434 over the mountain pass at 4000m. It was the fastest route and promised to provide good views. There was no direct bus route. A taxi driver wanted ¥500. It was too much money.
Instead we took the local bus to Kangding Bus Station, in the north east of the city. As we got off we were repeatedly asked, “Chengdu?” We shook our heads with a smile. One man, upon hearing our destination, pointed us up the road. A car park packed tightly with mainly yellow, but also blue and white, minibuses. An alternative bus station.
We looked around, small signs inside the front of the buses indicated their destination. A driver approached us and told us we would go direct to Moxi. Perfect. It would leave in an hour. We stashed our bags in the bus, keeping our passports with us, and went for a walk. Opposite, a young boy, who looked rather Tibetan, had a touring bike. He was cycling to Tibet on the G318. The second cyclist we’d seen today. The first had been on the road around China for 3 years, his derailleur had bent, and he had a dog in his basket.
From the alternative bus station, we headed north, hurrah! Direct to Moxi. He stopped outside a shop for 10 minutes. The driver jumped out to collect some prized delivery items. As we pulled off, he appeared to be quite far to the right side of the road. We muttered under our breaths, “please don’t”, but the driver turned around anyway. We weren’t going directly after all, we’d likely have to change at Luding. It was quite annoying. He’d definitely told us he was going to Moxi. The sign in his window even confirmed it.
There was a lot of traffic. The construction of the Yaye expressway (G4218) was to blame. It was a ridiculous project. It was a spur, longer than its namesake, the G42. Having already reached Kangding, the next section was to cost an insane $74 million dollars a mile. Pushing a mega highway further towards Tibet was obviously worth it.
The road went a long way downhill. Over 1000m. The G318 is a very famous Chinese road. As such it was manically busy. Not just the usual trucks, but travellers on motorbikes and surprisingly, a very large number of bicycles. We were fairly pleased not to be cycling it. It didn’t look particularly enjoyable. Jonathan cheered as many of them as he could.
It was hot at the bottom. Too hot. The hair was heavy and sticky. Only the breeze from the windows kept us cool. We’d picked up a few people en route and they all got off in Luding. Another tourist town. Famous for its chain bridge. We’d contemplated stopping there for the night, but the queue to cross the bridge was stupidly long. The bus pushed on, still following the Dadu river, we’d joined it alongside the Zheduo river. Jonathan was still extremely disappointed not to have taken the S434.
First we travelled through Hailuogou tunnel. Then up a few hairpins into the town of Moxi. We paid only £10 for both of us for the 3 hour bus ride. It went quite quickly considering. There were a gazillion hotels. Frankie took command and chose a hotel for us. It had an air conditioning unit on the wall. Thank god.
Moxi was another tourist town. It had been completely flattened in the 2022 Luding Earthquake. The buildings were all concrete structures, with pretty oriental facades, presumably now built to be earthquake proof. Old Town Moxi was simply roads of identical shop fronts all housing restaurants. Vegetarian dishes featured prominently on one menu, so naturally we ate there. An indulgent mushroom dish enticed us. We’d seen so many of them, but they were still expensive.
Craving some fruit, we asked the hotel owner where to buy some. He immediately offered Frankie a lift with his “sister” on her electric bike. Off they zoomed. A little shop a kilometre away. Frankie picked up some bananas, peaches, apples and a big slice of watermelon. The woman paid for them! Her “treat”!
Now You See Me 2 was only 60p to rent on the TV. In English too. We lay on our beds, enjoying the cool air conditioning. It was finally an earlier night. Quiet and peaceful.
Surly They Won't Make It 