huangshan, done!

not being the sporty adventurer type, this counts as a major achievement. although one confesses that part of that is due to being hauled up many of the steps under duress the enticement of a hot shower and the promise of ice cream.

for the record there is no good ice cream up there.

the perfect hotel room

must-haves for this middle-aged traveler:

• firm mattress soft pillows
• bedside charging potential for every occupant
• powerful hot water in the shower
• and hair conditioner, not just shampoo
• a table to sit at
• space to stretch into, and
• a minimalist decorating philosophy

also, the ideal hotel (not the room) needs self-service detergent-ready washer and separate dryer. and a gym. 

table for two

simple food. good company. with promise of a nap later.

beihai hotel

much of the magic of yupinglou including modern minimalist chinoiserie and a bathroom with every convenience. 

PLUS (most appreciated, this) a laundry room with (mark you this) two shoe drying cabinets.

yessss.

huangshan foosh

owing to pitch nite darkness and a treacherously unexpected step i take a flying leap onto all fours.

the good news is, despite an OSTA in extreme negative territory, there is no fragility fracture.

the other good news is that my trusty phone escapes unscathed. 

yupinglou hotel

great location a short climb from the cable car station magnificent view with promise of sunset instant hot water on tap and all the mod cons in the room including a nice tête-à-tête set-up. so call me shallow but this takes its place amongst my all-time most impressive hotels.

anhui!

material change from XJ! we see green vegetables in abundance there is easy access to the loos and they actually enforce no smoking indoors. plus TP is provided! the times they are a'gettin' better.

hungree

  dinner and dessert. delivered to your room. 

nearly orgasmic.

chain hotel big city

back in possibly my favorite city in the east. in a nice holiday inn express. 

where the girl at the hotel reception is confidently reassuring and delightfully helpful. and no smoking means just that. and the washer comes pre-loaded with detergent. and the dryer lint catcher is lint-less. and the meituan options are (possibly) legion.

oh shanghai, how i have missed you!

onward bound

camping out in the airport lounge waiting for the next leg and being thankful for HOM's frivolous foresight in planning a convalescent second half to the vacation.

at last

final dinner in urumqi, sans logistic imperatives sans innumerable photo takes sans time keeping sans stress.

thank you for organizing! everyone tells HOM. thanks for everything!

we need to start planning the next trip, i hear someone say, all proactive-like. yikes.

general tso's chicken

what i learn today from the cotton tour is that the guy behind the dish was a real person and he was a military hero who won back xinjiang's western borders!

imagine proving your great prowess and being rewarded as a foreign fast food item! if you ask me, colonel sanders had the better deal.

thoughts on xinjiang

• the VIP tour bus has in-seat lumbar massage and a fast charging pod that works 
• AAAAA attractions live up to their classification. the toilets there are a sight better than the hoi polloi variety. TP provided!
• the local milk popsicles you find at pit stop stands are really to-die-for
• amazing how they get 4G and 5G coverage at the most remote locations high up deep in and everywhere in between. what did people do before data?
• xinjiang is enormous. its size expands your spirit and makes you realize how small you are
• the smoke, as with pretty much everywhere else in china, seeps into your bones thru your nose

last stop

lovely view* that HOM hauls me up hundreds of steps to enjoy. 

quads weeping but heart sang gloriously for a bit.

and THAT'S IT!

*tianshan tianchi

currency

the most precious breakfast commodity, it appears, is the chicken egg. yes that humbly ubiquitous oval-spherical long-time staple that we don't even think twice about. at xinjiang hotels you need to produce an issued-by-person coupon attached to a warm body before you can access one unit per human.

this must be the (almost) unbelievable thing i learn before breakfast on this trip.

longest day into night yet

the torment finally ends at 11:30 PM when we arrive at the hotel. i will need a vacation to recover from this one.

in other news, the views are spectacular.

lake kanas

unwittingly decanted into a human sardine can situation at the AAAAA tourist attraction so the only sensible thing to do is to decline to add to the overcrowding and have a cuppa.

motivation-challenged

here we are, HOM and i, shooting the breeze whilst our travel mates hike up to 280-odd steps to the scenic spot and back.

anthem

today we shlepp to the altay peak to ooh at the boundaries between the 4 nations. the views are even more stunning than over the last few days and the sun keeps up a sizzling presence.

shortest day yet

the bus decants us into the hotel at 6:30 PM. there is a collective gasp of relief from all the women in the group. laundry finally gets done. the hair gets washed. and we are in time for a late dinner instead of supper!

the guide promises us payback tomorrow.