Jade Mountain - Take 2 - Day 3 (Part 1)
Trip Start
Unknown
1
8
Trip End
Ongoing
Yü-shan 玉山, Taiwan, Taiwan
Friday, August 6, 2010
I grabbed my flashlight and turned it on. Caught a glimpse of a gigantic Daddy Long Legs right on the wall a mere centimeters away from the spot where my head used be. I don't know if this was a omen or not...but he was deemed harmless and ignored. Our guide was busily making breakfast in the kitchen as I set out to make sure I had everything I needed packed in my light-weight day pack. I had a suspicion that they would make congee...and...they did. *SIGH*. Congee is this bland and flavorless rice soup that they then put things into like...tofu, pickled vegetables, peanuts, pork floss and other assorted items into. I am not a fan of this breakfast congee because...it usually tastes like ass. They have another kind that people eat for lunch/dinner that can be made with pork, corn and egg which is quite tasty. Since I was cordially invited to partake in breakfast, I decided to get some. I put some peanuts and a bean curd something or other in my congee cuz they were the safest ingredients. This also made my congee sweet...and I can't do sweet rice soup. I found a section of a hard boiled egg and placed that in my congee. The plan was to save it for last and have something salty to go out on. I fought like a real trooper and downed that congee as quickly as possible. I got to the egg...popped a section of it into my mouth and gagged...and then nearly threw up. I don't know WHAT they did to that egg but it was the most awful and foul tasting thing I have had in mouth in a LONG time. I just spat everything into my bowl and then ran outside to spit in the bushes some more. I really hate nasty surprises like that!
Just before 2:30 AM we set out on the 2.5 KM hike to the peak. Our goal was to make it there just as 5 AM hit to catch the sunrise. Some 20 minutes into the hike my gut started voicing its displeasure at something or other (I personally hold that rancid egg responsible). I thought it would go away...that I could mind-over-matter it...but alas...some 10 minutes after that...I knew something had to give. I told the guys to go ahead and then stayed behind to fertilize the landscape. Let me tell you...even though it was around 3 AM in the pitch dark...it was still a much more pleasant experience than using the eco toilets. Those things are so horrendously foul smelling it's a wonder anyone can get near them at all. The stench also radiates outward quite a bit. I would much rather go into a bush somewhere and risk Poison Ivy ass than brave the eco toilet at Paiyun Lodge.
The next hour of hiking was quite uneventful. Our guide took it nice and slow and gave us plenty of breaks. He briefed us (well...he briefed everyone else in Chinese and then Gabriel translated) on the symptoms of altitude sickness and told us about a bit of what to expect it the last KM to the peak. It didn't sound like any walk in the park. Around 4 AM we entered the most challenging part of the hike. I didn't find it overly difficult...our pace was enough that my body did just fine. There were times where you needed to hold onto the chains they had embedded into the rocks for leverage or while on a narrow ledge or some sort. One guy in our group (the same 33 year old who lagged behind the first time) had me quite worried. I seriously thought he was going to have a heart-attack and/or die or something. He was wheezing and grunting and panting so hard I almost told him to just sit it out.
Just after 5 AM we made it to the peak. There was already light in the sky but the sun hadn't popped above the horizon yet. Everyone was busily taking pictures and/or setting up tripods. I tried to set up my iPOD to take video...but just couldn't find a way to rig it to any of the rocks or my belongings. I gave up on the video idea and just decided to go photo crazy. Conditions at the peak were rather pleasant...all things considered. It was a very low wind day (by normal standards) and also not as cold as things could be up there. We stuck around until just before 6 AM and then our group leader stated we should get back down. We rushed to get in some more pictures and then were off.
To be continued...
