Starting from the Chadianzi bus station, a long bus ride to Songpan was on the day's agenda. The remote village, 350 kilometres away, could only be reached by buses or private cars. We opted for the first and cheap option - 156 yuan each.
The outdated bus was clean and on time. Buckets were laid down in the aisle for people to throw their rubbish. Let's come back on that later.
After leaving Chengdu downtown, we were facing a completely different decor. The mountain scenery was magnificent with small towns at short intervals along the way. The road, in the mountainous regions, averages out the snaky and unpredictable curves of the river. The stomach-lurching turns and a driver using the brakes sparingly make most people carsick. Do you remember those buckets in the aisle? They have a main purpose than collecting your rubbish. As people got sick, they started to use those bins. We won't explain much in detail but you got the picture.
On top of that, we only stop twice. One to allow us to use 1 yuan washroom and a second time for a quick lunch. So not the most pleasant journey.
Outside the scenery was still breathtaking and as we got closer to Songpan, Tibetan features became more and more prominent. Array of multi coloured flags were strung along mountain ridges and peaks. We pass by several yaks wandering peacefully on the road. We learned that the yak meat was the speciality of the region. Something to try on later.
After the 8-hours ride and quickly checking in average Emma's guesthouse, we explored the town. The streets were deserted. Half of the shop was closed. The ones open barely making any sales. Not such a surprise after the recent and nearby Jiuzhaigou earthquake.
Nonetheless, the town was charming. Hidden without the well-preserved city walls, the main street was illuminated with colourful Chinese paper lanterns. Beautiful!
