Kangding

After visiting the north of Sichuan, I decide to go west, to the Tibetan region of China, in the mountains. I am actually kind of happy it’s the last time I have to take a bus out of Chengdu, it takes almost one hour and I’ve done it a lot. The bus to Kangding is supposed to take ten hours but in reality it’s closer to fifteen. We arrive when it’s already dark and quite late. Of course I forgot to book a hostel and with the Chinese holiday period everything is full. Luckily Konka Hostel offer me a couch in the common room for the first night. I am more than happy to sleep on a couch! The second night is worse, I sleep in a dorm which is actually a tent (!) outside. I get up really early, the one and only bus to Litang can only be booked the day before the ride and it gets filled up really fast. I am lucky and I get a seat after queuing for two hours. Finally I can go and explore Kangding, a charming little city, surrounded by mountains and full of monasteries and temples. A girl at my hostel gave me a printout of the Lonely Planet, and I photographed a map of the city in a guidebook of some other tourists, I am ready! The monks don’t mind me walking around and taking pictures, there are rabbits and hens walking about too. 

In 2002, an Englishman was murdered on Paoma San… should I not go there because of this? I climb the steep stairs up to the mountain (San = mountain in chinese). I’m really glad I didn’t miss this, the view is great and the temples peaceful as always… and almost nobody is there. 

  To end this great day I want to go to the hot springs. Four kilometers from the city center and only 2 Euros for one hours of private bath in a hot and a bit sulphur smelly water, it’s quite enjoyable after a whole day of walking around!