Wandering About Guilin

What’s your secret?

Secret? None. Well, patience and perseverance maybe, but no secrets.

Friends often asked me how I managed to secure bargain air-fare tickets each time Air Asia launches its campaigns. My reply would be, “Try and keep trying.” Sounds so corny, kan? But if I were to tell you that I paid a little under RM130 for each return ticket to Guilin recently, wouldn’t you too want to go flocking AA's cyberspace trying your luck?

And that’s my story with the red and white website. Sometimes I get lucky; at times efforts can be hopelessly futile. Well, you can’t win all the time.

Anyhow, flying on Air Asia can be a headache at times. Rescheduling of flights is pretty common these days. Off late some flights are even canceled. No reasons given, only a notification email. So be prepared to have your plans adjusted. In fact that was what happened to this trip to Guilin; we were warranted another day as the return flight was rescheduled. What was only a 5 day trip has changed to a 6 day holiday. Okay jugak lah kan……

That morning on 16th May 2011, Faris drove us to LCCT at around 3.30am. I had done the web check-in but we didn’t want to take any chances, of course. Had light breakfast at McDonalds (one question..why must the same pancake at the airport cost much, much more than pancakes at the non-airport McD outlets?? Haa...cer citer...cer citer...) After breakfast, we walked to our departure gate. Unfortunately, the gate assigned to our flight was a temporary one and the departure area was not equipped with any form of amenities. There was no toilet and neither was there a surau. Argghhhhh....ohhh….why larr?? That morning we did our solat Subuh from our seats in the departure waiting area minutes before we boarded – early morning flights, that's how it is lah.

Guilin is a city in Guangxi Region, China.

Flight to Guilin was slightly more than 4 hours. Later when I looked around in the aircraft, I discovered that we were the only non Chinese on board!! One uncle asked why we were going to Guilin. According to him, most Malays would tour the other famous Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai. I told him we’ve been to those places, and now it was time to go have some adventure. I couldn’t tell if he was at all impressed by my reply. But when I told him we didn’t not engage any tour agencies from back home to arrange for our trip he only had this to say, “Whoaaaa….u banyakkk pandai oooo!!”

I wanted to reply him this way, “Unker….got Google mahhh!!” But instead I chose to just show him my confident smile. And that was how we managed pretty much the next five days, communicating like ducks and chics; putting to use all creative means and methods we could possibly think of.

Sharing here story of our trip….enjoy :)

Very close proximity to many picturesque limestone mountains and formations, Guilin is a scenic town and one of the best-known tourist destinations in China.

Nissa and our guide for the city tour. Got the tour from the info desk at the airport. Pretty reasonable rate - CNY200 for the afternoon tour of the city.

First excitement of the day - the cable car ride up the Yao Mountains. Yao Mountain lies only about 12 kilometres from downtown Guilin. At a shade over 900 metres high it is the highest peak in the vicinity of Guilin. Brave heart Nissa..(before the ride...)

The 1400 metre cable car ride was completed in 1996 using Austrian technology. This provides easy access to the summit as well as wonderful views on the way up.
View from our cable car....by now knees were wobbling.

These covered cars are only used during rainy days.

The cars came very close to these tall trees on the mountain slopes.

Pine and bamboo trees that came into view

Mommy trying to look cool for the camera while Nissa was all cold feet and hands.

Err...when was maintenance checks done on these?? A question that was probably running in everyone's mind. It was on mine all along the way up.

Not for the faint hearted - you can even slide you way down!!!

Yao Mountain got its name from a Yao emperor temple and boasting all natural beauty in its surroundings.