Li Yun Zhao ("Wendy")
An English speaking tour guide in Yangshuo, China.
We rented electric bikes for the day and took a bamboo raft trip on the Yulong River.
(E-mail Li Yun Zhao for more information.)
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We arranged (I say "we",
but I mean Yun Zhao did the arranging, "we" participated in the
planning) to take a bamboo raft trip down the Yulong River. This
trip of about two hours is said to go through some of the most
beautiful country in China at a very restful pace. Wendy
suggested that we rent electric bikes for the afternoon, which
we agreed to so as to see the countryside better. She got the bikes for us in Yangshuo and we took a short ride to the takeoff point for the rafting. She made all the arrangements there with the boatman, explaining what we wanted and what he had to watch our for with us. |
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There are a huge number of
rafts there ready for the influx of tour buses, but we were
lucky and there were few around when we were there. You have to
walk across the rafts to get to the ones on the river, which can
be a little tricky footing, so Wendy had the boatman give us a
hand. These rafts are actually made out of bamboo and are about ten "bamboos" wide, something like 5-6 feet. You sit two abreast in these lawn chairs, and that is not a lot of room! The boatman poles you down the river, with an occasional drop-off over little dikes that cross the river. You can see a short video at this link. He had us get out at one of them while he pulled the raft across, but I saw some people riding the raft over that one as well as the smaller ones. |
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Mind you, this is not white water
boating, so I am not talking to the younger set here. This is
adventure for the more sedate traveler! It is a pretty idyllic scene, floating down the Yulong River, and is a nice way to see the country. There is commerce; after all , this is a tourist trip. All along the way there are "raft stores" selling food, water, and beer. At the drop-offs, there are rafts with photographers taking your picture going over, with their cameras hooked up to computers and printers so they can hand you your picture a few seconds after you make the crossing! It is kind of an amazing scene!! Here are two videos where you can see us going over (from our perspective, of course), and the photo raft waiting for us on the other side: video one, video two. There is something startling and a little disconcerting about seeing these computers with their camera hookups in the middle of the river on a bamboo raft! |
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Yun Zhao had hired someone to ferry the second bike with her to the end point of the raft trip and was waiting for us when we arrived, beaming her always present friendly smile. One thing we appreciated about her was that she was always right where you needed her to be, doing what you needed her to do to make your trip easier and more enjoyable. |
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She drove one bike while I
drove the other. We saw a lot of these bikes in China. In
Shanghai and Suzhou they are required. We only saw a very few
bikes with combustion engines. That is a pollution control
measure by the government. It is sometimes a little unnerving to
have one pass you closely, as they are almost completely silent,
at least on smooth pavement. It was a little different out in
the country, as there is a lot of rattling, so they are not so
quiet. It is fun to travel on a bike, but I did not find these things so comfortable. They struck me as a little heavy, with a not too good weight distribution. They felt awkward in the turns. They also do not have much pickup nor speed. |
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We saw some hot air
balloons launching while out on the road. this is a popular
activity for seeing this beautiful country from a different
perspective. We didn't try it, but it looked like a lot of fun. There was a team of people launching several of them right off the road as we came up. These things are beautiful in the air, particularly when there is a large group of them at one time. They are all done up in gaudy colors and make a dramatic picture against a bright blue sky. |
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We got there in time to
trade greetings with this woman headed for the sky. She said she
was from Holland and seemed very enthusiastic about getting this
ride. Had we been in a car for this ride, I think seeing these balloons would not have been the same experience. The scenery around you seems so much closer and more personal when you are out in the open, and you felt much more a part of what these people were doing going up in the air to float along over the mountains. If you are doing a China tour and are up for a little adventure, these bikes are a great solution. |
China travel and vacations go better when your sightseeing is supplemented by explanations of what you are seeing. You owe it to yourself to have an English speaking tour guide accompany you and assist with arrangements and point out the sights that will be of most interest to you.
For more information, contact Li Yun Zhao by email through this link.