Mt. Wu Yi

Most tourist mountains in China have unofficial trails to possibly avoid the entrance ticket that is unjustifiably expensive. They are also favored by hikers for enjoying more of the nature. But it is not easy to get the information about these trails as some are known only to the local villagers.

I was a novice hiker then and went to the other side of the mountain, hoping to find such a hidden trail. It proved me too naive that I was blocked in the wild forest soon. By the way, Mt. Wu Yi is famous for its deadliest "five step" snakes, and it was a mid summer shining day.

After I retreated, I happened to see three people who looked like kind of tourists. I went up for a chat and got to know that they are the locals setting out for a day hiking. How lucky I was!

It was then a whole happy day. One middle aged man in the group knew everything about the mountain and was even experienced with handling snake bites. As a follower, I really explored those deserted trails, caves, and monasteries and listened to the stories that happened decades ago.