As expected, before Becky's alarm went off, I had already woken up. Everyone seemed to be pretty relaxed and joyful. We packed and put our backpacks outside the rooms along the corridor. Luckily, the night-long rain had stopped. Fog and mist lingered over the mountains in distant. How could this enigmatic village veiled in deep mountains not to be admired by any passers-by. It is thus fathomable that not even JR could escape the alluring charm of the innate beauty of the mysterious Muli.
Guys especially Dahe was behaving like a child. The fruity juicy red apples hanging on the trees had brought the childish side out of him as the southerner had never seen a real apple tree before. In order to satisfy Dahe's curiosity, with permission, guys started to fight the first battle of the day - to harvest apples! The humble gentlemen got every one of us an apple so let's hope luck and health stay with us along the trip!
Soon we were called for breakfast. Butter tea was of course the standard in every meal in the Tibetan area. Highland barley cakes, apples, plain congee, pickles and cheese were on the table. It was a bit strange that the host family never sit and eat with us. Perhaps it is their way of showing respect for their guests. Another small thing that caught my attention was the paper cups. They were for weddings. Someone had recently got married, I wondered who.
We were half an hour late so we hurriedly took a photo of us all, left the heavy backpacks to our guide (Duoding, 多丁) and his younger brother Duoji (多吉), and then finally set foot on the pilgrim's journey unveiled by the well-known botanist nearly 100 years ago.
Leaving the village, we slowly approached the pasture where some hard-working villagers were already there herding cows and hogs. Horses and mules gleefully masticated the fertile grass. Passed the rudimentary yet ostentatious park where a giant conch and several colored stones randomly scattered, we could see a good-sized race course on top of the hill on the left. Horse-racing, what a remote word and activity to a city dweller. I could already imagine how fiery the carnival would be: jockeys gallop like heroes while the crowds cheer with ultimate passion and excitement. How I wish I could join such a luscious local festival which without doubt would satisfy my thirst for a primordial form of lifestyle, or even simply, existence.
Entering the mountain way, the sun disclosed itself from the hazy sky, shining through forests and mountains, bringing us warmth and joy. Han's music was a boost to the team's morale, everyone's full of energy. Undoubtedly, an unbeatable team it was!
"Tink-ling, tink-ling, tink-ling..." A rhythmic jingling was approaching as our guide Duoding who was leading a mule catching up with us. The mule was for emergency use provided anything unexpected happened.
Another function was to carry litters which Father Hang insisted he paid
extra to fulfill his promise to his friends. As with Duoding, for the first time I saw him, I somehow found this bashful guy amiable. A rather strange feeling towards him which I couldn't explain. I think I adored him. His sheepish grin appealed to me exceptionally. So much so that in the following days, this inchoate mania overgrew recklessly and gradually developed into something deeper. It was like a runaway horse over which I absolutely had no control.
The barren mountains undulated as we moved and the zig-zag mountain road became more explicit viewing from distance. No one could resist such magical splendors. While we halted to capture this special moment, Duoding was waiting and looking at us. I gathered my courage and invited Duoding for a photo. I was delighted that he did.
Soon we turned left and went down to the "real" mountain trail where horse shit mingled with mud. I supposed not a single shoe was spared. Fortunately, the road was, for the most part, flat and easy to walk along. We soon arrived to the first road sign indicating the starting point of Joseph Rock's Trail from Muli (43km). Several similar signs were erected every other mile. It seemed to be the initiating attempt for the local government to promote the area as a tourist attraction.
The first waterfall was entwined with colorful prayer flags. Milky white glacial meltwater scoured the thick mosses that blanketed the rocks. Streams of water flowed down from the soaked mosses into the torrent like broken strands of pearls, the "pearls" subsequently dissolved in the current and being washes away. Our guide told us that locals came here to the "Face-Washing Platform" (洗脸台) to wash away bad luck, especially after funerals or during new year's time.
Passing through the prayer flags, the naked precipice on our right side became prominent. It looked like a gigantic piece of chopped-off moon cake. Ahead of us, the collapsed road had deterred us from moving, we therefore went up to the hill and bypassed the broken road.
At about 12:00, we stopped in an open area for a quick lunch. Our lovely teammates generously shared their snacks with each other. While most of us simply munched our snacks, brother Han eagerly fetched out his camping cookware and started to make his first outing meal. In the meantime, a young man who went solo with a heavy loaded backpack caught up and joined us for a rest. What a brave dude! His backpack weighted at least more than 30kg!
We hiked along the Baishui River (白水河) and walked up the ravine stream. The torrential water engulfed every rock that obstructed its way. As we kept walking and chatting, I slinkingly took a photo of Duoding and asked him, "Has anyone ever told you that you have a charming pellucid smile?" He responded me with a bashful grin and mumbled, "No, I don't think so."
We continued to chat about cultures and families so he asked, "Are you married?"
"No."
"Divorced?"
"No."
"Single?"
"Yeah." I hesitated for a second, and asked, "You?"
"I am married."
"Oh!" I responded with a flicker of disappointment. How I wished it weren't him, yet sadly that's the truth.
Two hours later (15:30), we arrived at our first camping site - Mancuo Campsite (满措营地). It was surprisingly early. There were three cabins here: the old shack built by locals was close to the river, which meant that it's easy to fetch water. Two other new cabins constructed by the government were further up on the hill (free). We decided to stay in the new ones whereas Duoding and Duoji remained downhill since it's more convenient for them to access water.
There was not much to do in the mountain so we made our beds early. After we cleaned up the garbage by the stairs, the gentlemen started to place their mats and sleeping bags on the ground. Becky and I were offered privilege to sleep on the coarse bed planks. While guys were busy building their cosy nests, a charming fairy must have gone by - she painted a colorful rainbow on the sky!
Soon dinner was ready. Fried spare ribs, fried cabbages, shredded potatoes, green vegetable soup. What a luxurious life! We still have warm food to feed our stomachs in deep mountains! Our guides were awesome and the dinner was delicious!
After the sky turned dark, guys began to make a bonfire in another cabin. Their efforts were to no avail since they had been trying to ignite damped wood. Duoding came up with his axe, chopped a big bar of dry wood into small pieces and voila! The fire was on! So was the party!
We circled around the fire and started to sing along with the music. It was either the guy who sat next to me or the dense smoke made me swoon. I felt tipsy and insober due to an intense sense of ecstasy. Sadly, this magical feeling did not last long. Duoding decided to excuse himself and leave, and my heart sank accordingly. I envied the couple opposite me, they were so very much in love and I could see happiness on their faces.
Dahe was such a sentimental dude that he suggested that one by one, we shall confess our fantasies towards the JR trail. I could not recall the details of each story but it's in no doubt that they were equally fascinating.
The smoke engulfed every inch of the cabin as the fire was slowly going off. The oxygen inside the room became thinner and thinner. A great excuse for me to escape as the whole night I was trying to disguise myself and not to expose my deep-felt sorrow.
It was still raining outside but luckily several stars were twinkling on the hazy sky. The wish for a good weather tomorrow seemed to be in prospect.
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