On Friday 12/10/2012 morning, 16 of us met at KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) for a flight to Kunming for our 13-day photographic adventure.
At Kunming, we were joined by a 6-member Singaporean group for the same expedition traveling on a separate vehicle.
It was our (my wife and I ) third trip to Yunnan.
Besides my wife, I knew only 4 from the group, the rest were strangers whom I met for the first time. However, 13 days of sticking together has made us friends!
Our Yunnan tour guide (also tour organiser) is a famous photographer whose father is the President of Yunnan Photographic Society.
It was a great trip which I would describe it as an adventure with exciting elements :
1. Afghanistan-like landscape - barren and snow-capped high mountains with winding roads.
We traveled from Yunnan to Sichuan through mountainous area. Our small bus traveled from Kunming (Alt 1900 M) to an incredible height of 4850 M in a matter of 4 days, encompassing the remotest areas of Yunnan and Sichuan. (*Genting Highlands is at 1800 M )
We have viewed more than 6 snowy mountains, including the most beautiful famous sacred Meili Snow Mountain, It is the world's only virgin mountain, no one has ever climb the highest peak successfully.
2. Indian deadliest roads type of risk and excitement (History Channel IRT India Deadliest Roads)
The roads were winding and narrow. At certain stretches, the bus tires were just inches away from the edge of the road. A mistake would see the bus plunge hundreds of meters into ravines.
It had no road signs to show direction or distance. A stretch of 150-km road, if lucky, could see one or two road signs telling you where you were heading to...
The rude and unruly Chinese drivers, honking most of the time irrespective on-coming or overtaking, were hazards of the road as well.
We were lucky to have an experienced and skillful bus driver who is also a photography enthusiast, knew the roads well.
3. Himalayan level of satisfaction and achievement
Blue sky, sweeping wind, dark glasses and hood, thick clothing, picturesque snowy mountains as background .... can't help but the desire to shout: " we have conquered ..!". Such a good feeling!
4. The most prayed traveling trip my wife and I had undergone so far, simply for elements 1 & 2. I saw my wife holding her Rosary beads most of the time inside the bus.
We also marveled at the great creation of God ... the mountains, the rock formations, snowy mountains with crystal clear water flowing .... the vegetation, vivid colors of nature.....
5. Astonishingly beautiful landscape and great view throughout the journey.
Besides beautiful Autumn landscape and vegetation, I (we) saw also the beautiful night sky filled with stars .... and Milky Way which I last saw at the age of 10 !!! ( I would like to rephrase it -- I (we) pee-ed under starry sky and looking up to the wonderful Milky Way !)
From Shangrila (Zhong Dian) of Yunnan, we traveled off the beaten tracks, crossing high altitude mountains (highest 4850 M) into Sichuan Province, to the beautiful Dao Cheng -Ya Ding Scenic Parks, the climax destination of our journey.
The journey brought us through 8-lane urban highways, to 2-lane country roads, and potholes filled, bumpy mountain roads, stretching more than hundred of kilometers.
Calls of nature, men and women, were done by the bushes or pulling of cloth cover along the road (back to the nature way). For 4 days, our lunch were instant noodles and self-heating rice packages.
Due to single digit cold weather, many (me inclusive) did not bath for days!
I marveled at the dynamic of the government in improving the infrastructures of the country. The whole province seemed to be a construction site especially in road construction.
We would not be able to travel again on the same roads, enjoying the spectacular views in a year or two's time. Many mountainous road would be replaced by tunnels, bridges and elevated highways at a much lower altitude.
It was a journey of a life time not to be repeated, and would be cherished the rest of our lives.
Thanks to God's Providence, all of us and the bus made through this tough journey. We have to brave the wind and coldness, altitude sickness and adverse living conditions. We made it !
And it is good to be home !
** Our journey can be divided into 2 parts:
Part 1. From Kunming - Daili - Shangrila. It was an easy part because of its lower altitude and better road conditions.
Part 2. From Shangrila to Daocheng-Yading Scenic area, the main focus of the tour. We traveled between altitude 3500 M to 4850 M. Not only we have to overcome altitude sickness, but also the cold weather.
I would share my pictures in batches.
1. ( Yunnan - Sichuan Pictures 1 @ Facebook ）
2. ( Yunnan - Sichuan pictures 2 @ Facebook )
12/10/2012 星期五早上，我们一行16人，在吉隆坡国际机场集合，共乘飞机，飞往昆明，开始我们为期13天的摄影之旅。
在昆明，一个来自星加坡的六人小组，会合我们，加入这趟摄影之旅，但他们是乘搭另一辆车辆随行。
这是我及太太第三次到云南。
除了我的太太，我只认识其中的另四人，其他的都是素不相识的团友。不过，十三天后，我们都成为了朋友。
我们的云南导游， 也是旅游业者，是云南一位知名的摄影师，他的父亲是原任云南摄影协会的会长。
我们这趟旅程，可说是一种探险之旅，包含了一下的数种元素：
1. 阿富汗般的地理形势，就如电视新闻所看到的一样，有着荒芜高耸，白雪覆蓋的山峦。
我们从云南，经过起伏的山岭，进入四川。我们的小巴士，从昆明的1900米高度，经过四天的攀爬，抵达4850米的高度，从横了云南及四川最偏僻的部分地区。(注：云顶高原高1800米)
我们观赏了大约六座云南及四川的雪山，包括了世界著名的梅里雪山。它是世界上唯一尚未被征服的雪山（没人成功攀登最高峰）。
2. 有如印度最危险的死亡公路般的危险及刺激（卫星电视历史频道的节目：印度死亡公路）
我们经过的道路弯曲狭小。一些路段，巴士轮胎离开悬崖只有数寸之距，一个不小心，巴士就会滚下数百尺深渊。
中国的郊区公路，没有指示牌或路牌。一段150公里的路段，幸运的话，可能见到一或二个路牌，可能也是手写的粗陋告示板。
我们每天都会遇到数段满布窟窿，泥土及石块铺成的道路，颠簸不平，全车振动。有时，道路会突然在你面前消失，还得抽丝剥茧的，才能够找到延续到路段。。。
粗鲁及不守法的中国驾驶人，手不离汽笛，不管迎面而来的，或超车的，都是不停的按响汽笛，成为了公路安全的威胁者。
我们很幸运有一位极富经验，对这里的道路非常熟悉的巴士司机。他本人也是一位摄影爱好者。
3. 喜马拉雅水准般的满足感及成就感。
无云的蓝天一片，孟劲的强风，黑眼镜，头套，厚厚的衣装，图画般的雪山作为背景 。。。情不自禁要喊道：“我们征服了。。。” 感觉正好！
4. 我们祈祷最多的一次旅途，因为以上的（1） 及（2）。我见到太太手上，玫瑰念珠从不离手。
我們也赞叹造物者的神奇妙工，起伏的山峦，叹为观止的岩石，雪山，河流，植物的各种颜色色，。。。。
5. 整个行程令人惊叹的美景。
我们除了观赏到美丽的秋天景色，令人惊叹的地理形势，岩石，山川，也见到了满布星星的美丽夜空，及那自十岁起就再不能见到的银河！！（或许我用另一种形容词：我们在解决自然的呼唤时候，举头望见了满天星星及美丽的银河。。。！：D）
从云南的香格里拉（前称中滇），我们选择了不被普通旅客使用的道路，越过荒蛮高山（4850米），进入四川省，来到了美丽的稻城-亚丁风景区，我们这趟旅途的终极目的地。
我们的行程经过8条车道的高速公路，也经过了2 个车道的乡镇小道，当然也经过满布窟窿，颠簸摇摆，一山又一山的弯曲山路，延绵数百公里。
我们男男女女团友的自然呼唤，就在沿途的树丛或拉布条给予解决（回归自然法）。四天山区里，我们的午餐通常都是快熟麵或自动加热饭盒。（遠近百公里內，沒有市鎮）
因为天气非常的冷，在2 至8度之间，所以很多团友（包括我本身）数天都没冲凉。
我非常赞赏中国政府在基本建设上所作的努力。整个云南省几乎可以说是一个大建筑工地，特别是在道路建设方面，从昆明市区，到离开千里之外的穷乡僻壤，都可以见到道路的铺设。
再过一两年，我们不再有机会重游就地，享受那沿途的美景。许多高山的道路，将会被隧道，桥梁及高空架道取代了。
这是人生难得的一次探险旅程，不会再有重复，也将是毕生难忘。
感谢天主宠佑，我们所有团友及巴士，都平安的完成了这趟旅程。
这旅程要求一个健康的身体，开放的态度，开明的思维及团队的合作。我们也须面对劲风，寒冷的天气，高山反应及艰难的住宿环境(包括粗陋卫生设备，没有热水，没有水等状况）。
整个行程将近三千公里，沿途见到美丽的景色，就停下来拍摄。早上摄影队六点半就出门，拍摄第一道光的出现；傍晚，就等到最后一道光的收敛后，天黑了，才收队回住宿的酒店。
我见识到了摄影发烧友的热忱，对拍摄美景及风光照片的付出，令我敬佩不已，而从中也学习到一些摄影的技巧及技术的认识。 他们都满载而归。
我及太太也怀着感恩及喜悦的心情，结束了这平生难得及难忘的探险旅程。
啊！回家的感觉可也真好。
** 我们的行程分成两部分：
第一部分，是从昆明到香格里拉。这是比较容易及轻松的部分，因为海拔不高，天气也不是很冷。
第二部分，摄影之旅的重轴，是从香格里拉到稻城，然后到亚丁风景区。这是最艰难的部分。除了海拔升高 （从3500 米，升到4850M 之间，不仅要面对高山反应，还要强忍寒冷的天气（晚上可能在1或2 度）。
我的照片将以数次上载与大家分享。
请观看
1. 云南-四川 Facebook 照片 1.
2. 云南 - 四川 Facebook 照片 2.
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