Asian Adventure - Li River Cruise

A pretty good sleep and Bacon again! The guide and driver took us to the start of the Li River Cruise, which lasted for about 4 hours. 

Along the way, we passed lots and lots of ducks, cormorant fishermen, water buffalo, and little villages in amongst the interesting peaks. There were heaps of the cruise ships and multitudes of the little motorised touring boats. We were put at a table with a couple from WA and an Italian couple who didn't speak English and ended up shifting to a spare table. Darryl went up on top, but I only went up once the interesting part started and I couldn't stay long as it was too hot and too sunny. 

Click to play video (1min 30sec)

Lunch was a smorgasbord on level 2. We arrived at Yangshou and had to dodge the touts again, right up West Street until we got to our Hotel. 

We settled in until it was cooler (this is the best hotel we have been in). At 4pm, we met the guide downstairs and got on pink girls bikes to ride 7 or more kms to the original village. It was very interesting seeing the bamboo rafts on the river, the farmers in their fields and the original houses. 

Click to play video (1min 39sec)

We turned around and made our way back, but unfortunately, at one point Duncan and Darryl got a bit ahead of me, and a passing vehicle flicked up a twisted piece of heavy wire which went into my front wheel and the bike came to a dead-stop with me straight over the handlebars and onto the cement road. Luckily I wasn't hurt too badly, left elbow, left knee and some bruises on my legs. I was really really lucky that the traffic was light just at that moment.

The 'offending' piece of wire and the mangled mudguard and spokes

 

Next day - left leg

Nexty day - right leg

A couple of following electric bike riders stopped to help me, and a least one told Duncan and Darryl and they eventually came back to help me. Duncan was trying to organise a lift back, but Darryl tried to straighten the mudguard, and eventually with the help of tools from some guys eating nearby the guard was removed and despite some missing spokes, Darryl rode it back to town. The hirer wanted 30RMB for the parts to fix the bike. In the evening, we strolled slowly (as my knee was sore, so I hobbled really), down the market street and bought some Mangosteen and Custard Apples from a street vendor.