Torrential Rain on the Rice Terraces

Note: These messages begin with the latest one at the top, and progress to the earliest one at the bottom.

 

Floods

 

Torrential rain in Guangxi Province, where we are until the evening of Sat. 4th, has caused deadly floods and landslides. We are safe but our group's itinerary has had to be changed. Today was a very long day. We were up at 4.50am, and now it's 8.40pm and we have had only one meal so far! There are some tensions in our group but also some new friendships. We are now on a bus with a Chinese movie playing :) Sent 8.40pm Friday 03 July 2009.

 

Any weather reports on this heavy rain?

 

Is there any news of this severe weather here in China being broadcast on outside news?  Surely this is not normal rainfall, unless farmers can grow their crops submerged in a metre of flowing water for what is likely to be the next week!  May people be generous to these hard workers who may be losing their livelihoods today.  We know of at least one woman who was swept into the river.  May there be no more!  (Sent 8pm Friday 03 July 2009)

 

Last Bus Out

 

More landslides and rain overnight made for a slow and tricky ride down the gorge road from the rice terraces.  The major route was cut, so we are using the old road.  We got the last bus going our way today!  A woman near our village drowned yesterday in the raging torrents.  We are thankful for our own safety and for the provision of this transport for us.  (Sent 6pm, Friday 03 July 2009)

 

Heading back to Civilisation

 

We have decided as a group to head back to civilisation, partly because of the warnings of further landslides that may cut us off.  We need to get on the night train tomorrow for Hong Kong.  (Sent 3pm Friday 03 July 2009)

 

Still stuck

 

We are still stuck on the rice terrace at the Guest House.  Our hike was aborted due to the risk of and actual landslides that have blocked roads and collapsed terraces!  Our plan is to return, north of Guilin.  And the power is out too.  Our clothes are all wet and we have no dry ones to change into.  (Sent Friday 03 July 2009)

 

Stranded:

 

We are about to have a group discussion to decide on a plan, because it's raining, and landslides have cut the road.  We are stuck high up in the rice terrace adventures!  (Sent Friday 03 July 2009)

 

Stuck due to rain.

 

We are in a Guest House atop vast rice terraces.  There are many landslides.  We had a long wet walk along flooded paths and through creek beds from 5am this morning!  A great adventure.  Blind corners, our driver is still on his mobile phone.  Another muddy landslide ... (Sent Thursday 02 July 2009)

 

Landslides and phones

 

On a winding mountain road, which was occasionally flooded, we stopped for a digger to clear a landslide.  Our driver is constantly on his mobile phone.  More water on the road.  We're enjoying some fries and barbecued duck.  Yum!  (Sent Wednesday 01 July 2009)

 

Drenched and Tired

 

After a whole exhausting day cycling through muddy rocky roads, awestruck by the dramatic sheer cliffs of limestone karsts, we had fresh orange juice.  Overnight train to Shanghai tonight. (Sent Wednesday 24 June 2009)