Shelly took this last picture of our two families before we left for Wenhai. It is clear we are worlds apart but we learnt so much about each and genuinely connected during our short stay. Wonderful people and we are eternally grateful for their hospitality.
Our trip to Wenhai took us over some stark landscapes and into some magical woodlands, densely packed with all manner of shrubs,trees, mosses and lichen. The like of which I have never seen before or will do again. The landscape in this area felt ancient and unscathed by the 21st century.
The pictures I have of the forest are almost impossible to make head or tail of due to the abundance of lichen cascading down from the heavens, obscuring any sight line and creating a type of woodland density I've never encountered.
After our previous ride Shelly opted to walk. Riding any type of horse is not for her.The Shacks in the background appeared to be for stock although it is always difficult to tell.
The trail to Wenhai is not frequently used although once we picked it up it's quite easy to follow.
The trees ,although old were small and never seemed to reach their full potential.
After a couple of hours riding we came upon an opening in the wood where we tethered the horses for a rest. It was exceptionally cold and very dry . Our Chinese horsemen appeared impervious to the cold and made a small fire for us to warm our extremities. We met two guys who were looking for a lost cow.They both wore only a light jacket and a T-shirt. I simply cannot comprehend how tough and resilient they must be . I felt as if my ears were about to drop off with the cold but for these guys it appeared just to be another day.
This is the famous seasonal lake where Wenhai sits to the left. During the rainy season this lake is significantly larger. As a result the pasture during the dry winter season is rich in minerals and excellent for livestock.
On arrival in Wenhai we came upon these ladies who thought we were hilarious in our puffa jackets and meeting westerners is not something they reckoned on in the winter months.
Mad dogs an Englishman out in the midday cold.
Most of the following shots were taken by Melissa who was using her manual Olympus with 400 film ,hence the grainy quality and contrast of the images. I think it adds to the desolate feeling of Wenhai during the winter.
The bundle in the distance is an old lady carrying her pile of logs.
These Children are from a neighbouring Yi Village a couple of hours away. I was ill in bed at the time but the girls were struck by how poor this area was.
The best example of a Cob wall in Wenhai with some magnificent painted timber work. If only I had the time to stay longer and research this type of construction in greater detail.
On our second day it began to snow which is unusual since although exceptional high I'm told it rarely snows in Wenhai.
This was our home stay and where I unfortunately came down with legionnaires disease. Which is our next story.
Fence making is an art in Wenhai.There is no strict rule as to how the fence is constructed and each smallholding appeared to have a different approach to the same task.
This is where our story ends. Sadly I became very ill after visiting Wenhai. I had caught a potentially lethal disease called legionaires, normally caught from air conditioning systems . Fortunately we managed to get to Hongkong where I found some excellent help and was nursed back to life. It has taken a few nearly two years to get back to full health but I can say with confidence, I would not have missed China for the world.
Happy travels .
Regards Chris Wills
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