The originally planned trip in March last year was postponed until the beginning of the new year. This trip was not extensively planned, and I only briefly looked at other people's travel guides online. Even the plane tickets were hastily booked the day before. The destination of this trip was only two places - Erhai Lake in Dali and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang.
On the 3rd, I arrived in Chengdu first and then transferred to Dali Fengyi Airport. After getting off the plane, I took a taxi directly to Dali Ancient City. I found a homestay in the ancient city. Dali was in the off-peak tourist season at that time, so the prices of homestays were relatively cheap. When I put my luggage in the accommodation, I seemed to have a simple plan in my mind. I decided to go to Longkan Pier to experience the sunset on Erhai Lake that evening. It was nearly five kilometers from the homestay to Erhai Lake. Since I was not familiar with the transportation here, I rented an electric scooter to get there. When I arrived at Longkan Pier, the sunset had just begun. Erhai Lake was indeed beautiful. I had never seen such clear lake water before, and it was the first time I saw seagulls on Erhai Lake. While enjoying the beautiful scenery, I looked for tourists who could help me take photos. I found two or three passersby at Erhai Lake to take a few pictures for me. The sunrise in Yunnan is around 8 o'clock, and the sunset is also late. The sun doesn't set until around 8 o'clock in the evening.
The original plan for the 4th was to go around Erhai Lake for a week, but it didn't happen. I woke up before dawn, but I didn't know how to get to Erhai Lake, which was four kilometers away, at this time. I hoped to see a car rental shop on the roadside while walking. Maybe because it was too early, the shops on the roadside were not open, so I had to walk. I jogged all the way and luckily arrived at the shore of Erhai Lake at 8 o'clock. At this time, many tourists had already gathered on the shore, and some tourists were even carrying suitcases as if they had just arrived at the seaside. In the morning, flocks of seagulls in Erhai Lake were circling and foraging on the lake surface under the teasing of tourists. I kept watching them by the lake until the sun jumped out of the clouds. The plan to go around the lake for a week was not realized. I only rode a bicycle for a few kilometers and then went back. I felt that it would be tiring to ride a bike for a week without any means of transportation, and the ultraviolet rays were also strong. Erhai Lake ended in such a hurry, and the next stop was Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
In the afternoon of the 4th, I took a high-speed train directly to Lijiang and then took a taxi to Lijiang Ancient City. Speaking of ancient cities, Dali Ancient City is not worth visiting except for accommodation or being close to Erhai Lake. Lijiang Ancient City is larger than Dali Ancient City, and there are many more things to see and do. But I'm not really interested in this kind of ancient city. It has become too commercialized. It's just selling so-called local specialties, or some clothing and travel photography services with ethnic characteristics. Just like when I arrived in Dali Ancient City, after a simple rest at the homestay, I went to the ancient town to take a walk. I heard that there is a street of bars in the ancient city. I thought there would be some special features or stories, but after commercialization, the bars seemed quite mediocre to me. Many bars rely on women dressed in revealing clothes to attract business on stage. I wandered on this street many times, so I found a folk music bar with fewer people and had a drink there. There were only three resident singers playing the guitar and singing familiar folk songs. It wasn't until late at night that I returned to the homestay.
The plan for the 5th was to visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Again, I arrived at the scenic area before dawn with the tour guide. Here, whether it's the driver or anyone else, as long as they take you to the businesses to spend money, they will get a commission. So the tour guide scared the tourists with words, saying that the high altitude on the mountain requires multiple oxygen cylinders, and one oxygen cylinder costs thirty to forty yuan. Many people bought more than one under their instigation, but I didn't think it was necessary, so I didn't buy any. Before sunrise, I watched the sunrise at Jinshan, and the photos I took were indeed beautiful.
After watching the sunrise at Jinshan, I took the cable car to an altitude of 4506 meters on the snow mountain. When I arrived here, I already had mild altitude sickness, and I felt a bit breathless after walking a few steps. The highest altitude reachable for tourists on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is 4680 meters, and this section in the middle needs to be climbed by oneself. There are about a thousand steps. After resting three or four times, I reached the highest point and took photos there. I achieved the achievement of seeing a snow mountain for the first time in my life.
When I reached 4680 meters, I took a few photos and then felt a slight headache caused by altitude sickness, so I went down the mountain.