Another very long and excellent day starting at crackers with announcements for the morning excursion :gps:(GPS)::30.87987::110.83702:gps: which we decided to skip. Elise was adventerous enough to at least go up the stairs to see what was around – we didn’t get off the dock barges. The rain overnight left the air cooler but humid with an eerie mist hanging over the gorges – doubt the photos will do it justice. Spent the rest of the morning back on the boat chatting while heading for Maoping :gps:(GPS)::30.84930::111.00030:gps: – the last port of call for us before a short bus ride to another highlight of our trip ‘The Three Gorges Dam’.

That is one piece of impressive engineering! As we entered the security check area our tour guide asked for all ‘knives and wine’ – guess they don’t want you to get drunk and try chip a hole in the wall with your penknife. From the viewpoint :gps:(GPS)::30.83482::111.01896:gps: there is a panoramic view of the dam wall and the locks. The distance makes it look less impressive than it is: 39km^3 of water, flooding the valley to some 600km (same as from Durban to Joburg) and housing the worlds largest HEP scheme! Hazy again and very hot, so we hope the pics are going to be ok. V could barely contain her excitement – very funny for me – it’s hard to hide that she’s a water engineer at heart – and now she has big bragging rights too 🙂 Our tour went around a few POI around the dam but unfortunately not across the wall or inside the HEP scheme – pity, but still excellent.

Another transfer by bus and onto a local (read ‘horrid’) bus for 4 odd hours of mind numbing noisy TV and discomfort to Wuhan. I think I have found what is holding the Chinese back from becomming world leaders – it’s the stuff they blindly watch and find entertaining on TV – like American 50’s slapstick with modern pop thrown into the mix. Even the live studio audiences have no idea what to do with themselves. They (en mass) are socially and mentally immature in comparison to the West. It was an education. Not one I would like to repeat – Worst transfer of the trip (so far).

Arriving in Wuhan we grabbed a taxi to our dodgy hostel (Pathfinder Hostel). Taxi drivers beware – don’t ever tell an Auzzie farmgirl that her suitcase won’t fit in the boot of your cab – you are just asking for trouble.

In the morning out translator is heading in a different direction. Thanks for all the help Elise – all the best – cheers.

[Pictures: Dam, Lock]

– Posted from my iPhone via Wifi