M-whY

Over the next hour, the rest of them got up, because it was time to switch boats for the Little Three Gorges tour. We docked at Washan, and one by one - the wooden plank wasn't wide enough for us to move any faster - we stepped off board. You can just imagine the jostling. My guide was handing out tickets, and though she was only in charge of 40 people, that meant 39 impatient hands (I of course still had some civility in me) shoved in her face. "Don't push! Don't push! There's a ticket for everyone," she shrieked, clearly irritated. Young, only in her early 20s, I really felt sorry for her. I wonder if all her tour groups are like this.

Eventually, we were all seated on a small ferry more suitable for tourism than our other floating hunk of metal. Up the Daning river we went. The water was no longer brown and cloudy, but a pleasant shade of turquoise. It was hard to tell when Dragon Gate Gorge ended, when Misty Gorge began, and which part was considered Emerald Gorge. It felt like one continuous run of gorges, like being walled in by cliffs the whole time. Perfect, right? Except that the commentator wouldn't shut up. And over here, we have an image of Buddha in the rock face... and over here, a panda. I would've much preferred to glide quietly across the water, enjoying it all as a whole, instead of being encouraged to pick out vague animal outlines.

Still it would be one of the nicer parts of the whole journey. Towards the end of the Little Three Gorges, we switched to even smaller canoes for a ride down the intimate Little Little Three Gorges. Prior to the dam's construction, water depth here was only 1.3m, shallow enough for a horse to cross. Which where the name Madu (Horse Crossing) River comes from. Currently, it's at close to 50m, with another 50m rise expected by 2009. No more equines will be fording this river.

Yet again, tranquility was disturbed by the two guys operating our canoe. A lot of the people on board found the mountain songs and playful banter really amusing, I considered it nothing more than noise pollution. On the banks were mountain folk playing instruments and singing more songs, which might've worked had they not been given loudspeakers to project their voice over. I know I shouldn't have such a negative attitude on things (and I usually don't), but two nights on the river was really beginning to wear on me.

I endured more annoying commentary and sales pitches on the return trip to the main ship. Today, visibility was better, making sitting outside on the decks more worthwhile, if just for the weather. As mentioned, water levels have already begun to rise, making surround peaks not as imposing as they used to be. I didn't realize we had passed Wu Gorge, the second of the Three Gorges, until well after the fact. A cruise down the Yangzi may be market as one of the must-do's of China, and it may be worth it just to say you've done it, but go in with tempered expectations, knowing that 300m peaks may only be 200m by the time you see them.

"Are you writing down your disappointment with the gorge?" grinned Patrick as we passed through another nondescript section of the Yangzi.

"Yeah."

"Well, you can write that Patrick says it's okay."

"I'll be sure to do that." Just to give another person's opinion on it all.

We approached Xiling Gorge some time in the evening, at the end of which was the massive Three Gorges Dam. My guide came around and asked if I was still interested in going up to the observation deck. I had already bought the tickets back in Chongqing, when the travel agent suggested it as an exciting excursion. No one told me we'd arrive well after sundown. It was either do that, or go through the dam's impressive lock system. It was one or the other, I wouldn't be able to do both. (No one told me this either.)

"[If I don't go to the observation deck, do I get a refund?]" I asked.

"[Sorry, you'd have to contact the office about that. I'm just the guide, I can't give refunds,]" she apologized. I didn't press the matter. She had already had a rough two days.

I ended up choosing the locks instead. The boat docked to let off tourists who still wanted to see the dam itself, and we began our approach. "This better be damn impressive," quipped Patrick as we approached. And it was. No doubt about it. The highlight of the entire trip. In each of the sections, when enough ships had gathered inside, the back gate would close. Water was drained until it was level with the next section, and the front gate would open for us to move on. Wash, rinse, and repeat, for each of the four currently operational sections.

Getting through each one took about an hour. I had intended to stay awake through them all. By the third though, I could barely keep my eyes open. Each one was identical to the previous anyways, and when I learned there'd be no view of the dam itself once we were through, well, it was off to bed for me. One more night on this jail ship, and it'd all be over. At least the best was saved for last.

Thanks to everyone for their support and comments! Knowing people are reading keeps me motivated to continue the updates!