Changsha to Guangzhou, China

BE June 24, 2018 Leave a Comment

Day 144: Country #15.2

With another rainy day, Changsha was living up to it’s reputation as a very rainy city, but I tried to not let it limit my second day of exploring the city. I also was not keen on staying around the book store nor guesthouse (thought it was pretty cool to experience real older Chinese style housing conditions).

I put on water tolerant shoes and headed to Tianxin Pavilion to look at the ancient wall, explore the park, pavilion and nearby Changsha Jiandu Museum about Chinese writing and calligraphy. Both were beautiful but not nearly as large as many of the other Chinese parks or Museums I had already seen.

Large bell outside Tianxin Pavilion, Changsha, China.

Then I made my way west to the Xiang River and stopped at Du fu Jiang Ge (pavilion), aka Du fu Riverside Pavilion, a beautifully constructed multi level complex that offered great views of the river and city.

Rain clouds engulfing buildings in Changsha, China.

I headed to the Juzizhou Bridge as the rain intensified and I found myself wading through large puddles and feeling my feet get tender from the moisture. I decided to not cross to visit the Mao Zedong head statue on the tip of the island that split the river because I didn’t want to risk getting stuck on the other side of the park.

Instead, I found shelter and food in Wanda Square, then made my way back to Wuyi Square as I waited to depart for the railway station and escape the rain. I arrived at the train station a little early to buy tickets and watched as hordes of people crammed into lines, seats and the floor, likely with the same hopes of finding drier destinations.

Very irresponsible and messy kids waiting for the train.

Tip:
Even for long trips, it’s not necessary to stuff your bags with food. The space and weight can be better used for travel gear like clothes. I prefer to eat and fully hydrate right before departure, bring a small carbohydrate rich item, and fill my water bottle to full, then sleep to conserve energy. This also saves money since on board food tends to be more expensive.