After a three-day, three-night journey along G318, stopping at various towns along the way, we arrived in Riwa, now known as Shangri-La. This city is located 40 kilometers from Yading National Park. We stayed in Riwa for three nights, allowing us to explore the city. The driver took us to choose a hotel, and we selected one based on price and cleanliness. There were numerous hotels in the city, with many more under construction. Our driver chose a hotel for us after consulting with his friends. It cost 150 yuan per room, was clean, had a good bathroom, and was located on the road leading to Yading. We could easily stop at the hotel on our way back.

For those who haven't read the first part before arriving at Yating, you can click to read it here: Hailuogou Glacier Park https://th.readme.me/p/10673

The itinerary of this trip

Chengdu - Ya'an - Luding - Moxi - Hailuogou - Kanding - Xinduqiaozhen - Litang - Daocheng - Riwa, Shangri-La - Yading

The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

A practice walk in the city of Riwa before walking in Yading.

There are many adorable children to play with.

I love finding new grocery stores. I buy all sorts of new food and supplies, even if they're unfamiliar. I also stock up on food to eat later.

The yak milk yogurt here is delicious. I buy it every morning and evening. This bottle costs 5 yuan.

This strawberry ice cream is delicious. Even though it's cold, I'm using a thorn to remove a thorn, fearing that my body will lack sugar. Hehe.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to try this style of grilled meat, complete with the signature mala spices. When in Rome, do as the Romans do! (In Chinese, "ma" means "numbing" and "la" means "spicy").

It's time for some fun! To enter Yading National Park, there is a park bus from Riwa City directly to the station. The bus fare is 120 yuan, and the entrance fee to Yading National Park is 150 yuan (for a 2-day pass). The distance is 40 kilometers, and it takes about 1 hour to climb the mountain by car.

The driver will stop at this viewpoint for 10 minutes for photo opportunities. Passengers are encouraged to take photos quickly.

If you don't want to stay in the city, you can stay in a village along the way. It will be close to Yading.

We have arrived at the entrance of Yading National Park. Yading is located at an altitude of 4,000 meters, and the highest point we will reach is 4,700 meters above sea level. Therefore, it is very important to prepare well for the hike to ensure your safety. We stopped at various towns along the way to allow our bodies to gradually adjust to the high altitude and avoid altitude sickness. If you are unsure whether you are prone to altitude sickness, it is advisable to bring Diamox with you.

Materials Required

• Pack warm, windproof, sun-protective, and rainproof clothing, and be prepared to layer or remove items as the weather changes frequently.

- Hat, sunglasses, umbrella, buff, scarf (optional)

- Trekking shoes for hiking and trekking require appropriate footwear.

- A walking stick is used to support the body when walking up and down steep slopes, helping to reduce the workload on the knees.

- High-energy and sugary snacks, such as dates, dried bananas, chocolate, candies, bread (taken from the hotel breakfast), boiled eggs (important as lunch is not available in Yading), and cereal bars to keep us full.

- Plain water, chrysanthemum tea (our favorite), or your favorite sweet drink.

- Essential medications: Don't forget them, including painkillers, balms, inhalants, and wound plasters.

The map of Yading National Park provides elevation information for each point. With two days to explore Yading, we opted for a long-distance hike on the first day, covering approximately 12 kilometers roundtrip. The highest point, the Five-Color Lake, sits at 4,700 meters above sea level. However, the highlight of this route is the Milk Lake, located at 4,600 meters. We chose to tackle the longer hike on the first day due to the clear skies, offering stunning views. Additionally, starting with the more challenging hike allowed for a more relaxed and enjoyable second day.

From the bus stop, walk a short distance to reach the starting point for the long hike. Take a small vehicle for a round-trip fare of 80 yuan, covering a distance of almost 7 kilometers.

Let's go! We started walking around 10:30 AM. Let's see how long it takes us to walk with this beautiful sky.

Walk steadily, avoid being reckless or impulsive, and do everything slowly for safety.

This mountain peak at Yading is truly unique.

The passage describes the experience of carrying a backpack weighing approximately 5-6 kilograms. The author emphasizes the importance of choosing a backpack that is appropriate for one's size and weight, as well as having a hip belt to distribute the weight evenly. This helps to prevent excessive strain on the back.

He jumped before I could even warn him. He didn't listen.

The Red Shirt supporter I spoke with was in his sixties. Despite his difficulty walking, he was determined to reach the Milk Sea Lake. He had someone helping him, and I truly admire his spirit.

We have arrived at the Milk Lake, and it truly lives up to its reputation. The water is incredibly white, smooth, and beautiful.

The water is getting closer to freezing.

Exhaustion forgotten

She was told not to jump, but she couldn't help herself. Haha.

The water has frozen, so you can walk on it.

These are the brave souls who arrived first. The rest are expected to turn back, as some may not be physically able to continue. If you feel that you cannot continue, please turn back immediately.

The journey of friendship, encountering two fellow Thais. Greetings and conversations exchanged, more than just "How are you?" or "Are you okay?" or "Is anything wrong?" or "Would you like some candy?" or "We have plenty of dates, take some!" or "Keep fighting!" ^_^ Taking turns to take photos for each other. Upon returning, forgetting to ask for their Line contact information. If we ever cross paths again, we can always say hello.

Our lunch at the Milk Sea: 1 boiled egg (a bit of a sad meal, haha).

A short climb leads to the Five-Colored Lake, a challenging ascent due to the uphill terrain. However, fueled by the energy of boiled eggs, the journey is manageable.

The Five-Colored Lake. I wonder how it got its name. Maybe the colors have faded because the water level is low. ^_^

Descending to the Milk Lake, this angle is more beautiful.

The return journey began at 3 pm. We needed to reach the bus by 6 pm, so we had to descend without stopping to take pictures. However, on the way down, we encountered two friends from our group who had just started their ascent. They informed us that a foreigner they met along the way had told them that the Milk Lake was stunning and that we should not miss it. Determined to reach the lake, the two friends insisted on continuing their ascent. We decided to send two other members of our group to stay with them and assist them, while the rest of us continued our descent, carrying our friends' backpacks to lighten their load. During the descent, we encountered some Thai people who were struggling. We shared our dates and snacks with them, which also helped to lighten our own load.

As we approached the boarding point, it was already 5 pm. Looking back, the sky had turned dark and ominous. Suddenly, snow began to fall. The four people who were following us would definitely encounter this snowstorm. We started to worry, but we had to go down to inform the bus driver that there were still four Thai people who had not arrived. At first, the bus driver refused to wait. We had to plead with him because we didn't know what would happen to them.

Anxious with worry, the weather was cold and it was starting to get dark. I asked the people who came down last if they had seen anyone, and they said they hadn't. I wondered what to do. I was worried. But in the end, they arrived exhausted, with thin air, cold, and showing signs of fainting. But the friend we had asked to help had taken a Rescue course, or life-saving rescue, so they knew how to help and came down safely. At the end of this trip, they will both become stronger, both physically and mentally, able to walk themselves up to an altitude of 4,600 meters above sea level and come down safely. Even though it was slow, they made it. :)

The next day, while watching local TV news, we overheard a report about Thai people being stranded in Yading National Park. We couldn't help but chuckle, thinking that the park rangers must have recognized us by now after our repeated visits.

The next morning, we need to enter Yading to take a short walk to relieve the fatigue from yesterday's strenuous hike. For the second entry into Yading, the bus fare will be reduced to 60 yuan, but you need to show the previous day's ticket to the ticket seller. For this short loop, you don't need to take the small bus anymore. Just get off the bus and walk. According to the map above, we will go to the right side. The round-trip distance is about 3 kilometers, which is a leisurely walk.

Wat Chong Khao

Today I had a lot of time to take photos and enjoy myself.

The walking path alternates between flat and uphill sections, making it quite tiring.

Approach him.

Gazing at him

The phrase "ทะเลสาบจั๋วหม่าลาชั่ว" appears to be a combination of Thai and Chinese characters. Here's a breakdown of the translation:

• ทะเลสาบ (Thai): This translates to "lake" in English.
• จั๋ว (Chinese): This is a Chinese character that can have various meanings depending on the context. In this case, it could potentially mean "big" or "great."
• หม่า (Chinese): This character can mean "horse" or "hemp."
• ลา (Chinese): This character can mean "wax" or "to pull."
• ชั่ว (Chinese): This character can mean "short" or "bad."

Putting these characters together, the phrase could be interpreted as "Big Lake of the Horse and Hemp, Short and Bad." However, without further context or information about the intended meaning, it's difficult to provide a more accurate translation.

It's important to note that machine translation can be imperfect, especially when dealing with languages that have different writing systems and cultural contexts. If you need a more accurate translation, it's best to consult a professional translator or someone who is fluent in both Thai and Chinese.

Close to him

Pay respects at Wat Chong Khao.

Tibetan architecture

The female laborer carries a heavy load of stones for the construction of a temple. This image serves as a reminder that there are always those who work harder and face greater challenges than ourselves. It encourages us to persevere and not to be discouraged by our own difficulties.

We shared the snacks we had with them. Although communication was difficult, we could sense their joy and sincere smiles. The act of giving brought us immense satisfaction.

I met another child to play with. I've given away all my candy. I really have nothing left. I told them to do some tricks, and they did them all. The children here are so innocent and pure. Their cheeks are rosy from the cold weather. I wanted to tell them, "Don't smile too much, or your cheeks will crack!" Haha.

The two-day, three-night trip to Yading exceeded our expectations. :) Now it's time to return to Chengdu and then back to Thailand. From here, we will visit two more cities: Litang and Luding.

We departed from Riwa city a little late, around 9 am. Along the way, we stopped for sightseeing and to stretch our legs, as well as to use the restroom.

This temple is located on the roadside before reaching Litang town. The name of the temple is not recalled.

Tonight, we found a hotel in Litang City. We had some time to walk around the city. This city is very cold. We are still in the cold zone. In the morning, we will travel to Luding City.

Along the way, we stopped at another temple. If we saw anything interesting, we would ask the driver to stop. The driver was kind, but I can't remember the name of this temple either. Haha.

There are beautiful cherry blossoms.

A child with bright, innocent eyes

The children were very still as they shared the snacks. They remained calm even when asked to pose for a photo.

"Like, like this child."

Notes:

• The original sentence is in Thai and uses informal language.
• The translation is in English and uses a more formal tone.
• The word "ชอบ" is repeated for emphasis.
• The word "คน" is translated as "child" because the context suggests that the speaker is referring to a young person.
• The phrase "เด็กคนนี้" could also be translated as "this child" or "the child."

Another incident occurred at this temple. Another group entered the chapel to worship, and the lama, unaware of their presence, locked the door from the outside. The door here is very thick, and we were taking pictures outside, so we didn't hear anything. We thought they were just praying inside, maybe for a long time. But it turned out they were locked in the dark. Haha. However, they managed to find a way to open the door and escape. Phew! ^_^

Continue to Luding City.

Accommodation located on a main road near a tourist community.

In the morning, when you have time, come for a walk.

After arriving in Chengdu from Luding around 3 pm, we had several hours to kill before our 3 am flight. Since our driver could only take us to the airport and not into the city, we decided to explore the Chunxi Road pedestrian street. We left our luggage at the airport's departure level 2, where storage is available until 11 pm. We then took the A1 bus from the airport to its final stop, which is near Chunxi Road. We had until 9:30 pm to explore the street, as the last bus back to the airport leaves at 10 pm. Chunxi Road is similar to Siam Square in Thailand, but much larger and with a wider variety of shops and attractions.

Sigh! This trip feels long, but I've learned a lot. Thank you to everyone who joined me on this journey and created a unique travel experience together. After this trip, we will definitely be stronger. ^_^ Because **the first step is not important, but taking the steps together is more important.**

The Secret to Moving Forward is Taking the First Step

เคล็ดลับของการก้าวไปข้างหน้า คือ การลงมือทำ

"Impossible" is just "I'm possible" with a typo. We'll never know what we're capable of unless we try. So let's push our limits and discover our true potential! :)

These are the lessons I learned from my #FollowMyHeartToYating trip.

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We Like Journey, Travel and Still Young

This phrase combines three popular Thai hashtags related to travel and youthfulness:

• #welikejourney: This hashtag expresses a general love for travel and exploration.
• #เที่ยวแล้วยัง: This hashtag translates to "Have you traveled yet?" and encourages people to explore new places.
• #เที่ยวแล้วyoung: This hashtag translates to "Traveling keeps you young" and highlights the positive impact of travel on one's well-being and vitality.

Together, these hashtags create a message that celebrates the joys of travel and encourages people to embrace adventure and exploration, regardless of their age.

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