I woke up in the morn and it was still dark. The sun doesn’t get up till about 8 am and when you are in the gorge it’s a little later. I have fruit and bread with me and so I sit out side my room and have breakfast. I was hoping for a cup of tea but I have no kettle either. After breakfast I get ready and pack. I put on the same smelly clothes from yesterday, well no point putting on clean ones when I didn’t have a shower. I went down to reception to complain about the hot water. She said ” 5 mins and it will be OK because the water is heated by the sun” It will be more like an hour or two before the sun shines on this part of the gorge. She gives me water and some chocolate…………no comment.

The view while having breakfast

The track is a lot easier this morning, most of the work was done yesterday and so today should be an easier day. The scenery of course is as spectacular as ever as you move through the gorge. When I get to the next small village I see the Halfway Guest House and I know for sure that there was no way I would have made it here last night. They would have found me lying in a heap somewhere if I had attempted it.

I buy banana pancakes covered in honey and some black coffee to give me some fuel. This is a big place and the folk here seem to a lot more friendlier than my hotel.

 

The path here is very different as it begins to wrap around the edge of the mountain and I come across quite a lot of people coming the other way. Mind you there was a group of Japanese dropped off at the Halfway Guest House to do the walk that I have in front of me. I meet a group of Japanese coming the other way and one women was absolutely terrified. She couldn’t look at the drop at the side of the very narrow path.

This part of the walk was a lot easier but it was also a lot more dangerous as you are on the edge of the mountain and you have to cross a few waterfalls which make it very slippy underfoot, but I am glad that I have my stick to give me that little bit of confidence.

 

Finally I see signs for Tina’s Guest House, this is where I have decided to spend the next two nights. It’s now time to head down the mountain and this can sometimes be more dangerous than going up. I did slide on me arse once, but no damage thankfully.

When I get here I have another room with a view. We are right on the edge of the gorge. I eat, I shower although it takes at least 5 mins before the water gets warm. It feels so good to have a shower after such a long time. I do a washing to get rid of the dust and the sweat which has accumulated. I sit down and then go back for more food. All this walking certainly gives you an appetite.

 

Tomorrow I will walk down to the river and stand on Tiger Leaping Rock, well one of them.

Happy to have finished Tiger Leaping Gorge