Climbing the Karsts
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The tourist taking on a karst climb. |
From the ground, it hadn't looked so high. Just a leisurely amble, perfect for the rock-climbing novice - but five meters from the top, I was not so sure. Yangshuo, in Guilin, Guangxi, has built up a reputation as one of China's most exhilarating rock-climbing hotspots.
I turned my head away from the cliff face, hoping to take in the vista of green rice fields that sprawl along the quiet valley just outside Yangshuo. Overwhelmed by the beauty of the moment, I was struck by the realization that I was much, much higher than I had thought.
My instructor below looked as tiny as an ant and I began to wonder if he was really concentrating. His name is Sky and I assume he sees the irony.
After climbing for what felt like eternity, my arms and fingers were starting to feel the strain.
"Left foot up high and to the left," Sky shouted. "There is a foot-hole there!"
Looking at the area he was referring to, I wondered if he was joking or just trying to get me killed. As he hadn't let me down yet, I contorted my body and somehow managed to meet his impossible demand.
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