Seeking spontaneity in rural China


More From China: Exploring the Taoist mountain of Shizhushan

We were dropped off at a quaint hotel on top of the mountain which had a perfect view of a large terraced field below. There were only a handful of other guests staying at the hotel and Ashley and I were met with “What the (insert explicative) are these two foreigners doing out here” looks from all of them. The owner was friendly, and kindly showed us to our room. We quickly dropped off our things, packed day bags and set off to explore the sprawling terraced field below the hotel. We spent the day meandering through the terrace, stopping frequently to take pictures, look at flowers, munch on snacks and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery we had come to be so deeply immersed in. As the sun started to get low on the horizon we found the perfect spot overlooking the terraces, uncorked our wine, unwrapped our brie, and settled in for the spectacle of colors that was about to unfold.

The sunset was spectacular. We blissfully sat in silence as we listened to the soothing riffs of Jerry Garcia. The sky bled pale hues and vibrant fuchsia streaks. The sunset dusted the terrace pools below with gold, purple, and silver. As I took another sip of wine, I ruminated on how true happiness can come from the simplest things: a bottle of wine, a beautiful sunset, and someone to share all of it with.



Liked this post?
Pin it!
You might also like....
Join the Sustainable Travel Community!
Subscribe to our blog to stay up-to-date on new posts and sustainable travel news!