Sichuan Province, Western China 23rd October to 20th November 2006 John & Jemi Holmes
 
 
 
Maerkang to Chengdu
 
A final few hours of birding on the 18th was a bit of an anti-climax, and we caught the Maerkang – Chengdu 0800 bus on the 19th of November.  It is a scenic run from Maerkang up to the tunnel beneath Zhegushan and the first thirty km down the Miyaluo Valley.  Below that, this formerly scenic area is dreadfully scarred by deforestation and hydroelectric construction.  The road diverts through some impressively huge tunnels.  If you like “Ghost Train” rides at the fairground, this is the bus journey for you!
 
Beware the roads around the new reservoir north of Dujiangyan.  In November 2006 we found a twelve-hour by twelve hour “one way” system in operation.  0000 to 1159 the traffic flows north, from Chengdu towards Wolong.  From 1200 to 2359 the traffic switches to southbound, from Wolong/Wenchuan towards Dujiangyan/Chengdu.
 
After a final night in Chengdu, Nigel flew back to Bristol via Amsterdam and Jemi and I flew to Shenzhen, a short taxi ride from the Hong Kong border.   We had seen about 150 species during the trip, with about a dozen “lifers” for Jemi and I and about twenty for Nigel Croft.
 
 
 
We hope this Trip Report has been informative.  Please forward any comments or queries on the above to  “johnjemiATnetvigator.com”.