Catshanghai

This is an article I wrote about Moganshan. Forgive the sentimental happy clappy treatment but it was a very good trip and it was wrttien for school consumption. anyway, it gives you an idea about what it goos about Moganshan.

Moganhan Trip – June 21st to June 23^rd 2006

How many year 7 students does it take to change a lightbulb? The shockof a 6.30 early morning start can always be eased by doses of corny humour,which Henry Mahood and Alex Sprake were always happy to provide. We were earlyenough to catch the joggers and avoid rush hour traffic jams.

Moganshan is a beautiful, lush mountain resort two hours beyond Hangzhou. It is famous for its bamboo forests, amazing views and as an historical summer retreat for China’srich and powerful. Mr Kyle worked hard to organise an authentic year 7 Chinese travelling adventure for their activitiy week. The first leg was an outwardtrain journey from Shanghai to Hangzhou. For many of our students this wasthe first time they had ever travelled on a train in China. Much of the journey wasspent having photographs taken wearng Mr Seigal’s magnificent baker boy hat. From Hangzhou,we got back on the bus and spent the next couple of hours navigating twistingmountain roads, while watching amazing scenes of valleys, bamboo forests and rice fields.

Upon arrival at our Moganshan Hotel, we checked in and started to visitthe sights. We looked at Chiang Kai Shek’s former summer time home and anold banker’s house where Mao Zedong once stayed. We saw a museum whereeverything was made of bamboo including the ceiling and we saw a strikingsculpture commemorating the legend of Moganshan. Apparently, Moganshan is namedafter two sword makers who sacrificed their lives to make the perfect weapon indefence of their hometown.

The sun was blazing down and the air was sticky with humidity. Thismade it a challenge to walk back up the hill, especially for the less sportymembers of the group, but we all made it. On the second day, we hiked toa water bottling plant and tea plantation. It was a wonderful experience to beable to head down the slopes to gather tea leaves in the glorious sunshine.After lunch, we, our tender knees and calf muscles embarked on an epic trekthrough the forest and down the mountain.

Morganshan village people work very hard, but they have a special wayof life. They work the fields and grew their own produce, possibly making alittle tourist income in the summer months. The tea plantation folk also followthis way of life producing four harvests every year between March and October.They showed us how they choose the smallest leaves for the best tea, which theyprepare by hand drying it in a hot skillet.

The food and the hospitality we received were excellent throughout theholiday. Every meal was a feast of Chinese and local specialties. Our food wasalways clean, fresh and tasty. We ate lots of healthy chicken, fish andvegetables, particularly bamboo. Meal time was also an occasion for heroicconsumption. Mr Kyle ate some duck’s brains, while Jeff wolfed down a hugechicken that had been having a bath in a vat of soup.

A highlight of the holiday were the improvised after dinner activities.The first night we crowded round a laptop to answer questions as part of anenjoyable photoquiz. The second night we hired the karaoke hall for our veryown talent show of singing, dancing, comedy, storytelling, acrobatics and atransgender beauty contest.Now we are on our way back to the smoke and the bustle of Shanghai. We have a busload of happy but exhausted children. We owe a lot to Mr Kyle for setting upthe trip and Hillye was an excellent tourist guide throughout. Mrs Trussell waslike everyone’s caring mother and Miss Egan was always brimming with energy,especially after her first cup of coffee in the morning. I will always rememberthis trip for many different reasons. I will always remember the amazingscenery of green hills and bamboo forests. I will always savour the alpinetaste of fresh mountain air. I will never forget the fun and laughter we had aswe trekked around Moganshan taking photographs of beautiful places and funnyfaces. Most of all, I will always remember how wonderful and good natured the childrenwere as they embraced new experiences in a very special place. For these reasons, the Moganshan trip was undoubtedly my highlight of the year at BISS.
I will always rememberthis trip for many different reasons. I will always remember the amazingscenery of green hills and bamboo forests. I will always savour the alpinetaste of fresh mountain air. I will never forget the fun and laughter we had aswe trekked around Moganshan taking photographs of beautiful places and funnyfaces. Most of all, I will always remember how wonderful and good natured the childrenwere as they embraced new experiences in a very special place. For thesereasons, the Moganshan trip was undoubtedly my highlight of the year at BISS.

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