Chengdu Earthquake 2013

Facebook Chengdu, China page has shared this news on FB: A 6.9 earthquake hit Ya'an, Sichuan province on 8:02 AM, a city of 1.5 million not far from Chengdu. Let's pray together for the safety of those in the disaster area, hope all of the people who experienced the earthquake in Ya An are ok. You can't stop or prevent things like this from happening, just try to be as safe as possible.

The last time I visit Sichuan province also falls on Spring Season in April month, 3 years ago. It's my favourite season of the year where I can see beautiful flowers blossoming everywhere at cooling weather 10-20 degree celsius. There's no earthquake at that time when I tour all around Sichuan province as the 2008 deadly earthquake measured at 8.5 Richter had just happened recently. They're rebuilding the whole place with repairs going on and new road pavement along the way up to Jiuzhaigou.

All along the way up to Jiuzhaigou and reaching up the 4000m up to the top of snowy mountain, we kept on chanting and praying 'Amituofo'(Amitabha Buddha) for a safe journey. The Chinese tour guide is also a devoted Buddhist who believes in 'Amituofo' and he had gone through the earthquake disaster that happened in Sichuan before. He shared with us the real, sad stories during the long day tour. 

During the earthquake disaster that took almost a year recovery, he also volunteered to help the unfortunate people when the natural disaster struck the whole area. He's a nice Buddhist, I can feel it from his words of sharing. He's not the typical Chinese who only talked about money, commission and benefits. I listened to his story eagerly with my own ears, I remembered his teary emotion with my both eyes and I felt him with my own heart through his emotional sharing of the 2008 earthquake disaster. 

Usually the Chinese tour guide is only keen to push their optional tour with tourists but he have gone through the ups and downs of the common earthquake in Sichuan province, he prayed real hard that the earthquake won't happen again, hoping all of us would have a safe journey along the 8 days tour. Rambo told me when I was asleep resting, he saw him chanting all the way from Chengdu city to Jiuzhaigou, 450 kilometres through the hills, valleys and mountains. Rambo also chanted 'Amituofo' together with him all along the way up to the 'Fairyland'.

I told everyone already if they're really keen to go 'Jiuzhaigou', it's better to take a direct flight there.Yea, you missed out the sightseeing of the lovely plants(never seen before even for a tour leader who have travel around the world) and spectacular scenery but most important that you're safe. As I have warned them already, it's a matter of life or death journey all along the way up to Jiuzhaigou. The route is not ready yet, the earthquake rebuilding, repair and recovery is still in progress, you need to stop and wait as everything is still uncertain but it's an experience I would never forget in my lifetime.

It's worth the price that I paid for this wonderful trip and it's really worth to see one of the most beautiful place on earth after such a hard journey up with much bravery.  Really need to thank many days of praying from Rambo, 'Xiao Wen' and our skillful driver who drives carefully for our safety. Most of us got so scared when we reached to the slippery mountain and at the sharp turning points, we were so grateful that we're safely back home sweet home. Still, we enjoyed the tour to the max as we really had a blast of happy times together and witness many beautiful things on Sichuan culture we have never seen or heard before. 

Sichuan culture is really out of this world wonderland. And it's really sad to hear the bad news from Chengdu that it actually strikes and hit the city again. Hope the earthquake would stop at this moment, no more please. Tq Amituofo! I end this blog by sharing Sichuan lovely 'San Ge'(song), check out this pretty singer that I love of her great talent at http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=14S3UtsLyRU