徒步: Going on Foot

I've started off the spring semester with 2 hikes in month -- a good sign for more hikes to come.

I forgot my camera when we went hiking in the desert a few hours north of Shihezi, so Ana's post and pictures will have to suffice.

This past weekend we went camping in the Southern Mountains (the ones I see from my window) with a mix of foreign friends and Chinese students.

The chaos that is camping with Chinese people who insist on grilling meat.

Getting ready for the obligatory group shot.

The hike out.

Wet boots but a lot of fun, after I got over the fact that we were drinking melted snow and grilling lamb over coals and other things I normally don't do as a rather spartan, and always well-prepared hiker.  This time I wasn't well-prepared (never trust a Frenchman who relays a suspicious Chinese person's message to you regarding responsibility for water.) I'll go with this group again, I'm sure, and hopefully it'll be less chaos and even more fun.