WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

A high speed train took me from Shanghai to Enshi in about 6.5 hours . The equivalent distance would be New York to Chicago at 1353 km. Amtrak would be over 18 hours without the inevitable breakdown. The train is not even China’s fastest , averaging only 220 kmh. .From rainy Shanghai I arrived in sunny Enshi, TotalAdventure’s last stop before returning to Chongqing and the flight to Hong Kong and then New York and Miami. DeepSeek, The AI for China, told me to go to Enshi , for a totally different China experience !

View from my beautiful $ 67 a night 460 RMB suite at the Mövenpick.

Spicy Crawfish Hotpot is the city speciality.

Washed down with cold local beer. Enshi is a late city, this was at 11 PM .

About 80 km from Enshi is the lost village of Luyuanping. Not actually “lost” ,but roadless. There are 2 ways in and out – a path that first travels along the side of a cliff followed by 1582 steps down, or a funicular elevator that takes one 2/3 of the way to and from the valley floor. There is also an electric pulley that carries freight bringing in heavy essential supplies. SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE ! There are no cars, but some golf cart type electric vehicles.

The village from above. Everyone is related to either one of two klans.

A very basic hotel for overnight hikers.

Smoked fish for dinner.

Up from the elevator.

Helpful advice.

Back in Enshi to board the train back to Chongqing.