Hydroelectric mucus

So, we’ve now finished our cruise along the Yangtze River. Internet connectivity is a little patchy on a cruise ship winding down river with steep gorges, So I haven’t been able to post anything for little while.
Anyway here’s a taste of some of the scenery that we got to enjoy. The weather was a little shaken up with occasional drizzle and low cloud but we still managed to see the best of the three gorges area.

The entire area was flooded when the three gorges dam was built, with the water rising 170 m above its previous level, requiring the rehoming of 1.4 million people.

The three gorges dam itself is a massive structure that prevents the periodic flooding of the area well providing hydroelectric power for 5% of the Chinese population.

The massive cargo ships that carry freight along the Yangtze River pass through the dam using the system of five locks, each raising or lowering the ships by 22 m.

After a short train journey we finish the day in the city of Wuhan. Before then we passed through Yichang, A rather likeable city of only 4 million people that sits on the edge of the Yangtze River and is home to our local guide Jennifer.

The city grows oranges satsumas and Tea and is seemingly almost unique in China indeed it has plenty of open, green public spaces to walk in.

Unfortunately, today, I seem to have caught a cold from somewhere. This means that instead of being my usual dapper, svelte and polished self, I have turned into a never ending stream of Kleenex and filth, which probably isn’t impressing my clients or indeed anybody very much. However I’m now taking some Chinese medicine for cold symptoms which seems to be working reasonably well. I’m quite a fan of Chinese medicine. I think there are some things that we in the west could learn from Chinese doctors. I could of course be wrong and tomorrow the Trail of mucus could be even longer. Fingers crossed. Watch this space