Asia Awaits: Grand National Bamboo Forest

The main attraction of Anji in China is the bamboo. Everything you can imagine is made of bamboo and it is as far as the eye can see. They can make floors, shoes, plates, cups, houses, ladders, hats, clothes, blankets, food....you name it. They also use every bit of the bamboo for something - nothing is wasted.

The other famous thing about Anji is that it is the place the movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was filmed. We had enough spare time in the morning before we left to visit, so we got the hotel to call a taxi for us to take us out of town about 20 minutes to the famous forest. Given it was the most famous thing there, it was weird that the hotel didn't have a clue where I meant. Maybe it was yet another language issue. As we jumped out of the taxi, Mike says 'Sus there doesn't seem to be any taxis around for when we want to go home?' I think 'Oh well, it's early, surely we'll be fine later in the morning....' The end to that story will come later.

Upon arrival there are loads of stalls selling bamboo food and other bamboo products. Lots of tour buses visiting and we were the only westerners we saw all morning. The surrounding mountains were completely covered in bamboo - everywhere you look.

After you enter the park there are lots of different places to spend time - a little lake with inflatable water balls, stepping stones, swings and other things to do. The boys were not too keen on the hike up in to the bamboo forest, but they managed to make it all the way without to much complaining.

Some people had little men carry them to the top in chairs made from bamboo - and this hill is seriously steep ! I can only tell you how small and strong these guys were. We would have loved to asked how much to take Mike and I to the top - we think they may have died laughing. Max was keen to give it a go but we convinced him his legs could make it.

There is a crazy roller coaster to come back down if you wish. Even our boys chose not to give it a go, given the state of the track and cars. It's a single coaster where the passenger drives the speed etc - so you are on your own down a steep rusty track ....Scary stuff!

The view from the top is amazing and even with a huge amount of Chinese tourists I found it a calm place to visit.

On the way out, we let the boys have a go in one of the inflatable water balls - lots of fun. Mike and I spent the time waiting and hoping for someone to fall in the lake while walking along the stepping stones. We both hoped it would be a woman in stupid heals..... But alas they all made it safely across.

Our general consensus was that the Bamboo Forest was well worth a visit if in Anji. China was a bit of a surprise actually - very clean and organised where we were. Now you have to remember I am newly escaped from India, so maybe my view is tainted. Maybe my next visit to China will be more 'real'.