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Inner Mongolia enjoys renowned reputationfor its lush and vast prairies, while desert landscape is another highlight,Hou Qi reports.
Located north of Ordos, the most developedcity in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xiangshawan (Resonant Sand Bay)Desert appeals to thousands of visitors for its stunning beauty and mysterioussounds. Sliding down from the 90-meter, 45-degree sand hill, one can supposedlyhear the sound of car and aircraft engines, a natural and as yet unexplainedphenomenon that fuels my expectation for the desert adventure.
It was my first time in the desert, whichwould become my permanent memory. Sitting inside the cable car and gazing outat the desert in the distance, I knew a fantastic journey was just beginning.The sun’s late-afternoon glare was still very strong due to the relatively highaltitude, and each of us was equipped with sunproof items, such as sunglasses,hats and sunscreen.
Getting off the cable car, we all needed towear a special pair of socks to get through the all-pervasive sand. With allthe preparations made, camels in lines welcomed us, which were much bigger thanmy previous impression. Receiving the order from a guide, a line of camels allsat down, so gently and obediently. However, camels could also reveal theirevil when they’re in a bad mood. I overheard a guide warning the visitors tokeep away from the camels to avoid being kicked. Thus I carefully climbed ontoits back for fear that my little “rudeness” would stir up its choleric nature.
With a guide in the lead, our camel linemoved toward the beauty of the desert. Holding tight to the bridle, I took in apanoramic view of the out-of-this-world marvel. Breathtaking as it is, theextreme wilderness only makes it otherworldly and overwhelmingly beautiful. Theundulating dune sketches out fine lines, making the image illustrate the vividgradations. The chemistry between sunlight and shadow extended the visualfield, impressing visitors with its boundlessness. Wows from the tourists cameout in succession and photo shooting was in full swing.
The guide’s walking barefoot on the sand,which must be unbearably hot after longtime exposure to the sun, piqued mycuriosity. He answered my query in an easy tone, “I get used to the sandtemperature, it’s not as hot as you assume. I think it’s great to get the realtouch of nature, and walking on it is good for health.” His suntanned skin andguileless smile epitomizes the very image of the warm-hearted Mongolian.
At the end of the camel tour, I motionedover my shoulder toward the desert silhouette to bid my farewell to the naturalwonder. Then the trip reached the climax, when it came to sand sliding, whichended with ecstasy as well as regret. As instructed by the guide, I sat on awooden boat, put my hands back and inserted them into the sand to control thesliding speed. Taking a deep breath, I released the hand control and a thrill–packedventure started. The 30-second experience was a once-in-a-lifetime luxury, tooshort to enjoy myself to my heart’s content yet too impressive to fall intooblivion.
It was too late when I realized the sheerignorance of the magic sand singing. My complete concentration on the speedcontrol resulted in my frustrated regret. Several companions were much luckier;they heard the buzz-like sound, describing it as incredibly melodious. Anysplendid imagination would be overshadowed by its vividness, which deservesdiscovery.
The red light of the setting sun suffusedthe sands; the air was filled with something that could be called freshness.This moment’s tranquility would never survive in the bustling metropolis, soprecious to the stressed out modern people. As all the simplicity recedes fromadult life, the transient natural beauty reminded us to slow down.
The exhaust-and-excitement-fumed tourgenerated extraordinary brushes with nature. The deep desolation of desert wasgreatly helpful in purifying the dust-stained heart.
