China Part 1: Chengdu & Chongqing — From Food Poisoning to Recovery

May 19
8 min read

After the madness of India and the chaos of Nepal (and that horrific food poisoning!), we flew from Kathmandu to China on 2nd October 2024. Just me, Darkon, and Alan, about to embark on what would become the longest, most intense, and most transformative leg of our entire journey.

This is Part 1 of our 22-day China adventure: Chengdu & Chongqing (2nd-8th October).

Chengdu (2nd-6th October): Pandas, Buddhas & Battling Illness

Arrival: Flying Past Everest While Dying

Our time in Nepal ended on a less-than-glamorous note. Battling severe food poisoning, I stumbled through the airport in a haze, in and out of sleep, my camera packed safely away as survival became the only goal.

On the flight to China, I drifted in and out of consciousness until Darkon nudged me awake, pointing to the window.

There it was.

Mount Everest, piercing through a blanket of clouds, glistening in the sunlight. The tallest mountain in the world, 8,849 metres above sea level, standing proud above the Himalayas. It was a moment so serene, so surreal, that the sickness momentarily faded into the background.

Alan finally got his proper Everest view. From a window seat. For free. The irony wasn't lost on any of us!

Landing in the Future

When we landed in Chengdu, our first stop in China, it was like stepping into the future!

The sheer efficiency and cleanliness of everything (from the airport to the streets) left me in awe. Public toilets were everywhere, sparkling clean, equipped with buttons for various functions. It was a stark contrast to the places we'd been, and I couldn't help but feel like we'd entered a world so far ahead of our own.

Our accommodation was surrounded by skyscrapers and buildings lit up by lights like I'd never seen before. The city glowed!

Day One (3rd October): Pandas & the Leshan Giant Buddha

Our first full day in Chengdu was a dream for any wildlife lover!

We joined a guided tour to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, and let me tell you, the obsession with pandas is 100% justified! Watching them lazily munch on bamboo, tumbling around like oversized teddy bears, I couldn't stop snapping photos. They're impossibly cute, and it was heartwarming to see the efforts being made to protect these gentle creatures.

Later that day, our guide took us to the Leshan Giant Buddha, an ancient marvel carved directly into a cliff face!

Leshan Giant Buddha stands at 71 metres tall (that's taller than a 20-storey building!) and has been watching over the meeting of three rivers for over 1,300 years! Built during the Tang Dynasty (713-803 AD), it's said that the sheer size of the Buddha was intended to calm the turbulent waters below. It's the largest stone Buddha statue in the world!

What struck me most wasn't just the grandeur of the statue, but the incredible detail. Each curl of hair on its head (there are 1,021 of them!), the expression of serene wisdom on its face. It was a humbling experience to stand before it, dwarfed by its scale and significance.

Day Two (4th October): Tianfu Square & The Alien Stares

We spent the day wandering around Tianfu Square, the heart of Chengdu. The square is massive, surrounded by shopping malls, LED screens, and that iconic giant Mao Zedong statue standing tall in the centre.

Chengdu's skyline is a photographer's paradise! Towering skyscrapers reflecting the city lights at night, the contrast between the modern cityscape and the traditional temples scattered throughout was fascinating.

Something I wasn't prepared for in Chengdu was how isolated we felt as Westerners. During our four days in the city, we didn't see a single other foreigner! The locals' stares, while curious rather than hostile, made us feel like aliens who had just landed. It was a strange, humbling sensation that added to the uniqueness of our time there.

One evening, we wandered into an arcade (something we hadn't planned but couldn't resist!). A few games in, we found ourselves with an embarrassing haul of teddies. With no space left in our backpacks, we decided to gift them to local children, whose smiles made the night even more memorable.

Day Three (5th October): Exploring Chongqing & A Trip to the Hospital

Although still battling severe food poisoning and unable to keep anything down, the smells from the street food stalls were getting the better of me!

We caught the train from Chengdu to Chongqing (our next destination), and let me tell you, this was no ordinary train station! It felt more like an airport, with its massive halls, high-tech ticketing systems, and swarms of people moving with purpose. China's infrastructure truly blew me away! The train itself was sleek and modern, speeding through the countryside with incredible efficiency.

A Note on Chinese Apps

It took us some time to get our heads around all the Chinese apps that were required for this trip!

No UK apps work here. No Google. No regular maps. No facebook or instagram. All had to be Chinese apps. No cash either! Everything is paid via QR codes on Alipay or WeChat.

If you're visiting China for the first time, downloading WeChat is a MUST! It's not just for messages (it's used for taxis, translation, payments, even directions). It became our travel lifeline!

Chongqing (6th-8th October): Salmonella, Pearls & A City That Glows

Arrival: Skyscrapers & Serious Illness

Arriving in Chongqing felt like stepping into a sci-fi movie!

From the window of our hotel, the skyline stretched endlessly. Skyscrapers standing tall and proud, their lights shifting colours as night fell. It was mesmerising, and I knew right away this city would offer plenty of photographic opportunities.

We spent the evening walking around Guanyin Bridge, finding local restaurants and trying traditional dishes.

But by this point, I was getting weaker. Struggling to walk. The food poisoning from Nepal hadn't gone away. It had gotten worse.

Day One (6th October): Morning Yoga & Ciqikou Ancient Town

We woke to see people outside in the street doing some type of yoga, moving gracefully to inspirational traditional Chinese music in the background. It was such a peaceful, beautiful start to the day!

We headed for Ciqikou Ancient Town, a 1,000-year-old riverside town famous for its traditional architecture, teahouses, and street food!

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Ciqikou was a thriving port town where merchants would gather to trade goods along the Jialing River. Today, it's a beautifully preserved slice of old China, with narrow cobbled streets, wooden buildings, and the smell of roasting sweet potatoes filling the air.

We visited a cat café (saw my first Maine Coon and became OBSESSED!), played Chinese games at small stalls, and ate roast potatoes with the most bursting amazing flavours. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, perfectly spiced. Honestly, the best I've ever had! I'm still dreaming about them.

Darkon found a stall that had "pick your own pearls!" You choose a clam, open it, and the pearls inside you can use to make a souvenir. I chose a bracelet.

When Darkon opened his clam, there were over 20 pearls inside! We were stunned! I had a beautiful bracelet made from those pearls right there at the stall, and it's now one of my most cherished souvenirs from the trip. I still wear it to this day!

The Hospital Visit: Salmonella Diagnosis

But by this point, I was in bad shape. Really bad. Still projectile vomiting, unable to walk properly, getting weaker by the hour.

Darkon insisted. Hospital. Now.

I thought it would be a disaster like the UK. Long waits, chaos, overwhelmed staff. But I was so wrong!

We waited for a doctor no longer than 20 minutes! While we waited, we were speaking with a local family (using Google Translate). They were terrified that we were using iPhones!

At the time, there was a fake craze going around that iPhones were exploding, and Chinese families were creating videos of them smashing up iPhones and any Apple technology. This was all fake news, but the people believed it. It was surreal!

I explained to the doctor I had food poisoning. Straight away, I was getting tested for all sorts. Blood tests, stool samples, you name it.

My results came back: severe salmonella poisoning.

I was lucky I didn't leave it any longer.

I was prescribed multiple antibiotics, all for as little as £20. I was in and out of the hospital within a couple of hours!

We would NEVER receive this type of service in the UK, considering China has 10 million more people than the UK! Everything just flows and works here.

Off I went from the hospital. A relaxed evening at the hotel and takeaway ordered.

Day Two (7th October): A Train Through a Building!

Our first adventure in Chongqing (now that I was finally on antibiotics and starting to feel human again!) was visiting Liziba Station, famous for the monorail that runs directly through a residential building!

It's not every day you see a train glide seamlessly through someone's home! Built in 2004, the design was born out of necessity in a city where space is scarce, and it's now an iconic example of Chongqing's innovation. Hearing the train pass by while the building remained oddly peaceful was fascinating (and surprisingly quiet!).

Later, we wandered around the area near our hotel, soaking in the city's energy. The streets buzzed with life, every corner filled with food stalls, neon lights, and the hum of people going about their day.

That evening, we scouted a location with a view of Chongqing's famous bridge. We found a beautiful restaurant overlooking the city, waited for it to get dark, and watched as the city and bridge lit up. Absolutely magical! Here we met a lovely young couple, they didnt speak much english (we have learnt now that english is not a spoken language here like most places) but still we had conversations trough translating apps. I snapped some photos of the couple with the stunning landscape behind them, and sent them over view WeChat after i had edited them, they were thrilled! Shortly after a newly wed couple came with a photographer to snap some photos of the both at this scenic location. The photographer was getting the couple to do all kinds of awkward poses, and as a wedding photographer myself (not that i was judging) it just wasn't my style. Although, i would have loved to have seen how the pictures turned out.

As the night went on, we travelled to Hongya Cave, one of Chongqing's most famous landmarks!

Built along the cliffs of the Yangtze River, it's a multi-level complex filled with restaurants, shops, and traditional architecture that lights up beautifully at night.

What we weren't expecting were the crowds.

Hundreds and hundreds of people all trying to get the same photos, vendors with microphones shouting to get your attention... it was all too much! Sensory overload and anxiety kicked in. We took a quick photo (not even a selfie!), called a Grab taxi, and headed back to the hotel.

A Photographer's Reflection: Recovery & Resilience

Chengdu and Chongqing taught me about resilience!

Landing in China while battling salmonella poisoning, getting diagnosed in a foreign hospital, slowly recovering over the course of these first days. It was challenging, exhausting, and at times genuinely scary.

But it also showed me the kindness of strangers (the local family at the hospital, the efficiency of Chinese healthcare), and reminded me that even when you're at your lowest, there are still moments of beauty to capture. The pandas, the Giant Buddha, the glowing skyline, the pearl bracelet I still wear today.

From a photography perspective, Chengdu and Chongqing offered incredible contrasts! Ancient monuments and futuristic cities, traditional teahouses and neon-lit bridges. Every frame told a story.

Would I go back? Absolutely!