Heading upriver and fighting against strong currents, the crew employed large wooden poles to keep the boat away from shallow waters. Our slow movement provided golden opportunities to observe everyday life on the grassy banks, alongside numerous river boats tied up or moving with the flow. This was a stunning backdrop. Around Xingping is the Guangxi’s classic karst landscape, so iconic it features on the 20 RMB note. The town is nestled below Five Finger Hill (wuzhishan). The peaks around town have legends and stories locals gladly share.

There was no dock or pier. The boat beached and we descended a wooden plank from the bow. My bicycle was handed down to me. Today’s contemporary images show a flotilla of modern vessels carrying heavy tourist traffic to and from Yangshuo. Xingping has transformed from a quiet river town into a popular, bustling, but still physically beautiful location. I headed first to a cafe, the Bamboo Inn, for fried rice, peanuts and a cold drink. In 1993 there was no hassle, very peaceful and a good place to have conversations with local people. Relatively few international visitors were passing through at that time, although five years later in 1998, US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary appreciated the area’s stunning natural beauty.