Text & Photos by George Gordon [UK]

Currently employed by Link CN,George Gordon came to China to teach ESL at Wuhan Optical Valley Experimental Middle School.Here he shares his passion for the English language with his students.

When I stepped from the bullet train,I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.My friends had told me that Xianning is a particularly popular tourist destination amongst the Chinese due to its luscious green scenery,rolling mountains and abundant hot springs.

But I had decided to go during April,off season.

The city is in the south-east of Hubei Province,and its south bank extends to as far as the Yangtze River.It neighbours Huangshi and Jingzhou,connected to the south by Jiangxi Province and Hunan Province to the west.

淡季旅游，別有一番舒適、愜意。浸入溫泉之中，仿佛我便獨享了這一方山水……

On my way to the hotel I noticed how quiet it was—without the visitors that frequent it during the height of the season,Xianning felt more like a friendly town than a big city.I checked into the resort hotel,which was notable for the huge inflatable rubber duck outside the entrance.It was late in the afternoon,so I decided to immediately investigate the hot springs themselves,which were only a short walk away.

I purchased a day ticket (which was discounted,due to the fact it was off season),and entered.I could tell by the impressive number of lockers in the changing rooms that it must be frantically busy during the summer.Today,however,I was the only person in the whole place.Wearing my swimming trunks and flipflops,my towel slung over my shoulder,I stepped out into the sunshine and made my way around the pools of various depths and heat.The spring water flows two hundred meters below the city and can reach temperatures of up to 50°C.

In the hours that followed,I only encountered a handful of other guests visiting the hot springs and,later in the evening,staying at the hotel itself.Indeed,as I made the most of the facilities,including sauna and Chinese medicine fumigation pods,I couldn’t quite shake the indulgent thought that they had both opened exclusively for my benefit that afternoon.And not once did I have to queue for my turn.All that,for a discounted entry price,too!

The next day I explored Qianshan National Park,which was equally calm and peaceful.I lost myself amid the beautiful greenery as I made my way to the summit,enjoying the wonderful fresh air.I soon chanced upon Qianshan Temple,which is situated on the side of the mountain and offers a breathtaking panorama of Xianning’s skyline.I was particularly impressed by the huge statue of Guanyin (Avalookitesvara) watching over the surrounding countryside.

It was a memorable trip for the natural beauty and relaxation resorts that the city has to offer,but also because I felt like I had the place to myself.If you need a break from the hustle and bustle of city life,I would definitely recommend visiting Xianning off season.