Claire Spenser, Sibyl Fast and I are college classmates, and we all love nature and adventure. After graduation, we chose different careers and lifestyles. Claire became a famous travel writer, and Sibyl became a successful lawyer. Although we were separated by different places, even continents, we kept in touch and shared our experiences and feelings. Last month, we finally had a rare opportunity to go hunting together in Phoenix Mountain National Forest Park in Zunyi City, China, and experience different cultures and scenery.
Phoenix Mountain National Forest Park is one of the largest forest parks in southwestern China, located in the south of Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, about 60 kilometers away from the city. It has rich natural resources and ecological environment, with various peaks, deep and beautiful canyons, clear and green lakes, strange and diverse karst landforms, and various rare and endangered animals and plants. It is also a tourist attraction, with many attractive spots, such as natural oxygen bar, flying waterfall stream, thousand-year-old temple, ethnic style village, etc.
We chose to hunt at night because we wanted to feel a different kind of excitement and challenge than during the day. Night hunting requires higher skills and better equipment. We used night vision binoculars and infrared binoculars, which are essential equipment for night hunting. Night vision binoculars can let us see the outline and movement of animals in the dark, while infrared binoculars can let us see the body temperature and blood flow of animals. This equipment allows us to aim and shoot more accurately.
In Zunyi, we also tasted the local cuisine, such as sour soup fish, hot and sour noodles, tofu balls, etc. These dishes are made with local specialty ingredients, with sour and spicy flavor, mouth-watering. We praised these dishes as a new taste experience.
This unforgettable trip to Zunyi made me reunite with Claire Spenser and Sibyl Fast, and also made us have a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture. This is a journey full of fun and harvest, I will always treasure it in my heart.
Phoenix Mountain National Forest Park is one of the largest forest parks in southwestern China, located in the south of Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, about 60 kilometers away from the city. It has rich natural resources and ecological environment, and is a place worth visiting.
The park covers an area of 25,000 hectares, of which the forest coverage rate is more than 90%. There are various peaks here, some towering into the clouds, some winding; there are deep and beautiful canyons, some clear to the bottom, some full of strange stones; there are clear and green lakes, some sparkling, some quiet as a mirror; there are strange and diverse karst landforms, some resembling animals, some like sculptures. This is also a paradise for animals and plants, with various rare and endangered species such as golden monkeys, crested ibis, camellias, azaleas, etc.
There are also many attractive spots in the park, such as natural oxygen bar, flying waterfall stream, thousand-year-old temple, ethnic style village, etc. Natural oxygen bar is a place with excellent air quality where you can breathe fresh and pure air and relax your body and mind. Flying waterfall stream is a place with water scenery where you can enjoy waterfalls and streams of different heights and shapes and feel the power and beauty of water. Thousand-year-old temple is a place with historical culture where you can visit an ancient temple built in the Tang Dynasty and learn about the inheritance and faith of Buddhism. Ethnic style village is a place with folk customs where you can experience the life and culture of local ethnic minorities and taste their specialty food and wine.
In Phoenix Mountain National Forest Park, Claire Spenser, Sibyl Fast and I felt the charm and magic of nature, and also learned a lot of knowledge and culture. This is a place that makes people linger and unforgettable.
We chose to hunt at night because we wanted to feel a different kind of excitement and challenge than during the day. Night hunting requires higher skills and better equipment. We used night vision binoculars and infrared binoculars, which are essential equipment for night hunting.
Night vision binoculars are a kind of binoculars that can see objects in the dark. They work by using image intensifiers or thermal imagers to amplify the weak light or heat radiation in the environment, forming a visible image. The function of night vision binoculars is to let us see the outline and movement of animals in the dark, so as to judge their position and direction. The advantage of night vision binoculars is that they allow us to observe nocturnal animals without using any artificial light sources, avoiding disturbing them or exposing ourselves.
Infrared binoculars are a kind of binoculars that can see the temperature distribution of objects in the dark. They work by using infrared detectors to capture the infrared radiation emitted by the surface of objects, forming an image that shows the temperature difference by color. The function of infrared binoculars is to let us see the body temperature and blood flow of animals in the dark, so as to judge their physiological state and health condition. The advantage of infrared binoculars is that they allow us to detect whether they are injured or sick, and whether they are suitable as prey, without touching them.
This equipment allows us to aim and shoot more accurately, and also give us more confidence and fun for night hunting. Our experience of night hunting in Phoenix Mountain National Forest Park was a rare adventure and challenge.
The process of our night hunting was an experience full of thrill and joy. We stayed in a hunting cabin in the park, prepared enough food and water, as well as necessary weapons and ammunition. We set off at dusk, carrying night vision binoculars and infrared binoculars, as well as some other equipment, such as flashlights, compasses, walkie-talkies, etc.
We entered the forest along a path, as the sky darkened, we turned on the night vision binoculars and started looking for traces of prey. We soon found some animal figures, some were common herbivores such as deer, wild boar, rabbits, etc., some were rare carnivores such as foxes, wolves, leopards, etc. We chose suitable targets according to our preferences and abilities, then used infrared binoculars to confirm their temperature and blood flow, and determined whether they were healthy and active.
We quietly approached the target, trying not to make any sound or light, so as not to alarm them or attract other animals. We kept in touch with walkie-talkies, coordinating our position and action. When we were close enough to the target, we fired at the same time, hitting their vital parts. We immediately ran over, checked their situation, and confirmed that they were dead. We tied them up with ropes and hung them on branches to prevent them from being taken away or rotten by other animals.
Some interesting and dangerous things happened during our night hunting. Once, Claire mistook a squirrel for a civet and shot at it. As a result, she not only missed the squirrel, but also broke a branch and startled a flock of birds. These birds flew very low and fast, almost hitting our heads. We were scared and quickly hid under a tree, while also feeling very funny. Once, Sibyl saw a leopard lurking on a tree, ready to attack an ignorant deer. She wanted to save the deer, so she shot at the leopard. As a result, she hit the leopard’s tail and angered it. The leopard turned around and rushed towards us, and we had to run for our lives. Fortunately, we ran faster and met a small river. We jumped into the water, and the leopard did not dare to go into the water, so it gave up chasing.
In Zunyi, we also tasted the local cuisine, such as sour soup fish, hot and sour noodles, tofu balls, etc. These dishes are made with local specialty ingredients, with sour and spicy flavor, mouth-watering. We praised these dishes as a new taste experience.
Sour soup fish is a famous dish in Zunyi, which is made with fresh grass carp and special sour soup. The sour soup is made with fermented rice soup, chili, ginger, garlic, pepper and other seasonings, with a strong aroma and sour and spicy taste. After the grass carp is cooked in the sour soup, the meat is tender and melts in the mouth, complementing the taste of the sour soup. This dish is not only delicious, but also helps digestion and appetite.
Hot and sour noodles are a special snack in Zunyi, which are made with sweet potato noodles and various ingredients. Sweet potato noodles are made with sweet potato starch, with a transparent appearance and chewy texture. The ingredients include bean sprouts, peanuts, cilantro, green onion, oil splash chili and so on, adding color, aroma, taste and nutrition. The soup of hot and sour noodles is made with rice vinegar, bean paste sauce, sugar and so on, with a rich sour and spicy taste and sweetness. This snack is not only cheap and affordable, but also helps to relieve greasiness and warm the stomach.
Tofu balls are a traditional dessert in Zunyi, which are made with tofu and glutinous rice flour. Tofu is made by coagulating soybean milk after grinding soybeans into pulp, with a white appearance and soft texture. Glutinous rice flour is made by grinding glutinous rice into powder, with stickiness and sweetness. Tofu balls are made by mixing tofu and glutinous rice flour together and kneading them into small balls, then boiling them in boiling water and fishing them out. Tofu balls can be added with different fillings and toppings according to personal preference, such as sesame seeds, peanuts, brown sugar, bean paste etc. This dessert is not only sweet and delicious but also helps to supplement calcium and nourish the skin.
These dishes made us enjoy a rich and delicious meal in Zunyi，and also made us have a deeper impression and love for Zunyi’s local customs and culture. This was an unforgettable gourmet trip.
This unforgettable trip to Zunyi made me reunite with Claire Spenser and Sibyl Fast，and also made us have a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture. This was a journey full of fun and harvest，I will always treasure it in my heart.
In Phoenix Mountain National Forest Park, we felt the charm and magic of nature, and also learned a lot of knowledge and culture. We chose to hunt at night because we wanted to feel a different kind of excitement and challenge than during the day. We used night vision binoculars and infrared binoculars, which are essential equipment for night hunting. We saw various animals, had some interesting and dangerous incidents, and felt the thrill and fun of hunting. We harvested a lot of prey, as well as a lot of experience and stories.
In Zunyi, we also tasted the local cuisine, such as sour soup fish, hot and sour noodles, tofu balls, etc. These dishes are made with local specialty ingredients, with sour and spicy flavor, mouth-watering. We praised these dishes as a new taste experience.
This unforgettable trip to Zunyi made me reunite with Claire Spenser and Sibyl Fast, and also made us have a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture. This was a journey full of fun and harvest, I will always treasure it in my heart.
This article is a record and share of my unforgettable trip to Zunyi with Claire Spenser and Sibyl Fast. I hope that through this article, I can let more people know about the beauty and charm of Zunyi, and also inspire more people to explore and experience different cultures and scenery. I also hope that through this article, I can express my friendship and gratitude to Claire Spenser and Sibyl Fast, and also wish them a happy future. I believe that no matter where we are, our hearts are always connected, and our stories are always continuing. Thank you for your reading and support.
