02-Jul-2012 -- Story continues from 36°N 112°E.

After refuelling in Fúshān County (浮山县), we head south to Yìchéng County (翼城县), and then east on a freeway towards Jìnchéng Prefecture (晋城市). Just before Jìnchéng, we turn north onto another freeway that takes us to Chángzhì County (长治县).

With light fading, we decide to leave the confluence for tomorrow morning, and proceed to look for a hotel vacancy. However, there is apparently a convention in town, so this proves easier said than done. Finally we manage to get a suite with just one double bed. Peter draws the short straw, and gets to sleep on the sofa.

We head off at 6:30 am the next morning, driving south down national route G207 for about 4 km, then turn right just after the highway passes under the freeway we travelled last night. We follow a series of country roads westwards that Targ has earlier identified from a study of Google Earth.

At one point, we come upon a cement mixer reversing along the road in front of us. Although we manage to find a way past, shortly thereafter we are confronted by a team of workers preparing to cement the very road on which we want to travel! As they had not yet started, they grudgingly make room for us to get by.

We pass through several villages on the way to the confluence. One interesting feature that catches our eye is the use of old clay pots, once used for storing preserved vegetables, as building components in a fence.

We park the car in Huánghòu Village (皇后村), about 300 m from the confluence. A friendly local chats with us before we set off on foot for the point.

The confluence is in a cornfield, and we snap the GPS, north, south, east and west photos. As we depart the point, we encounter a farmer working a nearby cornfield, who is quite perplexed by our presence here.

The way back to route G207 is not a straightforward affair. When we return to where we previously encountered the cementing team, there is no getting past this time. The first truckload of cement is just about to be poured.

We need to take a very long detour, which takes us through another interesting village, where we note the extensive use of bricks as paving stones. Eventually we make it back to the highway, and back to our hotel, in time to enjoy our complimentary breakfast before heading off for the next confluence.

Story continues at 37°N 113°E.