Back then, I slept on the deck; now the high-speed train goes straight there. My Three Gorges will always be with me!

Fate has its own arrangements! I had never heard of the "Summit of the Three Gorges" before. A few days ago, I happened to see a friend’s photos of their trip to the Yangtze River Three Gorges, with pictures of them reaching the "Summit of the Three Gorges." That’s when I realized such a place exists, and the scenery looks pretty nice—I long to go. Hey, just a couple of days later, I went back to Chongqing to visit a classmate. My classmate took time off and arranged a tour route, which turned out to be the "Summit of the Three Gorges." Isn’t this the kind of “telepathy” that only decades of friendship can create? Haha! I’ve been to the Yangtze River Three Gorges before. Twenty-nine years ago, after graduating from vocational school, I went with my high school classmates to visit her university friend’s home in Wushan. We were broke, so we bought cheap tickets in the open cabin. The boat rocked for several days, and at night we slept on the deck. It was summer, but still cold. I don’t remember much else, just that the university friend’s family was very hospitable. They fed and housed us and took us to tour the Lesser Three Gorges. Those memories are forever engraved in my heart 🙏. Now, the high-speed train from Chongqing to Fengjie is so convenient—it only takes one hour and forty minutes. I heard it used to take eight hours on winding mountain roads. Thanks to the great construction of our country! After my classmate and I got off the train, we leisurely took a bus to Fengjie County center, then slowly enjoyed an ecological fish meal. We decided to take it easy and first visit Baidi City, then the next day make a dash for the "Summit of the Three Gorges." The morning was originally gloomy, but unexpectedly cleared up. Blue skies and white clouds appeared, and the "Summit of the Three Gorges" stood clearly, quietly overlooking the Yangtze River. We couldn’t resist and immediately decided to climb the mountain. Haha, my classmate was initially ambitious, insisting we had to climb all the way up. After watching a few videos and checking the site, she quickly gave up and agreed to take the cable car up and down, which suited me perfectly! On the way up, rows of citrus fruits caught my eye. I suddenly realized this is the famous "Hometown of Fengjie Navel Oranges." I couldn’t help but salivate. The driver was very straightforward: “It’s not the best season to eat navel oranges yet. We still have to wait more than ten days for the best taste…” Then he firmly refused to stop so we could buy some to try. Haha, after we got off the cable car at the scenic area, my classmate couldn’t stand my nagging and bought three. Well, the taste wasn’t that great. The funny thing is, the next day when we went to Baidi City, we happened to get the same driver’s car again. That’s when we realized his good intentions to protect the reputation of "Fengjie Navel Oranges"! Although the Three Gorges we see now are not the same as they were back then, the driver told us the water level has risen more than 100 meters, and Kuimen and Qutang Gorge are no longer as majestic as before. But I know, the Three Gorges will always be there! Perfect! I love this kind of relaxed and free travel so much! So the best trips are those unexpected surprises, the ease of traveling with classmates, and the gentle and romantic memories accumulated over time!