6am
I wake to the sound of my alarm clock and push my face towards the pre-dawn light and an incredible display of giant karst mountains, forested hillsides and deep valleys in the north of Xinglong, in the municipality of Chongqing.
I shout to my expedition partner and cameraman, Leon McCarron, a few metres away, that it is time to get up. A groan in reply. Ten years younger, Leon is supposed to be the sprightly one, but he confesses that the past four months and 3,000 kilometres of tough walking have aged him at an unnatural speed.
6.30am
After packing our rucksacks and downing our first instant coffee, we follow the farmers' track onto the road. We brace ourselves for another long day. Today we aim to cover 41 kilometres - out of the mountains and down to the next town, Baiyangping in Hubei province.
7am