I’ll be on the road starting this week leading a group of students on a study tour of Yunnan. I’m flying down on Wednesday morning and will be staying in Kunming on Wednesday night. Our group will then be spending some time near Zhongdian, at a place called Napa Village, before heading south next week to Baishuitai and Tiger Leaping Gorge. I’m looking forward to the trip but it does mean that my connection to the online world could be spotty at times…bad news for regular blogging and my fantasy basketball team, good news for exploring the wide world beyond the Fourth Ring Road…
Live it up. Napa and ta cun are excellent places to chill. The people couldn’t be nicer and it was beautiful when we visited in fall. (Although I don’t know about how things are in February).
Michael G.,
I’m guessing it will be about the same, except even more “chill.”
Do TLG the proper way: start early and take the high path, avoiding the temptation to microbus yourselves in. Fantastic views and no tour guides waving flags.
Stuart,
Thanks for the tip. That’s the way we did back in 2003, but I’m not sure which route we are taking with the students. Looking forward to it either way.
When will you start? I heard that all Tibetan areas are closed to the foreigners.
Leo,
Not all areas. Just most of ‘em. I guess the CCP doesn’t want foreigners wandering through Qinghai and Tibet to become exhausted from hearing how happy and jubilant the Tibetans are after 60 years of PRC rule. Might be quite tiresome after a bit.
See any one-armed Tibetans?~~
Went right past his front door…and waited by the road to be sure none of my students “wandered” inside.
Amazing. “Hiking the Gorge” ranks among my all-time China highlights.
Just started this book, came highly recommended from a friend.