Program: Kunming – Stone Forest – Jianshui – Yuanyang – Dali – Xizhou – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Shangri La – Lijiang
Hello, Ni hao,
Paul, I really wanted to write to you! And also to Xanze, so I might as well write to both of you!
First of all: THANK YOU
Yunnan has been attracting me for a few years now, and I haven’t been disappointed. I had stopped on an image of the rice paddies in water… and they were! Phew! A fabulous landscape, masterfully constructed by man, even if one can wonder about biodiversity…
As for the other facets of this trip: the temples, the differences in habitat, the ethnic groups, the cultures, the urban and rural aspects of China, this trip reveals a lot even to tourists just passing through… There are surely lots of beautiful things still to see but…
The time spent with the locals was informative and enjoyable.
I haven’t met all the Chinese… but there have been some very cordial encounters, Chinese people who came to meet us, a Chinese dancer in a public garden came to hug me!
Transport: the hours of bus travel, which are essential, are not a burden in a group, and the train journeys brought variety and also taught us a lot about the gigantism of the stations.
Hotels: Having been used to trekking-style accommodation until now, I must say that I discovered luxury throughout the trip and appreciated not only the restorative comfort but also the different Asian styles of construction and their enchanting garden.
Meals: The first meals in Kumming made everyone cry because they were so spicy! But fortunately the following ones were “calmed down” and the variety of dishes means everyone can find something to their liking, even me, who doesn’t eat meat.
Group: friendly, cordial atmosphere
Xange, I appreciated your personality, your deadpan humor, your quiet strength in leading your troop, your spontaneous explanations and your answers to our curiosity, thank you, keep up the good work.
Paul, the administrative relations between us went well, and I would not hesitate to use your agency again and to say good things about it to those around me.
In my opinion, agencies, guides, and tourists are formidable agents of good relations and good thinking between people. People who have harmful prejudices are people who don’t travel! I’ve verified this many times.
At your disposal for more…
Very cordially,
Jocelyne