Author Archives: karen

What will you do if you have a chance to begin another life style

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In China, there are three important thing for one woman. One is be born in a good family, Second is marry a good man, Third is have a very filial son/daughter. So in my age, 26 years old,  I can’t get back to my Mon’s womb and pray to birth in a good family. And I also have no idea whether I will give birth to a super star children. And so, it seems i need to marry a good man as soon as possible.

Ah~ you may guess that from the title of this page, i might explain something about the “another life style” is the “marriage life”.  No~no~no, my word here is totally not relate to the marriage.

In my childhood, I dream to be an artist. It’s seem the artist is always living in a fantasy without thinking about how to cook for lunch or seeing the mean face of the superior. They can paint a world which is not so real to our human being but it seems touch another mysterious world.  But when I grows up, life makes me live on an totally different life, it’s not so easy as I need struggle every step in this society. 4 years ago, the first year I begin the work, my salary is 960 RMB/per Month in the 5 star hotel sales department, can you believe that? Yes, it’s real, and I nearly spend all my money when I went back home for the Chinese New Year.  I have to get up at 6 am in the morning, and eat as much as possible in the hotel because it’s free. I live in a house which is belong to my relatives, it’s good as it’s in the University. It’s really very hard, and I began to thinking about why I lived such a poor life while so many people can sleep happily and sweetly  in  1080-1888 RMB/ROOM/Night. It did make me think a lot and what I insisted to do  was to kept on reciting the English word during the low season. I know there must a way to change the life and I want that so much. Though it’s not so distingue reason but I did real want to change the life and then I meet a chance to work in NAVO.

NAVO is a small company, and when I first came here 4 years ago, I even doubted I made  awful  choice. But the busy work gradually stuffed all my time, I became love the office and feel like it’s my home. I was set free in this field and  i’m very much suitable for this. The English department from zero till now has 5 people and stil expand, it’s a good sign that I make a very good choice. But if I’m not good at English or have a full consideration in life, even this chance can’t come to me, I also can’t make it.  

For now, I can live a better life in Chengdu and now what I do is just keep on running the same style advernture tour in China. Someone told me that I’m do a very meaningful job and I should be happy and satisfied with that. However, I know that I have already prove my ability to earn a better life, the next thing is to change to another life style. Finally, i back to my Title ” What will you do if you have chance to begin another life style”

So what will you do? Here i share some of the idea in my mind. Imagine you are now in a desert oasis, there has food, you don’t have to worry about how to live. But it just you there, no one else. It’s a disaster for the normal people when you get use to switch the mobile phone and computer and have a cup of coffee and tea in the office. You might cry or curse the fate whicle you still eat the food God favor to you.  Then day after day, you seems get use to this simple life, and you may scare the outside life might comes to you. Take it easy, this chance have rare possibility come to you. It’s the same when you get into jail and once let you out, you will lost your direction.

Now above is talking about compulsive matter and you will not take it as a chance. But it’s do real the chance, at least, we can call it possibility of another life style.  People always complain about the life they lived and after that, nothing~ so they always say, they have no change to begin another life style. Or if they begin to thing, the precondition is they win the lottery and become a millionaire. Yes, i do have the same day dream but now it fade as I know it’s not possible in China. Here i want to say is, there are many chance that you can begin another life style, it depends on what you will do. So i think the main things here is what will you do but not the ” if you have  a chance” . The chance is always depends on what you will do, so please think about whether you want to bring you life good or bad of your favor.

Now i want to back to my childhood dream, that is become an artist . This artist is defined by myself, I will paint what pleausre me.  And I believe what i’m doing now will give me many chance to begin another life style which i can’t imaine before, and that’s the the key point. Mysterious world is full of unknow things and I’m very glad to step into that area.

Follow that Fire Engine

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One of the exciting groups this year is the Fire Engine group. It’s my honor to be their consultant and in-country agent. The 100% present charity tour with the Fire Engine traveling around the world, what a fantastic thing for me in 2010. 

For more information, please visit their website: The group informative on-line recorded. Here I will not ramble on too much. Paul was so lovely to put my information online, it’s a good advertise and also a great pressure J as I always think he gave out the praise too much earlier. Fortunately, everything is so smooth, and we have very happy memory the 3 days in Chengdu. They even went to the guides’ Sunji’s hometown in Leshan and have the local family with the guide’s parents there. I bet they must be the super stars all the journey in China.
I remember they contacted me in Oct last year, Ben came to Chengdu to visit me. I was just back from Thailand, Met Ben in the office and his Chinese is brilliant. Honestly, the situation was not very optimistic at that time, because special vehicles are not allowed to enter China. The process also like what paul wr0te in this blog page

Thanks to everyone’s efforts, and finally get this Fire Engine into China, then sent out very smoothly throughout.

Now this activity continues, we can continue to focus on going.

All member of Follow that Fire Engine, Merry Christmas~~~

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Xishuangbanna mountain village trekking pics

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Below the pics of the German group did the trekking in Xishuangbanna during the period of July 2010. The trekking  has not much technical skill as the itinerary is the same that the local people step everyday. Our stop point will be in the village each night so there is no need to take tent or cooking things. We stay overnight at the local people’s home and eat with them. 

The altitude is around 1000m-2000m, so it’s not hot during the summer. The main route is in the original tea tree mountain.

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Road Situation from Yunnan-Tibet-Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

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Four trucks team finished their joueny in China from Yunnan-Sichuan-Tibet-Qinghai-Tibetan plateau -Lanzhou-Xi’an-Mongolia.

It’s the rainning seasons in July-Aug, so the team have suffered a lot when drive on the road from Sichuan-Tibet. They suppose to drive on the Sichuan-Tibet South way, however, as the landslide there is very serious, so we have to change their itinerary to Sichuan-Tibet North way. In that case, they head to Qinghai-Tibetan plateau without going to Lhasa.

Please see the road situation below:

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Himalayas Tibet-Xinjiang Self-driving Tour 20100510EK

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Below is the report from Mr.Sun who lead this 20100510EK group from Zhangmu to Kashgar. 

May 2010 Himalaya Tibet-Xinjiang Summary
Route: Zhangmu- Everest Base – Shigatse – Lhasa – Shigatse – Saga – Paryang – Mt.Kalaish – Shiquanhe (Ger)- Red willow beach – Yecheng – Kashgar
Time: 10th May, 2010 -7th June,2010. Total of 30 days (plus empty back time of tour guides) 

May 20, 2010 Zhangmu
1. Meet Alex and Julian in the Customs(note that due to time difference and the lunch break, Nepal Customs about 3 o’clock in Beijing time that will switch release)
2. For entry clearance, had finished vehicle inspection disinfection procedures.
3. The local immigration office for the temporary travel document (written on the part of the travel sites) 

Accommodation: Caiyuan hotel standard room 380 RMB (3 stars hotel), Manager Nipin 13648926969 0892-8745888 (Generally speaking, Zhangmu port due to its location, accommodation is more expensive, but the guest can also find less expensive hotels, such as the Sherpa,etc.)

Fuel: a gas station

21st May, 2010 -22nd May Zhangmu – Tingri White Dam
1. White Dam to Tingri, over Lulu checkpoints get off of all registered, leaving a copy of the government permits for the self-driving tour in China (This permits should be ask as in-country agency to help apply it 2 or 3 months before the vehicle enter China)
2. Tickets (180RMB/PP, 400 RMB/per vehicle only free drivers, not free for guide) to Everest, again passing inspection, off register, leaving the government permits copy. To the base camp on the way there are two check points, check points the way back Lulu registered off again, and leaving the government permits copy.
Accommodation: Everest Hotel Standard Room 280 RMB/Room. Tel: 0892-8262775 (Note: the town has opened a number of new hotels, such as the white Dam, cheap and good)
Fuel: white dam has gas station

May 23, 2010 White Dam in Tingri – Shigatse
En route visits Sakya Monastery, Tashilhunpo. (Sakya Monastery need travel permits and approvals required to check)
Accommodation: Jiumuyamei four-star hotel, standard room 360 RMB/Room (outside) 320 RMB/Room (within) Tel: 0892-8841040 13908928360 Manager: Jan
Fuel: White Dam, Shigatse has gas stations
Voice-over: Tashilhunpo in, ALEX mysterious smile, “I know where is the Panchen Lama’s bedroom, then move the fingers up, self-confidence to say, look, there are air-conditioned rooms”.

May 24, 2010 Shigatse – Lhasa
1. Morning to the Vehicle Administration for temporary driver’s license and driving permit, and complex procedures. Generally have the following elements: desk application form, certificate hall on the 3rd and the 6th and from the hand over the envelope window, leaving the approval and fill in a form filing number, permit medical personnel, to learn traffic laws, vehicle inspection, and traffic compulsory purchase insurance. Fortunately, many people though Monday, well within the buttoned in a morning.
2. Afternoon, head to Lhasa, there has five speed limits registration stations along the way to Lhasa, driving about 5 hours.
Accommodation: Lhasa Hotel 4 Star 360rmb/rooms (of course, varied selection of Lhasa, is the whole night soak in the nightclub you have no control.)
Oil: Gas stations along the route are

May 25 2010 -5 26 Lhasa
Visit Barhkor street, Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, rest and repair vehicle, food and equipment procurement to Ali, and so on
Accommodation: Lhasa Hotel 4 Star 360 rooms
Oil: There are many gas stations
Voice-over: hotel front desk younger sister, secretly pulled me excited asked: and your fellow foreigner is a Hollywood star? I said, how clever u are, so low-key surprise was that you saw it, I try to help you get his signature? Ear flew screaming repeatedly. Add, they mean the star is JULIAN, indeed a real person like Feng Xiaogang’s “biggest names” which the name Donald? But JULIAN insist that he is more like George Clooney.

May 27, 2010 Lhasa – Saga
About 10 hours driving, poor road conditions Lazi later before entering Saga city checkpoints
Accommodation: Saga Crescent Hotel standard room 360 RMB/Room Mada 0892-8900078 0892-8202888)

Oil: Lahze Saga both has fuel station.

Voice-over: To search for more comfortable accommodation, the elderly decide to discuss long road to Saga, at last, when arrive in the Crescent Hotel, behind a barracks, prohibition of photography, but I suddenly found that the toilet barracks high visibility ~ ~

May 28, 2010 Saga – Paryang
Road rehabilitation, poor traffic
Accommodation: double room 120 Xixiabangma Hotel Tashi 13989027077
Oil: a gas station Saga
Voice-over: Do not be shocked that the atmosphere of the hotel the word, in fact, that is, a relatively large hotel, relatively clean, no shower.

May 29, 2010 Paryang – Mt.Kalaish

Visit the holy lake Manasarovar Lake, Mt.Kalaish
Road rehabilitation, road conditions poor, to Baga asphalt after all.
Mt.Kalaish endorsement travel points, 50 Yuan/person
Accommodation: North Sichuan Hotel (recommended) Double 240 yuan 0897-2607019 13638970235
Oil: no gas stations
Voice-over: In the face of Kailash Mansarovar, cautious ALEX finally agreed to hand the flag NAVO photographed, and a few unsuccessful publicity photos was born.

May 30, 2010 Mt.Kalaish – Shiquanhe (Ger)

Here are checkpoints along the way
Accommodation: Shiquanhe Hotel standard room 220 Yuan Cirenpingcuo 13,989,976,099
Oil: Shiquanhe can refuel
Voice-over: the internet café, proprietress for a harmonious, tightly stood, watching the two foreigners visit the website. Finally, she found, are even more noteworthy is that Internet cafes have been a man shouting into their cell phone, how on Jiangsu TV’s “You Are the One,” as long as half an hour.

May 31, 2010 Shiquanhe – Red willow Beach
Accommodation: DAZHOU Hotel double room 60-100 Yuan 13,369,988,619
Oil: Ritu & Red willow beach (existing in the flow of oil filling stations) has gas stations
Voice-over: In Red willow Beach “hotel” JULIAN found air-dried rat, he danced for joy, excitement, flew into a photo and send it to his daughter from childhood fear of mice.

June 1, 2010 Red willow Beach – Yecheng
There are checkpoints along the way
Accommodation: Dianli hotel standard room 100 Yuan 0998-7289800
Oil: Yecheng a gas station

June 2, 2010 Yecheng – Kashgar
Accommodation: Yambu hotel standard room 240 Yuan 0998-2588888
Oil: a gas station in Kashi

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Xishuangbanna Mountain school

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In the mountain area of Xishuangbanna, i have visited many schools.  It is said that some small village school will be closed and students need to go to the far center town school. It means many of the children need to live in the school when they are 6 years old.

I heard from the teacher that Dai students love to go to school but Aini and Lahu students are not so eager to go. Some of them even can’t undertand the chinese. They have their own languages, but they can’t wirte it out with letters. They can only speak it while learn it from their family.

Since we have done the students’ project in Hekai 2008, in the mountain area,  almost all the school masters know world challenge team. And they hope this kind of thing can be continue carrying through  as much as possible among the  mountain village schools there.

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Xishuangbanna mountain village:Hekai-nannuoshan

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In Hekai, we stay overnight in Dai family. The main crops here are rice and sugar cane. Every morning, the local people will put on a conoid hat to the field. Of course, people here are in manual dexterity, they will produce rattan things. This morning, I learned to basketry-bamboo basket. Local Master Yu Kang taught me the very basic skill.

About half an hour later, I made out a very simple basket; my teacher Yu Kang comfort me that I have done it well.

On the way to Menghai county, we passed a large paddy fields which have been repairing the road between the fields had a better road situation than 2008, so transportation is not a problem now even in raining season.

In the half way, we meet the elementary school principals in the schools. Once he worked in Hekai School, and last year he was maneuvered to this larger school. The appearance seems good, but the furniture (desks and chairs) is quite shabby.

Here you can see some children dressed like monks. In fact, the custom here, like Thailand, the boys must go to the temple before the adult some time, because first place to learn something is in the temple in the past and it’s a kind of custom there.

One section on the road with both sides has very tall tree with yellow flowers. It feels like driving in xinduqiao. Feel like in the fall.

Passing Menghai, we go straight to mountain area, one the road we can see Shuhu Village far away. As the vehicle roadway and trekking routes are different. So I

Only saw a rough outline but not experience it on my own feet. The mountains of the roadway is narrow, very suitable for mountain biking, motorcycle riding.

Evening we reached the final point, the Nannuoshan Hani village. We has our own base there

.On top of the village, a local cottage made by hand through 2 years hard work. We often carried out where the outdoor training activities.

Since it is Aini family (Hani), of course, live based on tea plant and make Pu’er Tea.

As each family has very good ground, people there are very wealthy. Their lives are basically very rural. When you visit that place, you can involve in their daily life which is filled with tea culture.

From the hill overlook the Gasa Airport, the night sky is very beautiful.

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Xishuangbanna mountain village:Xinbanzhang-laobanzhang-hekai

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In the morning, I got up very early and go out to visit the local village in Xinbanzhang. Fortunately I saw the flag-raising ceremony of a local elementary school the morning. The students in this school are mainly from Xinbanzhang Village, and there are two Burmese, Lahu minority students basically do not understand Chinese. The school was divided into two classes, one with 1 to 3 grades; one is 4 to 6 grades. There are only three teachers. Schools have computers, TV satellite lid, etc., but the teacher said, these things are discarded by government and they pick them back. Now it seems, all the stockade of the primary schools have combined to the center school (larger school), and if so executed, then many children from first grade will begin to live on campus, and the growth of the child or the teacher’s work is a big challenge.

After breakfast, my host is very glad to shows me his old tea tree garden, so we drive the 4×4 vehicle up to the mountain. The road is very suitable for off-road vehicle and motorcycle, the dense vegetation on both sides, due to relatively high above sea level; it’s not wet, feeling very cool and dry. Not too much moisture, bamboo leaves are stepping scratched the ground, is a very good trekking routes, small off-road vehicles and motorcycles’ driving circuit.

As the trekking route is walked by the local tea farmer everyday except in winter, it has a very clear path, lush foliage on both side, old tea trees group among the original great trees which have vines off by each other, the ecological environment is very harmonious. There are a lot flowers and fruit (and even wild blueberries).

Although the road is clear path, we still need a local guide leading the way, because the many places are seems similar on the way.

We drive back to Xinbanzhang village to have the lunch and in the afternoon, I followed the locals to go the tea mountain (This time I go another trekking itinerary not vehicle drive road). This route can be used both walking and mountain trails Motorcycle roads. From Xinbanzhang Village to their tea garden there was about 20 minute walk. Then I have experience two hours of picking tea twig activities. Beneath the cool breeze blowing in the shade, I became love this places and the sounds of wind finger the trees.

Starting from the 14:45 pm, I decide to do the trekking from the tea garden to Laobanzhang, about 2 hours of walking around an average elevation of 1700m.

Xinbanzhang village – Laobanzhang village is 8 km, walking time is about two and a half hours – three hours or so. Basically walking on the ridge, I went uphill downhill intermittent. In the jungle where they have a very significant country lanes and off-road vehicles road, but very few vehicles go there.

Old Ben is still Hani village chapter, the more affluent villages, basically covered the new villa, every household is established cement house, and wooden house was relatively rare.

After arriving at Laobanzhang, our 4×4 vehicle was waiting there, and the I travel from Laobanzhang- Hekai Dai village on vehicle,
Around Heikai is the big barn located in Xishuangbanna, living there are the Dai people. Dai Minority is some kind like the Thailand people, they love a clean and they are very hardworking people. Because their hardworking, some people build their new house with new concrete, and toilets are very clean.

In 2008 WCE volunteer team did the project in the Hekai school, volunteer activities, as was more successful, so the schools by the local government’s attention once again built up a new classroom building for the students there..

Since the time we arrived the evening and sunset is very beautiful, color is pink. With fertile fields, the campus playground formed very beautiful patterns.

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Xishuangbanna mountain village: Weidong-Chayuan-Xinbanzhang

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Starting from Weidong, across the river in front of the village along the bridge, turn right and walk through the melon ground. We will first go to the Baizhangya Water Fall . And has been going up, the vegetation gradually covered with forests, but still a good way to go, all-terrain vehicle dirt road, occasional tea farmers drove motorcycles pass by. Then walk north along. On the road there will be streams, but generally there has a bridge.
Reached an intersection corner, we walking along a path down. About 5 minutes you can see a waterfall. There are many local picnic food bag left behind trash around the waterfalls, please help locals clean and signed a note, “to protect the beautiful waterfall, please do not litter”

Usually, you can visit the water fall on the first day you arrive Weidong, or you can choose to visit the Lahu minority village nearby the Hani village in Weidong. Lahu Minority village. Lahu people like drinking, and lazier (it’s said by Hani people), In the conversation we can see that different nations have different habits.

Below itinerary from Weidong-Chayuan-Xinbanzhang, I haven’t experience it but I consult the local people about this route:

As the forest is relatively isolated, it is generally difficult to have large creatures appeared.

From the beginning of the next stop is Chayuan (tea garden): From Weidong to Chayuan, the distance is 6 km (the way are forests) contains 4.5 km of the climbing road.
Starting from the tea garden, the next stop is Xinbanzhang: From Chayuan to Xinbanzhang , the distance is 5 kilometers (all tea trees around )

It seems, the mountain road has an average of 2km / h walking speed and smooth trail has an average of 3km / h.

Chayuan (Tea Garden) elevation is: 1700m
Xinbanzhang elevation is: 1750m

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Xishuangbanna mountain Village :Jinghong-Damenglong-Weidong

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Jinghong(670m) -Damenglong-Weidong(1020m)

Jinghong- Damenglong :

We start from Jinghong City around 9:50 am by 4×4 vehicle and head to Damenglong for lunch. 11:17 pm passing Manfeilong Reservoir to Damanhaidamu (Dai Village) – Manda State

The scenery along the roadside is plains landscape, and the main plant there is the rubber tree. However, the tree will be bald from November to March. Some of the land is also planted bananas, but locals do not like to eat this banana. Because businessmen leased the land to farmers on banana cultivation, the use of a large number of fertilizers resulting from structural change, in general, to banana cultivation over other crops species no longer has.

Dai villages along the way are two layers. Will be passing along the way the East Wind Farms which is very well known (similar to one of our small town, there are country markets, schools, shops, etc.)

12:00 arrive Damenglong, from the bottom to the Manfeilong White Pagoda walk about one hour walk around back and forth.

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14:34 from Damenglong starting to Weidong.

Starting from Damenglong to Weidong is basically winding mountain road; the asphalt has been well extended to the local village (official said Hani, but locals prefer us to call them Aini people). Aini people are live on producing the Pu’er Tea.

Hani housing characteristics: the roof has two horns like gladiatorial combat decoration, the man of the house if the house had died, and then we should pluck decorative horn. In general, the more affluent families, the more layers of roof houses.

Hani’s houses are wooden structures, and the bottom layer is the pillar of wood or other generally used for tea making. It can also be used as parking place for motorcycles or tractors. Every household has a lot of dogs and cats, chickens, ducks, etc., are generally open up to feed.

Ground will have a ladder extended to the Hani terrace, balcony generally used as a sun tea. General Guests take the ladder, while two ladders is extended to the second floor from the ground inside the room, in general, women should go the right one, while the men go the left.

Hani people are not allowed gambling. They are very warm heart and modesty.

Wei-Dong Hani village (Weidong means to defend Mao Zedong Chairmen Mao)
One family house can accept for around 15 guests to stay overnight
Temperature: Summer :20-30 degrees 8-17 degrees in winter
Food: Food is generally not the stockade for group team, all the food or to supply daily transportation to the designated villages.
Transport:  Starting from Jinghong to Weidong, there is no public bus, so we’d better use the rental vehicle.
Altitude: 1020m

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