Xishuangbanna mountain village:Hekai-nannuoshan

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-recce 2010 Jinghong

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“Xishuangbanna, with an area of 20,000 square kilometers, is located in the south most corner of Yunnan province at 21°10′~22°40N and 99°55′~101°50′E. It is neighboring Myanmar Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, with a boundary of 966.3 kilometers. It is a bright pearl of southwest China, beautiful, rich and miraculous, with Lancangjiang River (Mekong River, praised as the oriental Danube) passing through from north to south. There are three state ports, one provincial port, and six highways, one of which connects Laos and Myanmar, forming an Omni bearing transport network on water, land and air.

It has a population of 840,000, among which Dai minority takes 28.8%, Han 25%, Hani 19.04%, nine other Ethnic Groups 24.76%. Xishuangbanna … [ View Details ]

“Mainland China blends into sub-tropical Southeast Asia as you approach the southernmost tip of Yunnan Province and enter into the region of the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture. Here, lowland rice fields along the banks of a broad Mekong River are bisected by rolling hills covered in virgin rainforest and interspersed with isolated communities of Dai, AiNi (Hani), and Bulang minority peoples. The diversity of cultures is in this area is nothing short of amazing, and walking between villages becomes like crossing international borders, where entire languages, customs, diet and architecture all change widely within a span of a mile or less.

On this journey, we focus on exploring the intriguing southern region of Xishuangbanna, starting from the prefecture capital of Jinghong and then traveling to the vibrant Dai markets of Galanba (one of the liveliest such markets in Yunnan). We next undertake a 2 day hike through primal rainforest and during which we come across delightful villages belonging to various Dai, Hani and Bulang tribes. As we trek from village to village, we see local markets bustling with native women in colorful embroidered ethnic clothing, and watch them barter for rice and spices. We study the traditional style architecture used in different villages, built with palm, bamboo and other local materials and in observance of each tribe’s native customs and beliefs. Waving to farmers hard at work, we watch their young children play in the sugarcane fields, and drop in on teenage monks studying in Burmese and Dai languages. We also find an opportunity to dine and converse with a local minority family, and spend a night in their home. This journey is intended as an adventurous excursion, filled with enchanting moments of gorgeous subtropical scenery and the vibrant colors of ethnic minority daily life. At the same time, it also focuses on gaining a deeper and more personal insight into the underlying social, cultural, and environmental factors that affect the rural people of this remarkably dynamic landscape.” from China  Travel

Before i wrote this log, many people have visit this magical place-Xishuangbanna. So i just quote one of them on above to show you the overview of Xishuangbanna.  Then next, i will use pictures to show you the real Xishuangbanna in my eyes.

Xishuangbanna Local market:

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During our Tomb-sweeping day (Chinese traditional holiday), I arrive Jinghong, capital of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture. In the first day, i visit the local market, yes, it’s very interesting to do this because you will get the first hand news from the local market which can show the real dailylife of the people there.

One of the famouse Xishuangbanna Dai Minority flavor is Barbecue “Shao Kao”. This cusine, it’s very different from the normal Barbecue, because in Chinese Shao & Kao are different cooking style. “Shao” is much like boil while is much like roaste.

You can find out many many kinds of raw material (vegetable and meats) on the Barbecue stall. And the air around the stall was filled with the aroma and tempt the appetite.

For details please visit Xishuangbanna Food

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Phuket Island Day 02

The whether in Thailand is nice in Nov,it’s the beginning of the high season. In Day 02, we take the big ship to PP island. after 2 hours journey on the ship, we arrived the PP island. As we all know the disaster seaquake happend there, however, they recovered very well and this is still a nice place.

We rent a speed boat to the sea and do the snorkeling. Many clown anemonefish around us and chased for the bread chipping from our guide MR.Yang.

There are monkey island, mosquito island and the lover beach. The sand-beach there is different from the phuket island. The sand is like milk color and the hand feel is very fine and smooth. I suppose it is  made from the coral. In fact. the coral as well as the sand beach are been protected very well. We are not allowed to take away the coral.

I have a little nausea and they stop on a small island which named ” small monkey island” . The monkeys are not afraid of the strangers, they came to us and rob our food. One of the monkey even bite the leg of my friend Julia. what a nightmare.

We go back to the main PP  Island before dusk, and had dinner nearby the sea. The night market in PP island is very bustling. We walk every interest alley and finally we arrive at the beach on another side of the PP island. We can see the lighting and thunder in the clouds far away from the sea level.  Sit down on the sand and enjoy the sea breeze.

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Phuket Island Travel Day 01

In my schedule, i should write the Sichuan-Tibet tour this year, however, there are too many pictures drive me dizzy. So here I would like to share my Phuket Island tour first.

The departure date is 11th.11 which is the “single person day” in China, and I go with my 3 friends, total 4 people head to Thailand Phuket island.

We chose the 6 day 5 night package tour and all our journey was companied by a local Chinese speaking guide.

The first day is to visit the  Phang  Nga. Of course, the most famous is the “007″ island, there is a stone like a  “cabbage”  and there are a special kind of fish “mudskipper” as well as “cartoon crab” with colorful pincers waving to you.

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We have lunch at the Sea Muslim Village. and then back to Phuket island. When we went to Siam Safari and the staff there are very kind, they help us to take photos. At this time, i have to say, 20B as the service fee is really not a big deal and the staff will take pictures when you are on the elephant. You can choose to keep the picture or not. Most people feel very unhappy because they feel they were pushing to buy their photos which they didn’t suppose to take.

And later we require the guide Phi Yang took us to  buy the fruit, wa~~~really nice fruit and the price is also very nice and we feel shame to bargain. Nuts factory has many kinds of nuts, one of my favorite is wasabi taste.

I have to say that, the ice cream is very cheap in Thailand. it make me feel i wast lots of money to buy the Haggen-Daz and DQ in China.  However, i’m really not so that into the ice cream, so just have one taste. Not bad.

I prefer the fish ball with Vermicelli, this is a special local delicacies. Well, i feel hungry now~ please enjoy the pics of Day o1.

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I love u~s

It’s hard to write something,especially using another language. I admit that I’m not interest in writing english articles. everyday, my work is about English and I need to reply all the questions from my clients.

It’s necessary for me to study everyday. some guests want  to hunt wild ducks, yes, then i need to study the hunt area and also the kind of duck.Some guests want to go a remote place, and then i need to find out details about that area. It seems helps me a lot, well, on this point, i do real benefit from this work style, that is keep on learning.

Some guests told me that in big cities, people are not interest in foreigners, so they are seldom experience the “surprise ” faces from the local people. China is not like 10 years ago, and i think this kind of fast speed will accelerate the dead of our lovely earth. Since the information spread so fast without barrier, I feel myself more like a dust on earth.

Early days, I saw a movie “ 500 days of summer’”  inside, there is a very cute words ” I love us” .  The more I  think about this words, the more fun i got.  People say ” I love u” and when it apply “s” after “U”. It become “us”.

Ps: Travel log in Thailand  are too many pictures and too many interesting things. How lazy I am~~i will try to update it soon.

PPs: George, i have received your post card from Jiuzhaigou, very nice of you!!

PPPS:   My winter teams have run successfully and now back to Australia , Tiger leaping gorge is a famous place , most foreigners like it, but for me , i don’t think it’s a good place to travel. I will update the interesting story of our team next week.

Terrible things are coming

here not very well! Yes, these days, i’m facing the problem of the high price quote from the Lijiang local agency. Something almost drive me crazy~ especially in my period.

Next week, i will go to Phuket in Thailand. And i don’t feel very excited about it. Bow will go to Xi’an and a terribel guy is coming. I can’t explain how terrible he is, because i have a bad feeling before he comes to my house.

I Suppose to write an article about our recent recce in Lijiang Yunnan about the Tiger Leaping Gorge. However, the passion of writing ending with the high quote and unsure things there. The terrible leader and also the terrible leader’s girl friend. I was wondering that the just came for honey moon but not do the recce for the winter team. Well, let’s get back to the winter tean.

They told me that one team prefer camping while the other team prefer hostel. There are limited hostel in the Tiger Leaping gorge in each station and the dame host told the leader whenever the team comes, they will give the price 25RMB/PP for one bed. He didn’t mention that when the high season is coming, there is no swear anymore.

I hope i can handle this thing well this year, and i won’t want to suffer a lot because of the other people’s fault.