China has redeemed itself

I think my last post might have been a bit on the cynical side, but I am happy to say that all that negativity is left behind. I've moved on to greener pastures -- aka Yunnan province. The southern part of China is a world away from the big polluted cities I spent my first 3 weeks in, and oh my gosh, I just realized that today is my one-month point. Don't get me wrong, the other parts of China were essential to see, but they really weren't my cup of tea. Too much traffic and pollution for my tastes; I need greenery and blue skies to really feel at home.

After leaving Chengdu, I took an overnight train to Panzihua, and immediately jumped on a really windy 7 hour bus ride to Lijiang. The ride itself sucked. Even the locals were tossing their cookies out the window, and although I managed to keep the contents of my stomach to myself, it really was a struggle. (My Dramamine was buried under a bunch of other bags in the bottom of the bus.) But as the hours passed, the scenery changed from dirty cities to lush green mountains dotted with terraced farms. The plants became tropical and the skies became blue...ahhhhh...this was what I had been waiting for!

Upon arrival in Lijiang, I was a different person. Lijiang itself is pretty touristy -- in fact, it's the number one tourist destinations for Chinese people. And there were still big tour buses and annoying guides with little flags, but they were not nearly as imposing as before. Or maybe with my changed attitudes I didn't notice them. Lijiang looks like old China -- cobblestone streets, pagodas, and tiled roofs, without the distractions of modern buildings, at least not in the old section of the city. The pace is slower, the people are nicer, and you can get around without using the over-crowded public buses. It's just really lovely.

The best part of my trip so far, however, was a 3 day trek in Tiger Leaping Gorge. It's one of the world's longest and deepest gorges, and one of the most stunning natural settings I have ever seen. (Do an Google Image search to see what I mean. Seriously. It only takes a second, and the photos will make you nature freaks want to quit you job and come to China right now.) I almost skipped it too -- the damn Lonely Planet makes it out to sound like a super risky thing to do and I was not feeling too adventerous at the time. Having done it in one piece, I can see how it would be pretty dangerous in the rainy season, but we were blessed with great weather and had a fabulous time. I met some wonderful people and came back with a whole new attitude.

The sad thing is, in the grand tradition of the modern Chinese government, Tiger Leaping Gorge will not be there much longer. A dam has recently been approved and in a few years the gorge will be mostly filled. The higher parts of the trail will probably still be there, but the dizzying drops and impossibly high peaks will be reduced enough to make it a lake surrounded by big hills. The idea (just like the more well publicised 3 Gorges Dam) is to generate power, but in the process they are forcing the relocation of thousands of farming families and ruining one of the most beautiful parts of their country. It's a tragedy, just one of many that I have seen happening as China pushes to modernize.

China is great though, and I have learned so much from my one month here. And I've really only seen a fraction of what the country has to offer. A place this large and diverse would take a lifetime to really explore. But for now, I have to head to Vietnam and continue on with my trip. Tomorrow I am heading out to begin what I think will be a multi-day multi-leg journey ending in Hanoi.

I now have mixed feelings about Vietnam. Previously I had heard so many wonderful things about it and was expecting to fall in love. But recently I've met a lot of travelers who just hated it, mainly because of the "enterprising spirit" of the locals, which means you have to constantly be on the lookout for being scammed and negotiate for everything, even things as simple as a bottle of water. I will see for myself though, and the time I spend there will depend on how I feel about it once I get there. I have heard nothing but good reports about Laos and Cambodia, so I want to make sure I spend plenty of time there.