China (Beijing, Yunnan and Sanya), From Lijiang To Zhongdian, 14 April 2010

Rose quite early, read, finished packing etc.

Light breakfast, check out and off in direction of Tiger Leaping Gorge.

First stop the viewing point and pitstop Xieng Gu – then on to meeting point where we said goodbye to Kuan and hello to Palchen our Tibetan guide.

Then short ride to Tiger Leaping Gorge– very touristic walkway packed with people (S decide closed – perhaps to make it more touristic!)

It started pouring with rain but then the weather improved briefly when we got to the gorge. Still – briefly we saw the stunning gorge.

Then on to Ringha Banyan Tree which is simply lovely – we were upgraded to a spa suite from “suite” and treated like royalty.

Rain returned & turned to snow – freezing buggy ride to restaurant. Have a “Tibetan Hot Pot” – rather touristic implementation of a Yunnanese banquet style served by charming Jay, a Yi dressed as a Tibetan. But wonderful food for the first time in ages so no complaints there!

Ham and black chicken soup with medicinal herbs, prawns, scallops, fish balls, mixed veg, lotus root, chicken, pork, yak slices! The resulting final broths was amazing.

Freezing ride home in the snow!

There is a placeholder and links piece for this trip, with links to all the photographs, the full itinerary and stuff – click here for that.