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Your Local Expert on the Off-Beaten Trail & Leisure Tour in Yunnan

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Two-Week's Trip With Italian Clients

  I am always unbelievably lucky, having such a wonderful job, having clients from different part of the world, to come and enjoy the amazing landscape in Yunnan, learn about different ethnique tradition, try different types of food, and share the fun experience with me.

  The Italian client Lorenzo found me via internet, and we exchanged lots of emails to arrange their two weeks' trip to Yunnan. I arranged the invitation letter for applying visa to China, all the hotels, vans with drivers at certain places, train tickets, and other necessary entries which requires bookings ahead of time. The whole process was easy and fun, as Bob is a very gentle person, who gave me patience, understanding and kind cooperation, even throughout the entire trip we covered together.

  In two weeks time, we visited Stone Forest in Kunming, Yuanyang Rice Terraces, Jianshui Old Town, Dongchuan Red Land, then taking the train from Kunming to Dali,  then Shaxi Old Town, Lijiang, and finished in Shangrila. Here i would like to mention a few highlights that we didn't expect at all.

  First was we happened to catch the market in Xinjie, which turned out to be our highlight of all. By talking to the locals, we got to know it was the market day today, and we immediately drove there, and found some many fun things, colorful costumes of different ethnique people, selling all types of vegetables, mushrooms, fruit, and all types of moving and unmoving annimals with interesting strings and ropes. It's not my first time to Yuanyang, but it was my first time see the big market day in Xinjie. W were all so excited, and curious to try and photo everything. The most beautiful thing is through the market, we were able to touch the spirit of the farmers who resides in these mysterious mountains, cultivating the land for centuries,  who only comes to town during the market days. When we left about 2 hours later, we were all satisfied by this expected event, and only wish all the participants the best for their life.

  Second highlight was the amazing scenery of the thousands of acres of the rice terrace fields in Yuanyang. Mostly people come here for the winter photos, but Yuanyang in summer time is so full of life, beautiful sun beams through the clouds, the mist over the mountains around the fileds. It is such a master piece coworked by human and Nature.

  Third highlight was the beautiful hotel in Dongchuan, called Shanju Hotel. Hidden in a valley, it is beautifully set up with a ll the traditional furnitures and decorations. The mountain streams runs through, so the whole night you hear the sound of water. Rooms are very spacious, beddings are soft. The veges tastes really good, bcus the owner set up an organice farm house there, so the cucummber and tomatos are so jiucy and counchy.

  Forth highlight was a little temple in Shaxi, which is taken care by some local ladies. The grow their vegetables, walnuts trees, and make their own food, living a self-effecient life in the quiet mountain. The clients are normally not so keen about religious places, but we were deeply touched by the peace and smile of sactisfaction of the people there.

  Fith highlight was the Dynamic Yunnan show in Kunming. This is the performance that i always recommand to my clients from my heart. It is truely from Yunnan and about the rural Yunnan. That's how i was growing up in the mountains. The director is a local girl from ethnique Bai group in Dali area. She might not have big names as the famous movie directors, but she is so talented in what she's doing, and she went to the field to get the first-hand material to composed this piece of art. It is for everyone who are fascinated by the nature spirit and ethnique culture.

  The whole trip went very smooth, with lots of laughters and fun surprises. We went also to some main tourists spots, like everybody else does, and it is all impressive and beautiful. But at the end of the trip, everybody feels more touched by the unexpected and unplanned things, like the kids playing, the humble and helpful farmers, the generosity  and hospitality of the local people.

  The luckiest thing for me is that the people in the group are so ready to listen to the local perspective, open to try new things, very encourageuos to go deep into local corners, which created lots of fun adventure together.