Tag Archives: China

Tiger Leaping Gorge - That time I nearly got pushed off the side of a mountain

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“I’m sorry that time you nearly got pushed off what??” Yup. I think this is going to be one of those situations that family and friends are going to be glad they didn’t know about until much later. But you’re going to have to wait a bit longer until I get to that particular part of the story. The main reason I flew from Chengdu to Lijiang was to experience Continue reading Tiger Leaping Gorge - That time I nearly got pushed off the side of a mountain→

China in Review - Stats, Budgets, and Quirks

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I’ve put together a pretty extensive overview of my month in China and I hope you enjoy all the fun stats, budget breakdowns, and Chinese quirks/anecdotes. FUN STATS Days in Country: 26 Cities Visited: Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou, Lijiang, Kunming Favorite City: Lijiang Favorite Food: Baozi (dumplings) Favorite Alcohol: Tsingtao beer Favorite Hostel: October Inn, Lijiang Least Favorite Hostel: Angelie Hostel, Jiuzhaigou (rude staff) Best Attraction: The Great Wall of Continue reading China in Review - Stats, Budgets, and Quirks→

Jiuzhaigou National Park - Stunning scenery, crazy bus rides, and Oreos

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Jiuzhaigou is a UNESCO World Heritage nature reserve in the northern Sichuan province in central China and is known as the habitat of the giant pandas (although it is extremely rare to see a panda in the park). Jiuzhaigou’s main feature is its multitude of blue, green and turquoise lakes. Originating in glacial activity, Jiuzhaigou’s water has a high concentration of calcium carbonate, making it so clear that the bottom Continue reading Jiuzhaigou National Park - Stunning scenery, crazy bus rides, and Oreos→

The cost of travel - September 2014 budget roundup

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My first month on the road was spread between 10 days at home in Massachusetts, 8 days in Washington, and 13 days in China. I’m not going to talk about those last few days at home because I really didn’t spend much at all - maybe $40 for gas - so I’m not going to bother writing about it. What you guys probably really care about is how much I’ve spent Continue reading The cost of travel - September 2014 budget roundup→

A day exploring Shaanxi - Mosques, pagodas, and Muslim food

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My German friend Chris and I had such a good time at the Terracotta Warriors together that we decided to explore the rest of Xi’an and the Shaanxi Province the following day. Most people visit Xi’an exclusively for the infamous warriors but there is a lot more to the city than that. Did you know that Xi’an has a very large Muslim population? A wall that surrounds the entire downtown Continue reading A day exploring Shaanxi - Mosques, pagodas, and Muslim food→

The Terracotta Warriors - Rain, soldiers, and a free tour

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My first full day in Xi’an was a rainy but good one. I had taken a 6.5 hour high speed bullet train the day before from Beijing and decided to have a relaxing afternoon. After all, getting to my hostel was a pain in the ass because the directions my hostel provided said to get on subway line 3 - there is no line 3 - and then get off Continue reading The Terracotta Warriors - Rain, soldiers, and a free tour→

Donghuamen Night Market - Spiders and scorpions and snakes oh my!

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That night after I’d gotten back from the Lama Temple I was pretty tired but really wanted to check out the night market I’d heard a lot about. Luckily my friends Carolann and Macrae over at One Modern Couple knocked on my door and we were able to go together! It was a 20 minute walk or so and brought us through what one could possibly refer to as ‘downtown’ Continue reading Donghuamen Night Market - Spiders and scorpions and snakes oh my!→