We wandered the border town for the whole day, and eventually got on a night bus, our first for China. ergh. Three rows of beds, all full, and it seems that half of China is nocturnal, so when half are all tuckered out from shouting and smoking and spitting, the other half (and their kids) are just beginning. And that's IN the bus. Every few hours we'd stop for a toilet break. Toilet: concrete ditch, low brick fence, no running water, no lights. Needless to say, a bit on the whiffy side, and nowhere to wash hands. nb: wet wipes.
Kunming was our destination, a concrete jungle of well over a million people, altitude 2000m, very cold, and David Beckham is still in the shop windows. We bought thermal underwear, wandered the streets and booked the next bus out. That bus broke down. and so did the next. so getting to Lijiang was a breath of fresh air. (not literally). Lijiang old town is beautiful, Built in stone, over canals and streams, goldfish and bathers. It's great. A super spot for Chinese tour groups.
The Tiger Leaping Gorge was fantastic. I highly recommend doing it, the mountains are energising, the valley is beatiful, and it'll keep/get you fit. You just have to get there, which is the hardest part.
A two day walk, The path is along one side of the gorge, it's a bit steep in sections but easily wide enough. Each corner bring new views of 5000+m peaks on the other side, and of the raging Yangzee 1000m below. It sounds a bit unfinished here, but the photos show it better than I can write it.
