Most Inspirational Moment
The limestone mountains, thousands of them, covered in greenery in the Yangshou region were a revelation, breathtaking! We climbed up one of them, the Xianggong mountain - via a staircase! Also sailing through the lesser gorges on a smaller boat was one of those 'I can't believe I'm here' moments. On a lighter note, we enjoyed learning to play PROPER Mahjong on the boat, on a proper mechanical table.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jenny Lu was a breath of fresh air and a ray of sunshine, always full of smiles and energy and enthusiasm. She led us through the included and optional excursions and meals, and through the complicated travel arrangements and crowded stations with confidence and authority, and always readily pointed out a western toilet where available! We learned so much about living and working in China as well as the history and culture.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The trip notes mention about the need to be able to climb stairs, sometimes with luggage. This is true! If you take part in all the optional activities, there are even more stairs! Also getting your luggage on and off the train at some stations can be difficult, but help was usually at hand within the group or from porters. The temperature was unusually high for May, up to 31 degrees and extremely humid. My advice is, ignore the discomfort and embrace everything with an open mind and open heart!