More snow, & stayed longer on the ground, than at any time in the 10 years that I've been here. Got an email from a friend in Vientiane who says it's cold there too, though they don't do snow.

Gengma, Kunming and Lijiang - no particular health risks, certainly not malaria, and certainly not in January-February.

@Shyam: 1. I'm not interested in your personal criticism of me, one way or the other - I'll accept all the criticism as accurate, if you like.
2. I'm well aware of the direction China is going.
3. I think there are serious problem with going in that direction - in China, the US, anywhere.
4. People can make choices, and it is irresponsible, defeatist and dishonest not to do so. Choose the opposite of what I suggest, if you like, but for god's sake know that you are free to do so, and accept the responsibility for doing so.

@Shyam, I find that, over the past few years, more newbies are showing up with more security/comfort/ etc. worries than are necessary, and I really do not want to leave them with the 'this-is-not-the West-therefore-I-better be-careful-it's-all-dangerous-&-weird' attitude - nothing can ruin intelligent life faster than paranoid fixations. The fact that most Chinese people living in Kunming are not dropping dead on the streets might possibly indicate that non-Chinese are not likely to either. Does sh#t happen? Yes, sometimes it does, but don't overfixate on it.

As for knee & ankle problems, well, obviously if they prevent one from ordinary exercise, then one has to do something else, like take the bus or whatever - and if one's physical problems are more serious, then yes, there are taxis.
As for gym memberships for ordinary people, I fail to get the point. I don't know where you folks are all from, but I have heard it said that America is the only country in the world in which people will drive alone in large automobiles 2 miles to a gym where their expensive memberships allow them to run on a treadmill for 4 miles and then drive 2 miles home.
Try the real world, it's a nice place, and not quite as risky as thinking about it, which can lead to unrealistic psychological distortions, restrictions, defense mechanisms, etc. Yes, Kunming is different from New York or Tokyo or Budapest or wherever, but it's also interesting, and one can learn from it, once one leave the bubble.

Sorry, I don't - but what for? There are plenty of open-air trucks, as well as closed mianbaoche (small vans). Anyway, although packing in order to move really is something I hate to do, I'd still advise doing it yourself, and doing it the way you want it done.