@Andrew D: the local life is the one you see everywhere - Chinese modernity. My guess is that you really want to photo things that have been around for awhile and that are different from modernity elsewhere - fine, but everything changes, and it is change that is the authenticity - the Chinese/nonchinese dichotomy is a deceptive one, and much exaggerated by everybody concerned - which is not to say that there's anything wrong with your project - historically-derived variations on a global theme, which will continue to develop, be stomped, and take other hybrid forms. No likely end to it.

@zhulaoye: I'm not usually into hotpot either, and I also find that "Thai", "Vietnamese" and "Indian" etc. restaurants in Kunming are not up to standard - but the idea that " 'China' cannot make decent food" strikes me as exceedingly weird. However, I don't want to start that one again, as it's been beat to death.

The 4.1 was in Dali, as predicted - but did anybody even notice it? I didn't (I'm in Kunming) but I frequently notice guitarists behaving strangely - but hey, rock on..

A geologist friend of mine successfully predicted the recent minor (4.1) earthquake about 10 days in advance - he said there'd be one in "about a week", and he was right. Says there are likely to be more, though I don't mean to be alarming - nobody said anything about 'a big one' - minor tremors are not unusual around here. Some animals seem to be able to pick up on electromagnetic variations &/or maybe faint high-frequency sounds, etc., in advance, & react. I don't know about the nagas, but personally I think the Ferraris from Hell may be partly to blame. Guitar players should be watched closely.

I've worked in a number of places and I've almost always done so on the basis of seeing the place and the situation first-hand before making any decisions. Has usually worked out pretty well.