@Napolean. I called the US Consulate in Guangzhou after a fist fight in Sanya. I called the US Embassy in Seoul after Asiana Airlines would not let me depart on a flight for it's own stupid policy. In the Sanya case, they were able to provide a list of local attorneys and translators who could assist in the police case. In the Seoul case, after hours, the embassy staff who answered was willing to come to the airport to assist me if needed. I solved the issues in both instances without their help in the end, but it was very reassuring to have someone on your side or as a backup in foreign city you don't have contacts in. I think in the Asiana Airlines case, just having the counter staff see me call and talk with an Embassy staff did help sway them into letting me board the flight, so calling the Embassy did play a role.

@Alien. They don't attack old foreigners. It's young on young violence.

There was another forum user who had a few stories of being harassed and had fights because he was white and his gf Chinese. It can happen in Kunming to mixed race couples, but like other violent crime, it's extremely rare. Sorry to hear about your encounter. Not sure how it works for Canadian consulates, but there should be an emergency phone contact. Try another consulate in another city if you can't get hold of Beijing, maybe like Guangzhou.

There's not much jungle left in Banna, and the patches you find are government reserves for the elephants. If you want jungle village trekking, probably nearby Namtha in Laos is better. I'd take a van or bus somewhere else and then start your trek. I think walking a day out of banna will still leave you in rubber or pineapple plantations. But China's richest man built a big nice water park for you in Banna :)

Six years old revival. Does that beat HFCAMPO's record?

If they give me a day layover in Qingdao so I can get some shrimp wasabi and a bag of draft beer, then I'm all for it. The beer will help anyone with an eight hour China Eastern flight. Funny enough, Qingdao reminds me a bit of SF. Didn't know they eliminated Kunming Paris. I think this route has a chance of sticking around. Where was the stop in Kunming Paris by the way?