'Common sense' often depends on long-term familiarity and understanding of surroundings. Acute awareness of dehydration materialises as common sense for locals and learned the hard way by some outsiders. We all know what it is - but.
Same goes for dangers concerned with exposure to the sun. We all 'know' about them but if you're light skinned, have blue eyes and fair hair you probably come from areas where danger of UV rays are significantly less than here and so you are out in the sun daily and thinking how lucky you are compared with the people back home. Take a look or simply feel the skin on the side of your face alongside and just above the level of the eye.
Does it feel a little rough?
Maybe slightly discoloured?
Check for skin pre-cancer - now. Miss the signs and two years from now you could have cancer of the largest organ in the body. Of course it only happens to other people. Actually, no, it doesn't.
So thanks to Long Dragon for being courageous and risking derision.
If GoKunming had a 'sticky' thread, then a curated version of these observations would be a candidate for first inclusion. Sadly the warnings and observations will disappear into the archives.
Lack of water in our system or mild dehydration is very subtle. We often do not even realize it has affected us. Its not going to kill you. I meet people all the time, especially new to Kunming visitors who simply do not realize they are affected. Why am I breathing so hard when I climb stairs? They think. Why am I so dry mouthed or irritable? We have thousands of visitors for the Yunnan Exposition this week. I had a friend a long time resident this week who had a small problem. We know all this but easily forget so this is my annual reminder.
Ok, ok, be careful you lowlanders who somehow have never known about this. For most who have just arrived, it's highly unlikely to be anything like serious - and to his/her credit, dragon admits this. Those who contemplate moving to Zhongdian (Shangri-la) might pay a bit more attention; anybody who goes higher should either know it already or not go. Usual experience of new arrivals in Kunming from somewhere lower is simply a matter of perhaps being a bit short-winded for a week or so, leading to drinking, perhaps, a bit more water when they get thirsty, no harm done. However, for the water you can substitute the low-alcohol local beer, as many of us beerdrinkers have found out, to our disappointment. As for locals carrying bottles of water around, I don't think it's a function of altitude - massively popular in Hong Kong, for instance, as well as in other areas of lower altitudes (yes, yes, in Hong Kong it's hot, we must all be aware of heatstroke etc.)
I fully expect the great majority to pull through.
One of the most painful and long term side affects of dehydration missed by Long-Dragon can be Kidney Stones. Denver has the highest rate of kidney stones in the USA, and i was told 5 years ago while being treated for a kidney stone in a Kunming hospital, that Kunming is the highest in China. Doctor told me Kunming has a higher rate because of dry climate part of year and elevation. If you have never had a kidney stone, for sure an experience to avoid. Lastly the 5 years i lived in Kunming i found to be the most challenging to stay hydrated. Did not seem to matter how much i drank i still always was on the edge of being de-hydrated. I am living in a climate which has higher temps and very humid but having a much easier time staying hydrated.
Interesting about the kidney stones, I didn't know that - and no, I don't want one. I have no medical knowledge to rely on to disagree with the doctor, but I wonder if the kidney stones might have something to do with minerals in the local water. Odd that Lhasa doesn't have a higher rate of kidney stones, as it's twice as high, and drier.
Never have a problem staying hydrated here, though.
@alien
Just because I'm a hypochondriac, doesn't mean the world isn't a dangerous place - especially in China.
Milk scandals, baby formula scandals, fake eggs, gutter oil...and those are only the things we know about...
Long dragon posts this at the start of the big expo, so don't get your feathers all ruffled if you think it's frivolous advice. It's not for old timers in Kunming. It's aimed at visitors to our city that might not be aware or forget that kunming is like almost 2 km altitude. To note, that makes sunburn along with dehydration more probable.
New arrivals are sometimes painfully aware of the situation, probably thinking an constantly talking about bein 2km high. The issues mentioned above are made by and aimed at complacent 'old timers'.
Don't understand the rush to dismiss personal anecdotes. Hope you ain't one diagnosis away from a life changing shock.
Nothing wrong with knowing this stuff, but I feel better when I don't worry about things all the time - yes, it IS possible to be too cautious. Hope everybody else here feels good too.
Visit Lhasa if you get the chance - suggest you neither fly nor take a train right through - consequences if you do probably not serious, you'll probably acclimatize anyway after a few days even if you do, but I was told there by a medical person that a couple of tourists die there every year, from altitude sickness.
Have a nice day.
