Slightly unrelated question, but why does it seem like GoKunming publishes so few articles and features now?
It used to be several per week now it's only maybe a couple per month.
I'm guessing maybe coronavirus restrictions making it harder to visit places to write about them?
Still seems like even with that we could read more about things and life going on around town in Kunming? Just curious about this change as it was a major draw to the website for me in the past.
I haven't been on it this year but several locals have all told me it is now quite passable.
Unfortunately don't have a more current number for Aluo, but he should be pretty easy to locate in Dimaluo and all local drivers know where his guest house is.
The road from Dimaluo in Gongshan to Deqin is open but still not paved and bad in wet weather.
Rather than spending your entire trip in cars, I would highly recommend considering trekking for three days from Dimaluo to Cizhong, also in Deqin.
Much better scenery this way.
Aluo who has a guest house in Dimaluo can arrange the trek and guides for you or guide you himself.
Also, definitely no need for a sleeper bus from Dali to Fugong.
Easily completed in one day and as others have said much prettier this way.
The Nujiang Valley is not to be missed.
Don't travel it by night.
A note as well that you wouldn't be flying from Deqin to Kunming.
You will need to hire a driver (3 hours) or take the bus (4 hours) from Deqin to Shangri-La which is where the closest airport is if you want to fly out that way.
Thai Airways also flies direct to Chiang Mai every Sunday and Thursday and they are far better than China Eastern.
For years this was the only service to Chiang Mai until it was discontinued in 2009 and China Eastern then introduced theirs.
Last year Thai brought back this twice weekly service (a stop-over on the daily Bangkok route) to compete a bit with China Eastern which is great because they are indeed far better.
Been traveling this road for years so great to hear these tunnels will finally be finished to cut down on the travel time. I've been watching the ridiculously slow construction since 2011. When the rest of the new highway was completed around 2012-2013 it already cut the old six hour drive in half to three, so these tunnels should make the whole trip very reasonable.
Just a note, Baima is not actually part of the Meili range and a completely separate mountain though. Baima makes up the Jinsha-Lancang watershed divide while Meili makes up the Lancang-Nu watershed divide.
That photo is on the trail from Yubeng village to the sacred glacial waterfall on Meili Xueshan or Khawa Karpo. It's a day hike from Yubeng, so involves a two night's stay in the village. To get there you need to drive to Xidang village a few hours north of Deqin on the Mekong and then hike about nine hours to Yubeng.
@Flengs, yes lots of info indeed, its a coffee table book in the sense of its size and all the photos, but its very well researched and a very thorough. Mueggler's book is also really excellent with a lot of info about Forrest's expeditions and much more affordable...
Great article and summary of Forrest and his life! Always interesting to see others also writing about the historical French and Swiss presence in today's Cigu and Cizhong.
For some great work on Forrest in tandem with his more well known successor Joseph Rock, check out the excellent historical ethnographic book The Paper Road by Erik Mueggler. A fantastic archival analysis of what these men were like in the field given through the eyes of their local Naxi assistants.
A separate biography on Forrest full of great photos tiled George Forrest Plant Hunter is also a great read. Mandarin Books on Wenhua Xiang sometimes has copies but be warned, it is a large coffee table style book so expensive.
Highway promises easier access to Meili Snow Mountain
Posted byKawagebo and Meili are the same. The former is the Tibetan name while the latter is the Chinese name.
Highway promises easier access to Meili Snow Mountain
Posted byBeen traveling this road for years so great to hear these tunnels will finally be finished to cut down on the travel time. I've been watching the ridiculously slow construction since 2011. When the rest of the new highway was completed around 2012-2013 it already cut the old six hour drive in half to three, so these tunnels should make the whole trip very reasonable.
Just a note, Baima is not actually part of the Meili range and a completely separate mountain though. Baima makes up the Jinsha-Lancang watershed divide while Meili makes up the Lancang-Nu watershed divide.
Snapshot: In search of Shangri-la
Posted byThat photo is on the trail from Yubeng village to the sacred glacial waterfall on Meili Xueshan or Khawa Karpo. It's a day hike from Yubeng, so involves a two night's stay in the village. To get there you need to drive to Xidang village a few hours north of Deqin on the Mekong and then hike about nine hours to Yubeng.
George Forrest: Scotland's Qing-era plant hunter
Posted by@Flengs, yes lots of info indeed, its a coffee table book in the sense of its size and all the photos, but its very well researched and a very thorough. Mueggler's book is also really excellent with a lot of info about Forrest's expeditions and much more affordable...
George Forrest: Scotland's Qing-era plant hunter
Posted byGreat article and summary of Forrest and his life! Always interesting to see others also writing about the historical French and Swiss presence in today's Cigu and Cizhong.
For some great work on Forrest in tandem with his more well known successor Joseph Rock, check out the excellent historical ethnographic book The Paper Road by Erik Mueggler. A fantastic archival analysis of what these men were like in the field given through the eyes of their local Naxi assistants.
A separate biography on Forrest full of great photos tiled George Forrest Plant Hunter is also a great read. Mandarin Books on Wenhua Xiang sometimes has copies but be warned, it is a large coffee table style book so expensive.