Which brings up the question: Is Couscous looking for you?

PS: 65 for a pound is indeed ridiculous.
PS2: Make your own. See:
www.paula-wolfert.com/recipes/roll_your_own_couscous.html
or
www.foodrepublic.com/[...]

@Liumingke
You were trying to sending your mom by post?

River or any other cruises are not so my thing but I am already happy that it is possible now. The river is cleaner and the water higher. Before the Panlong used to be an open sewer and often not deep enough for any navigation.

I didn’t hear of resent changes but the states on both side of the India – Myanmar border are off limits to foreigners and can only be visited with special permission which one doesn’t get as a tourist. Crossing the China – Myanmar border is possible only as an organised group by state controlled agents in Myanmar. A very costly affair.

Apparently it is possible to travel Tibet to Nepal to India but only in summer when the passes are open.

Shaxi and the Weishan valley south of Dali are indeed good options.
I send you a PM with an address in Shaxi.