The Most Chinese Things About China: 16 Quirks And Hints From 18 Years Of Visits China. A country requiring travelers to have open-mindedness and resilience like no other. 22 provinces. Five autonomous regions. 56 ethnicities. 302 living languages. 255 national parks. As Lonely Planet puts it, “You’ll see things you’ve never seen before, eat things you’ve never heard of and drink things that could lift a rocket into orbit.” I… Read More
Seclusion In Kanas Two months of far flung hitchhikes and train rides through northwestern China had culminated to these precious hours of late September scenery in Kanas National Geopark. The poplar leaves were letting out their last breaths of freshly photosynthesized oxygen before transforming into that famous, lustrous yellow, before wiggling free of their branches and finding their… Read More
Blood Intestines, Living Deities, And Other Tibetan Impressions Women sporting thick braids and heavy, droopy earrings. Men suited up every day of the week. Homeless children dancing around a bonfire. Nomads offering cups of fresh yak yogurt. A picnic of assorted lamb intestines at 3,800 meters. Road tripping with a living Buddha. These were some of the fresh memories that stewed in my… Read More
Backpack Qinghai On A Budget Little-known Qinghai teems with ethnic diversity and high altitude landscape. Landlocked into the Northwest of China, this province is a stark contrast to the developed Eastern half of the country. Tibetans and Huis, the predominant ethnic minorities inhabiting Qinghai, practice their religions and culinary skills alongside one another. To brush up against their lifestyles is… Read More
The World’s Best Beef Noodles A wide, steamy bowl of broth. Winter radish and bits of chopped beef blended in. A nest of soft, thin, hand-pulled noodles. A dark puddle of chili oil. Green onion garnish. The World’s Best Beef Noodles 牛肉面 (niú ròu miàn). Beef noodles. A cornerstone dish to the Chinese cuisine, for three straightforward reasons: it’s simple,… Read More
Like A Local: Taking The Train In China It was on the slow trains of China where I fell in love with the country. As my fatigued body was slowly rocked from side to side through thousands of kilometers of countryside, I stared at the vibrant train culture that took place before me. Then, I joined in. Like A Local: Taking… Read More
Pairs Of Children Make My Day Pairs Of Children Make My Day Have I ever had a bad day while traveling? Is like asking myself, do I eat ice cream? All the time. Medical mishaps, immigration errors, bed bugs, fallouts with new friends and old friends. I can honestly say that in less than two years on the road, I’ve outlasted… Read More
24 Hours In A Tibetan Tent I encountered the most authentic, unique experience of my travels without expecting or asking for it. No amount of tashi deleks* could answer for the real and exclusive Tibetan hospitality I received. From the modest interior of a nomadic tent on a rainy August afternoon, I was introduced to how a family could sustain itself… Read More
Guilin: Oil Tea And Odd Geology My aunt grew up amongst the deformed-gumdrop-looking karst formations in the Guangxi province of China, just north of Vietnam. She was raised with strong ties to family and village farming, and her life was uniquely set against the Dr. Seuss level scenery that has now been recognized by UNESCO World Heritage and printed onto the… Read More
The Ultimate Chinese Snack Sunflower seeds are the holy grail of Chinese munchies. Locals tow bags of roasted sunflower seeds with them wherever they go. Whether bored, gossiping about who got accepted to what university, playing mahjong, drinking tea, drinking, or especially when taking the train, I assure you that they will be cracking these things. The Ultimate Chinese Snack… Read More