I started this series on annoying tourists a while back, figuring I would pull from my virtually endless supply of material and add to it from time to time. It's been a while since the first post, so I've decided to add a second and write about a Chinese guy I got stuck next to on the 22 hour bus ride from Lanzhou to Dunhuang in China's Gansu Province.I've also decided … [Read more...]
Lingerie on a Goat is a Sure Sign of a Very Lonely Herder
This sexy goat was found at Karakul Lake in Xinjiang Province in the far west of China, just north of the Pakistani border on the Karakorum Highway. We were certain that red strap had some practical function, but none of us had any idea what that might be. Let me rephrase that: we were really hoping that thing had some practical function....Believe it or not, I've also … [Read more...]
Third-World Haircut
If you're the kind of person who cares about their hair, you probably shouldn't travel around Asia for a long enough period of time that you'd need to get it cut. Of course there are some excellent barbers in Asia who also speak good enough English to understand what you want, but it would be cheaper to just fly home and get a haircut there than to visit one. Travelers with … [Read more...]
Keeping Up With the Changs at Jiuzhaigou
Jiuzhaigou is a World Heritage Site and nature reserve on the edge of the Tibetan plateau in Northern Sichuan province in China. It takes its name, which means "Valley of Nine Villages" in English, from the nine Tibetan villages that are dotted along its length. It is arguably one of the most beautiful and scenic places on earth, but despite that, millions of Chinese make the … [Read more...]
Dunhuang – Playing in China’s Sandbox
China has several large deserts and numerous sand dunes, but when the average Chinese person wants to play in the sand, they go to Dunhuang. Located in northwestern Gansu province in western China, Dunhuang was a major stop at a crossroads of the ancient Silk Road. These days getting there from most major Chinese cities is relatively easy and simply requires a day or two of … [Read more...]