Yunnan Trip

We booked our own flights to Kunming, and the travel agency took over from the airport pickup. It was an eight-person small group tour with self-arranged meals. Thanks to a great tour guide, we were introduced to unique and reliable restaurants. In Yunnan, we enjoyed freshly slaughtered chicken, sturgeon, three ways of preparing rainbow trout, matsutake sashimi, wild mushroom hotpot, stone pot fish, and wood-fired chicken... In Shangri-La and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, we experienced some altitude sickness. Yunnan's famous 'Eighteen Oddities' include having all four seasons in a single day. The most challenging part of the trip was getting used to the restrooms—masks, holding your breath, and summoning courage were essential. The sightseeing train at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain costs 80 RMB per ride and is worth a try.