Five Months

Five months.  That's how long it's been since I've posted here.  A shameful hiatus, I know.  It would be impossible to write in full depth everything that I have done in that time and every trip I've taken.  Instead, I will give a mere brief on the last five months and in so doing, hopefully I'll be able to return to this blog and write more meaningful, in-depth entries.

Surviving Tiger Falls

Dalat, a home away from home for many French during Vietnam's colonial era.  High elevation, a large lake, mountains, pine forests and cool weather.  The French would holiday here when the tropical weather of the rest of the country became to much to bare.  It was also a popular destination for hunting.  Deer, boar, rhinos, elephants and tigers could all be found in nearby forests.  However, the hunters were all to successful and now there is hardly a squirrel to be seen in the forests and mountains surrounding Dalat.  Still, Daphne and I decided to go there to enjoy the nature and remember what it feels like to not sweat every waking moment.

Commence Operation: TEA

It has been over a month since I've last posted, my apologies for the infrequency of posts.  I still intend to finish up my  rough guide to Yunnan, but perhaps an update about where I am and what I'm doing right now is in order.

Kunming: A Rough Guide

Long overdue for an update, I've decided to present my recent travels in Yunnan in the form of a rough guide that other travelers can emulate or at the very least use for insight in addition to the other guidebooks. 

Kunming is Yunnan's capital and largest city.  If you are a fan of Spring then you may want to move here, as the weather is pretty mild year round.  It is very much the modern city and those travelers missing their McDonald's and Starbucks will be happy to find these corporate giants here along with Walmart.  Many backpackers we spoke to hated Kunming and were in a rush to escape.  Daphne and I, however, found ourselves loving the place.  It was clean, quiet, people drove electric bikes, and food was was very good and cheap. 

Yunnan vs. Vietnam: A Comparison

When traveling in a new country for the first time one can't help drawing comparisons between their host country and the one they're coming from.  Crossing the border from my current home in Vietnam into China's southwestern-most province, Yunnan, here are just some of the ways the two differ.

Photos...Blogs Later

Back in Saigon!  It will take some time before I can post a blog about my trip in Yunnan, China.  However, check out my Flickr where I've posted tons of new pictures from my trip.  I should have a few more up later this week, too. 

Got My Visa

-First visit to the Chinese Consulate, closed.  Guard points at the hours of operation: 8:30-11:30, 2:00-5:00.  Noted.

-Second visit, 4:00, closed!  A closer look at the sign shows that only the general offices are open at that time, the visa office is only open 8:30-11:00.  Sigh.