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Published: October 4th 2013
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And so from the magnificence of Tiger Leaping Gorge, it was a 2.5h bus ride further north to my last stop in northern Yunnan. With time running out on my visa, I'd previously wondered whether I should even come this far, as it would entail having to take a (relatively) more expensive flight back to Kunming, before racing down to the border with Vietnam.
But with a name like Shangri-la, how could you not go? Historically known as Zhongdian, the local government decided to rename the city after the mythical paradise of James Hilton's novel, which was set to the east of Tibet, in hopes of tourism spin-offs.
And how has it worked. Shangri-la has very quickly become a sort of mini-Lijiang, with its restored and clean Old Town featuring the obligatory hodge-podge of restaurants, guesthouses, souvenir shops etc. I'm not sure if Mr Hilton (anyone else realise the irony of one hotel group naming another?) would have approved of this development, but at least the city somewhat retains its traditional Tibetan flavor, if in a somewhat artificial manner. And despite the hordes of tourists, especially during this National Day week, the beautiful surrounding highlands are real, the yaks
are real, the Tibetan Mastiffs are real, and the 3600m+ altitude and resulting thin air are certainly real!
And yet, despite the apparently exotic locale, my memories of my short stay here might very well originate from a different source. As hotel prices were super inflated this week, I had to settle for a dorm bed, which of course I'd previously expressed my reservations about on this blog. Being a long-term traveller, I usually try to take additional precautions against theft etc. And I'm not the most social guy, so often in the evenings I just like to have time to myself in my own room.
But well that wasn't possible this time, and my first night here I had a dorm-mate from Zhejiang province who insisted on pretty much talking me to sleep. I guess he didn't mind my half-baked Mandarin, but he was extremely curious about my home country (Singapore), and even fact-checked what I told him about the country on the Internet, not to mention complained about his own country's problems.
Well he only stayed one night, and the second night another guy from Sichuan province instead replaced him. I don't know what it
Nightly Tibetan-style Folk Dancing
At the Old Town Square. After hearing Mr Sichuan's words, I will probably never view such activities in the same light again. is about these solo travelling Chinese youngsters, but they all seem rather opinionated and talkative, and more than ready to initiate conversation with me despite my obvious discomfort with the language. Nevertheless, in the midst of the verbal barrage, Mr Sichuan did say something that struck a chord with me quite deeply. When I asked him what he was up to for the evening, he said he was going to join the nightly traditional line dance in the Old Town Square. When I sniggered somewhat, he replied, "Why not? I want to have no regrets when I leave."
And that really hit me.
I guess the irony was not lost on me. After all, I'd been the one to leave it all behind some one and a half years ago, to embark on this backpacking tour of Southeast Asia/ China, spurred precisely by the thought that my temporary Sichuan dorm-mate had just voiced. But I guess the humdrum of routine (yes even long-term travel has a routine) and the passage of time can sometimes dull the edges of fresh enthusiasm. And it sure helps to have these reminders sporadically, just so I remember again just exactly what it's
all for.
Stayed at Barley Hostel.
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