Breathtaking vistas

The backdoor by the numbers

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April 29th 2006
Statistics about the backdoor route from Chengdu to Lijiang (by descending order): 4718 meters is the highest point which I passed on the route. 1500 kilometers is the distance I covered, of which 300 kilometers are a dirt road which leaves you feeling rattled like one of those dashboard toy dogs. It took 37 hours (net) to cover the distance. 7 is the amount of times I heard the Beatles' "Abbey R ... read more

Asia » China » Yunnan » Lijiang

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For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. A... ... read more