Colorful Characters along the Road to the Yellow Mountains
Inspiration comes when we least expect it. Conversations at a bar, on the street, or in a hostel lobby might one day fester in your mind and send you on…
Huangshan: My Spontaneous Trip to China’s Yellow Mountains
The main appeal for staying in hostels is the likelihood of getting to know the most spectacular of world travelers and grand individuals. I’ve met an English banker turned stuntman…
Exploring China’s World of Fakes: From Restaurants to Bargain Markets
Fake Burger King I was in a fake Burger King in the Nanjing train station. It was hard to tell for sure, and they did a good job at camouflaging.…
Eating My Way Through Nanjing: A Journey Of Flavor, Courage, And Surprise
After spending about a month in Shanghai, my bones had that familiar aching feeling that meant it was time to hit the road once again. I was too comfortable in…
Yangshuo Unveiled: Do’s and Don’ts for Navigating China’s Hidden Gem
While Guilin gets all the acclaim associated with the Guangxi province in China, Yangshuo is the underappreciated little brother to the south that actually houses the breathtaking mountains and lush…
Best Under the Heavens – Lessons Learned in Guilin
桂林山水甲天下 (Guìlín shānshuǐ jiǎ tiānxià) Everywhere I went in China, people repeated this phrase to me when I mentioned my intentions to travel to Guilin Yangshuo next. “Guilin’s mountains and…
Hitchhiking In China, Part 3: Battling Toll Roads and the Cold
This is the final part in my series on hitchiking in China. Start from the beginning here. Let’s jump back to where we left off. I was in Xing’An, having…
Hitchhiking in China, Part 2: A Family’s Generosity and the Secrets of an Ancient Canal
This is the second part in my series on hitchiking in China. Start from the beginning here. If you ask me, the phrase “go with the flow” is misleading and…
Hitchhiking in China, Part 1: A Bold Leap Into the Unknown, One Ride at a Time
When tracing back the origins of the impetus for me to try hitchhiking in China, the seeds of inspiration had been sown over time. There was my old soccer teammate…