Aaron's Worldwide AdventuresDid you know that Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is famous for its jade? I didn’t, that is, until I encountered all these stores selling Burmese Jade in the not-so-mythical land of Shangri-La in China. And as such is the trend when you have a bunch of stores selling the same product, naming becomes a […]
When you arrive in Shangri-La, you’ll notice one thing. You have to do a lot of walking! Much like some other historic “old towns” in China’s Yunnan province (like Lijiang or Dali), Shangri-La’s “old town” is free of vehicular traffic, leaving the cobblestone streets looking quite picturesque! And if the streets aren’t enough, you could […]
You’ve heard of Shangri-La, right? You know, that mythical place from James Hilton’s fictional novel, “Lost Horizon?” Well, if you’ve been following my blog for a while, then you probably know that Shangri-La is also a city in China that draws many a tourist thanks to its name! You see, it wasn’t always this way. The […]
2010 was quite the travel year for me! 8 countries, 10 U.S. states, 37 bus journeys, 16 flights and 2 train rides. Somewhere in those figures are a whole lot of weird experiences. Here are some of my favorites: The Temple of the Divine Madman A walk through Bhutan’s “Village of Phalluses” gives way to […]
Hospitals are supposed to be impeccably clean and highly organized, right? Unfortunately, this was not what I found when, much to my surprise, I ended up at one last night! You see, I have asthma. I’ve always had asthma and it’s never a problem for me unless I’m sick with a respiratory infection, much like […]
Greetings from Shangri-La. No, really. I’m actually in a city called Shangri-La! That name seems to illicit the same response from people unfamiliar with this part of China, one that cannot believe that there’s actually a place called Shangri-La. “Shangri-La” is, of course, a fictional place from James Hilton’s fictional novel “Lost Horizon.” So how is […]
You know, last time I checked, intercity buses did not come with 4-Wheel Drive… Though after two days on (in the eloquent words of Lonely Planet), “ass killing roads” on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, I suggest that the Chinese government may want to work on developing them! My journey began yesterday in Litang, where I had a free […]
It began as an overcast day, perhaps an indication of the deeds to be done. This was the day where my family and I would do the one thing we came to Bhutan to do. This entire trip, especially the Bhutan section, is dedicated to the memory of my Grandmother, who had previously traveled to […]