Half the tour leave in Shanghai, while the rest of us on the longer version go onto the airport where we catch a flight to Guilin and then bus to the rice terraces of Longji.

When we arrive we are swarmed by the Yao minority women who act as porters, carrying our luggage all the way up the mountain without even breaking a sweat! Its amazing to see – funny for the guys watching an old lady swing ther heavy bags on their back and then charge up ahead of them! ITs a bit of a rle reversal here – the men do the cooking and the women are the porters!

The lodge we stay in is fab with views right over the rice terraces and down into the valley below – such a peacful break after Shanghai! And the first English menu! (Banana pancakes all the way!)
Posted from Hong Kong:

posted Sunday March 2006