As a New Zealander living among magical "Lord of the Rings" landscapes, by nature I would be drawn towards the mountains, lakes and rivers of South China. For my first 5-week adventure to China in 2012, before I set out, many days were spent crafting an itinerary to match the landscapes to my tastes. I plotted a trail across Sichuan and Yunnan provinces.
My adventure would start in Chengdu, Sichuan and finish in Xishuangbana, on the banks of the Mekong River and adjacent to the infamous Golden Triangle! What I encountered along the way was so much, much more than stunning landscapes....
An never ending Historic and Cultural Depth that permeated both the landscapes and the people
Hospitality, warmth and Friendships that have endured to this day
The many stone paths, paved over many centuries with great skill and a Chinese asthethic
Food and meals that were more than nutrition and more about sharing, story telling , performance and art!
A society driven by the collective and a government that serves the people.
Needless to say, it was in South China that I caught the "China Bug", it was in my blood now and to South China I would return many times. It wasn't just a fling but a full-blown and consuming love affair! My adventuring became insatiable, resulting in 100 or more train and bus journeys and over 50,000 km traversed across the South.
As time went on I increasingly wanted to share my passion (some might say "spread the infection"!). The obvious conduit being escorting groups along the "paths" I have travelled.
People not having visited, or unfamiliar with China, will mostly identify with the icons of the North...Beijing, the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, the Terracotta Warriors in Xian and the Old Silk Road out West. And yes there are countless "cookie cutter" tours that will take you to thoses places.
In South China the iconic locations are the Pandas in Chengdu, the Shanghai skyline and cruising on the Yangtze River. In my stories and our branding I wanted to accentuate there was much more to South China, if only one ventured like I had "Beyond the Yangtze".
