Operation Make A Plan

So I did it! I made it! One year in Japan, now officially under my belt. One year since I arrived into the Tokyo heat and ventured forth to unknown lands of Yamagata. It`s been a heck of year. And now would be the perfect time to do a retrospective.

Except that I`m not going to. I ain`t got time to sit around and talk about the past. Tomorrow I`m off to China for a three week solo trip around the sunny South-East. At least, that`s where I think I`m going… I haven`t exactly planned very much yet. So what better way to kill two jobs with one blog post than to write an update about my plan, as I make my plan! It`s foolproof!

In the interests of saving time, and seeing as any I take during my actual travels in China will be god awful, I`m going to do an overview in photos.

Stage 1: Guangzhou Insertion

I`ll be arriving in the early night and spending a few days around "Goat Town". Despite being China`s 3rd largest MegaCity, it`s genuinely called that. Humble beginnings I guess. You might also know it as Canton.

Stage 2: Mobilize to Zhangjiajie

I`m probably going to China at the worst time of year, with temperatures and humidity soaring. This mountain parkland is one of the few places that can provide some respite. Also, just look at it!

Stage 3: Reconnaissance in Changsha

Chairman Mao was born near here, and this is reportedly where he converted to Catholicism. Or was it Conservationism? Confucianism? Something like that. Anyway, now it`s an entertainment capital with television stations pumping out Chinese versions of American Idol. I`m sure there`s some ivory to be found here. Ironing? Whatever.


Stage 4: Scorched Earth in Wuhan

This place has the prestige of being crowned the hottest of China`s 3 furnaces. In summer, it`s considered to be close to unbearable. Good thing I`m going in early August! Phew!

Oh, wait... Nuts.


Stage 5: Stalking through Huangshan

Home of the gorgeous Yellow Mountain area. Mists can both obscure the scenery and be part of them. I`m planning for a day or two of hiking here.

Stage 6: Wetworks in Hangzhou

The Hangzhou lowlands is filled with lakeside temples and serene ancient villages built around canals. Like a little taste of Venice in China! Marco Polo had some good words for Hangzhou, and you know what they always say; "If it`s good enough for Marco Polo..."


Stage 7: Lay Low in Suzhou

Suzhou could probably be accurately described as Shanghai`s garden. Just outside the frantic city`s border lies landscaped parks and carved waterways.


Stage 8: Infiltrate Shanghai

The largest city in China.


Stage 9: Retreat to Wuyishan

Straight from the bright lights of Shanghai, I`ll be trekking through Wuyishan Nature Reserve. Nicknames include "the window on wild animals", "the kingdom of snakes", "a haven for birds" "a world of insects", "natural plants museum" and "the key to the research on amphibians and reptiles in Asia". What more could you want?


Stage 10: Regroup in Xiamen

This seaside city boasts being one of the best places to live in China. It also provides access to a small island notable for its unusually high rate of piano ownership and its blend of multiple architectural styles.


Stage 11: Deep Cover in Yongding

Round, thick walled earthen structures fill the countryside in Yongding. Some have even been converted to guesthouses. So I`ll be sleeping in a mud room!


Stage 12: Extraction from Hong Kong

I made sure to get a double entry visa so that I could visit Hong Kong if I have the time. A couple of friends will be there at the same time, so we can go out and light up the town together! Because it doesn`t have enough lights yet.



And that`s it! Then I`m just back across the bridge to Guangzhou and flying out to Tokyo once more. Thanks for helping me plan my trip today. Now we can all place bets on when this whole thing is gonna come off the rails, leaving me to be found wearing an old blanket dancing for change on the side of the road in Nepal. Wish me luck!