Summer Travels

I finally have internet here at home, so I'm inspired to write about my travels this summer.
Kim and I originally set out to have a cheap but enjoyable vacation traveling in China and exploring the beauty it has.

The Hump hostel in Kunming (I know, strange name)

We first set out for Kunming.  This is a major city in Yunnan province and Kim and I were immediately impressed.  The sky was blue and it somehow seemed less dirty and hustle/bustle than Wuhan. We stayed in a hostel with an awesome patio and view.

But Kunming was just a stopover point.  From there we took an 8 hour train to LiJiang and met an  Indian boxer who was happy to speak English with us.

Our train buddy

We spent 3 days in LiJiang.  Our activities included exploring, shopping, and hiking the Tiger Leaping Gorge.

Garden Inn Hostel in LiJiang

Tiger Leaping Gorge

Women in LiJiang

From LiJiang we took the 8 hour train back to Kunming and spent a night in the same hostel.  Then we had a flight to Guilin.  We only took the flight because they ran out of bed train tickets, and we aren't crazy enough to get a seat for 16 hours.  We took a 2 hour bus from Guilin to Yangshuo.

In Yangshuo, we enjoyed the "karst peaks" and unique mountains by kayaking, bike riding, and wandering around the town.

Kayaking in Yangshuo

Trippers Carpe Diem Hostel just outside Yangshuo

After Yangshuo we took the bus back into Guilin where we enjoyed 3 nights in a 5 star luxury hotel. What a way to end our trip!

We thoroughly enjoyed the pool at the Shangri-La

And then we were back in Wuhan.  We love our new apartment and feel so at home.  Photos to come, but below is one taste of the joy of our new place.

View from our last apartment (no, the guy was not always hanging there)

The view from our new living room (lest you be too amazed, this kind of sky comes only a few days a year in Wuhan)