In May and June of last year I spent four weeks in China, three of them on Intrepid Travel’s China Experience tour. I’ve been writing in more detail about my travels in China, with more to come, but in the meantime here’s a small taste of the highlights of that trip in an article I wrote for The Journal by Intrepid Travel.
Hop on over to The Journal and have a look.
NINE MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES IN CHINA FOR ALL ADVENTURERS
Next post: Baoguo Monastery and my accidental incursion into a private ceremony. And the impressively gigantic Leshan Buddha.
All words and images by Alison Louise Armstrong unless otherwise noted
© Alison Louise Armstrong and Adventures in Wonderland – a pilgrimage of the heart, 2010-2019.
Adventures in Wonderland 
It is so beautiful, the tea plantation, it is almost like it is so beautiful it cannot be real. I would love to see that or a place just like it.
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We spent a few hours at the tea plantation – picking leaves and them watching them being processed, and tasting various types of tea. The landscape was so beautiful! I hope you get to see it, or something like it.
Alison
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Alison and Don, we really hope so too. Thanks for the beautiful image and story. Dave and Laura
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love the tea plantation!!
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You’re back! Yeah, the tea plantation was quite spectacular.
Alison
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Our only experience with China has been a layover in Chengdu, where we too, headed to see the Pandas at the breeding center. It was a great and enriching visit. Love all your photos, they are really beautiful and you have put together a lovely collection of them for your best experiences.
Peta
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Thanks so much Peta. China was a bit gruelling, so many places/experiences in only 3 weeks – but there were some truly amazing highlights.
The panda breeding centre was definitely one of those highlights!
Alison
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You rock Alison.
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Thanks Cindy. Back at you 🙂
Alison
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China is such a fascinating place with such diverse cultures and peoples and you managed to pack in some of the most amazing highlights. But I suppose in three weeks you can only scratch the surface. Would you go back to experience more? I certainly would love to go back to cover the areas I missed out on… Great photographs, as always.
Lieve
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Thanks Lieve. Definitely only scratched the surface, and it left me wanting more – especially of the rural areas and villages, and to see some of the ethnic minorities. But I doubt I’ll go back – too many other places to see. At least I’ve had a glimpse of what China is like.
Alison
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Yes, the world is such a big place.. Although I am heading back to Vietnam next week, I too feel there are so many other places I would like to visit, but for now, I need to go where I can find work…
Lieve
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Alison – My, my you have been busy, with travel and with writing. Congrats on it all – Susan
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Thanks so much Susan. Yes, very busy. So busy I’m still writing about the trip to China which was over a year ago now lol! I’ll catch up one day. Or not.
Alison
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Fantastic photos, Alison. The adorable, content panda and fabulous tea plantation. What a great trip.
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PS I just read your terrific article. Makes me want to return to China!
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Thanks so much Jane. The pandas had me at hello. So cute.
Oh there was soooo much to see/expereince in China. I too could go back – at a slower pace and drink it in more. It’s an amazing country.
Alison
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Lovely to see your work on the Intrepid site, Alison! Are those your photos as well? I think I recognize a few photos at the beginning of the article from some of your previous China posts, and then I see where I’ve missed a few posts in this busy summer. The photo of Emei Shan is breathtaking to say the least. I look at it, and instantly drop several octaves of thought, into the quiet underneath it all. The image just clamors with that silence! It’s like an instant interior renovation. You take us to such lovely places… Thank you…
Michael
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Thank you so much Michael. They are my photos on the Intrepid site (except the ones I’m in of course which were taken by various guides).
I love your description of looking at the photo from Emei Shan. That my photos get to touch the soul as your writing does makes me happy. It was a scene that just called out to be photographed – so evocative, so silent, so iconic. There’s a better version of it in this post: https://alisonanddon.com/2019/08/07/climbing-the-sacred-mountain-chinas-emei-shan-2/
Alison
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Images are phenomenal! How did you like intrepid travel? I’ve wanted to do a trip with them for years.
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Thank you so much Pam. Intrepid are awesome! I’ve done two trips with them – 12 days in Egypt, and 21 days in China. Click on the Egypt category and you’ll find all the posts I’ve written about that trip – one of the highlights of all our travels. Also the China category for posts about the China trip though I’m only about halfway through writing about China.
Intrepid tends to be a little more expensive than other adventure travel companies I think but definitely worth it. They really care about the people and places they go to, and the environment and treatment of animals, and always give back in various foundations and charities that they support.
Alison
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Love this. Thank you! I think they actually have an office in Boulder, CO where I live. I will make a point to go down there and meet them. I first saw them with a group in Vietnam and they were having a BALL! I’d like to go to Morocco with them….hmmm…you have my wheels spinning!!
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Fabulous photos, the whole trip looks and sounds amazing. You’ve got us thinking of going to China now.
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Thanks so much Jonno. It really was an amazing trip. Go to China! It’s so rich and diverse.
Alison
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Got me thinking about it seriously now Alison.
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Well done, Alison! There’s so much to cover, but somehow, you made it comprehensible. And desirable! 😉
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Thanks Lynn. It really is an amazing place. So much to see and do, so much that’s unexpected. It was all a bit overwhelming, but still fabulous. And the food was really good.
Alison
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I bet it was!
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A great comprehensive article. One to save for that eventual trip.
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Thanks so much Darlene. China is pretty amazing. Worth a visit that’s for sure.
Alison
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Alison, as others have said, your tea plantation photo is fabulous – pro quality for sure. Every serious traveler should spend some time in China. For visitors, it has everything to recommend it: it’s huge and diverse in every way, it has a deep, rich history and culture, and almost unlimited sights and attractions. Terri and I visited there years ago when the political climate wasn’t quite so relaxed, and some places simply weren’t accessible to westerners. It’s wonderful that the government has opened up a bit more for tourism. ~James
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Thanks so much James. China is really amazing – so vast and so many iconic places to see from the countryside of Yangshuo, to the Terracotta Warriors, to the Forbidden City, and of course pandas. I was there 4 weeks, 3 of them on a tour that travelled the length of the country from Beijing to Hong Kong. Everywhere we went there were thousands of Chinese tourists. Everywhere was crowded, but with very few westerners, so yes, the government has opened it up for tourists in a big way. And now I guess they’re trying to encourage more foreign tourists with the new 24 and 72 hr visas.
I found it endlessly fascinating (though not always comfortable or appealing) and I’m really glad I went.
Alison
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Nice article Alison. I hope I’ll get to China one day and I’ll definitely be referring back to your terrific posts.
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Thanks Caroline. China is fascinating! Hope you get there. There’s really no place like it.
Alison
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