China

KTV is the Chinese karaoke (sometimes actually said as ka li OK).

I’m not usually one to broadcast my religion as I travel, but around Christmas time, as people continuously asked me how I celebrate the holiday, I began to tell them …

For those of you who thought siestas were only for people working in Spain, you’ve obviously never worked in Sichuan before. Indeed, each day my microfinance organization has between 12 …

Tips for how to pack one backpack for six months of travel.

Manners Manners certainly differ across countries, but by American standards, some Chinese manners are, um, severely lacking. For example, everyone screams fu yuan! (“waiter”) to get attention in a restaurant. …

The role of filling cups of tea falls to the youngest woman at the table.

I spent a few weeks with my friend Charlie from home in Chengdu, China before heading to Nepal.  Before leaving, I pulled an all-nighter despite having to catch a 6 …

I didn’t know what to expect when crossing the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China.  Aside from a lack of English on the signs, it seemed surprisingly normal.  Adam …

” The mountain blew up right in front of us. There were tremors every few minutes. I will never forget the thunderous echo of those boulders, as big as two-story …

The flight from Chengdu to Lhasa was cool – crossing over the Tibetan Plateau – the snow-capped, glacier-ridden mountains slowly coming into view through the cloud cover. Getting to the …

In planning my trip around the world, I always thought of China as my gateway to Tibet, rather than a destination unto itself. The language barrier concerned me, it was …

  I called Charlie after the opera and made my way across town to his apartment. Wu, his roommate, wanted to check out a popular bar/club called 88, and while …

Among the many activities Charlie was excited to share with me, the Sichuan Opera always seemed to be at the top of the list. It therefore seemed fitting that I …

  On the afternoon of March 22, I decided to revisit the Tibetan neighborhood in Chengdu. I was overdue for a Tibetan meal with butter tea, and was wondering what …

After a fun day at People’s Park, I returned back to Charlie’s apartment. In the evening, I joined him and his girlfriend for some errands. We went to Nanuna again. …

  I picked up my e-ticket to Kathmandu at Sim’s Guest House travel desk and grabbed a taxi to the People’s Park in central Chengdu. The Lonely Planet spoke highly …

After an afternoon sightseeing at DuFu’s cottage, prior home of a famous Chinese poet, I decided to check out a Chinese Tibetan spa near Charlie’s apartment building. I only knew …

Through the travel desk at Sim’s Guest House, I received a 90% refund on my airfare from Lasa to Katmandu from Air China, though I later read the airline was …

On our way home from the foot massage place, Charlie got a phone call from his friend Eli who was at the Playa Club.  He said it was the opening/closing …

Signs advertising foot massages were all over the streets in Hong Kong, and I remember the Austrian man telling me they were cheaper in China, a hint to hold off …