KOTA KINABALU

Here I am, in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on the northeastern tip of the island of Borneo - this is where I'll be based out of for the next three of four months. Not bad! After my teaching job in China fell through, my friend Charlie was nice enough to give me a job here for the summer. He happens to be out in the jungle right now, so in a couple of days I'll be jumping on a bush plane to head out and try and find him. Wish me luck. Traveling around and sightseeing is good fun, but it's time to put my bag down for a while and get to know a place. Anyways, to quote Willie Nelson, still is still moving to me...

SINGAPORE

From Thailand I made my way south to Singapore. I had a few days before my flight to Kota Kinabalu, so it was the perfect chance for me to visit our old family friends, Chin and Sok. Chin grew up in Malaysia and met my parents in the mid-70s when he attended Kenyon College and had my father as a professor. After Kenyon (and then Harvard) Chin moved to Singapore. They stayed in touch over the years, and as our families grew we'd take turns hosting each other on trips across the Pacific. We’ve seen Chin and Sok in the states a number of times, but I was the last Kipp to make it to Singapore to see them - it was about time!

It was only a short stay, but the entire day and a half was pretty much one big feast. The first day started with noodles for breakfast, dim sum for lunch, satay and stingray for dinner, and shaved ice and a soursop shake for dessert. Not to mention plenty of snacks in between. And believe it or not we actually did a good deal of sightseeing as well. I was still full the next day when I woke up, but once we got to Little India I had no problem devouring my delicious vegetarian dosa for breakfast. After some more exploring the tour concluded with a delicious fish head curry lunch! Chin had to roll me onto the airplane, and I just barely snapped out of my food coma as the plane touched down in Kota Kinabalu...

(RAI)LAY OVER

When I realized that my friends Sara and Ryan were going to be vacationing in Thailand at the same time I’d be making my way to Malaysia, I couldn’t help but to plan a quick stopover to see them. Sara and Ryan are a couple of San Francisco friends that now live in Sydney, and Sara and I used to work together in advertising. Traveling in China had been routinely confusing, but since I'd lived in Thailand for most of 2009, making my way from Bangkok to the islands was a breeze, and before I knew it I was floating up to the sandy beaches of Railay on a long-tail boat. We hadn’t planned a time and place to meet, but before anything I needed a splash in the water to cool off. That worked out well because before long Sara and Ryan came paddling by on a kayak. After lunch we boarded a long-tail boat and puttered out to sea for an afternoon of snorkeling. That was great, except for the fact that my mustache was too thick and slightly impeded the suction of the mask to my face. Snorkeling with a beard is not ideal, I need a shave! As evening approached we stopped off on an island for a picnic dinner. We'd missed the sunset due to an obstructing island, but once on land we were redeemed with an amazing dark-orange full-moonrise over the ocean. It was getting dark as we motored back towards Railay, and off in the distance heat-lightning illuminated the night sky. Our last stop was for a night swim with bioluminescence, and after the boat anchored in calm waters in the night-shadow of a karstic island, we jumped into the water and splashed about in an explosion of aquatic sparkles. It was a fun and tiring day, but we still found ourselves up late, sharing beers and playing boardgames on the balcony of a bar overlooking the eastern beach. The next day we relaxed. By noon we were in the water, neck deep in the gentle waves, sipping cold beers and enjoying a day in paradise. We spent the evening on the beach, lighting floating lanterns and watching them blow out to sea. The next day came too quick, and just like that our rendezvous in Railay was over. Sara and Ryan left for Australia and I ventured farther south. I had made some good companions on my solo travels in China, but it’s always wonderful to see old friends.

TIGER LEAPING GORGE

We met a Spaniard in Lijiang. He was wearing a conical hat á la southeast Asian rice farmer and had a dread-locked mullet that hung down to his waist. After smoothly tossing all five locks over his shoulder to dangle down his chest, he went on to tell Yago and me that Tiger Leaping Gorge was ‘only OK’ . Only OK? Pardon my Español, but that place was fuckin' awesome! He must have gotten off the bus at Tiger Leaping Gutter. Either that, or he was too busy matting his poop-locks to notice where the hell he was. Hearing such mediocre reviews of a place is good sometimes, it kind of lowers the bar. But even if he’d told us that it was the most beautiful place on earth, I still would’ve been blown away.

The bus ride to Tiger Leaping Gorge was a delightful preview of our adventures to come. Looming over Lijiang to the north is the almighty Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and in three hours time we’d rounded the snow-capped range to where the Jinsha River becomes pinched between the Jade Dragon and its almost equally impressive neighbor the Haba Snow Mountain. Less than thirty minutes after we’d jumped off the bus we were trekking along the north side of the gorge, high above the river on the slopes of Haba Mountain, with the colossal Jade Dragon staring at us from across the canyon. Even though I’d seen the mountains looming in the distance all morning long, I still looked up and thought, where the hell did these come from? This is when I really came to appreciate China’s geographic diversity. It’s kind of like China’s cuisine, there’s a lot more to it than kung-pao chicken and sweet-n-sour pork. 

We passed through a few villages in areas where the slopes of Haba Mountain became fleetingly more gradual. The earth was baked and dusty, but below each village irrigated terraces of plush green agriculture spilled towards the river. The hike was rigorous for the first three or four hours, but after a grueling vertical section appropriately named the Twenty-Eight Bends, we found ourselves cruising progressively downhill for the rest of the day. By six o’clock we’d reached a small village that marked the midway point on our two-day trek, and before long we’d checked into a guesthouse and had cracked open a couple of beers. The guesthouse was rather empty upon arrival, but over the next few hours more and more hikers rolled in to settle down for the evening. With cold beers in hand we posted up on a balcony overlooking the Jade Dragon, and as the sun sank behind us, we stared out across the gorge and watched the shadow of nightfall slowly overtake the opposing mountainside. People were exhausted after a day of hiking, but the conversation was lively, and when the kitchen opened, everyone headed down into the dining hall for a well-deserved meal. Yago and I found ourselves at a large table with a Belgian guy and a group of four young Chinese people. The food and conversation were equally stimulating, and despite sporadic power outages, the revelries carried on, fueled by candlelight. It was a wonderful way to end the day, and the delightful combination of food, beer, and exhaustion, had everyone stumbling towards bed around ten o’clock.

The sun didn’t peak over the imposing Jade Dragon until around nine o’clock the next morning, and soon after that we were back on the trail with our new friends for another wonderful day of hiking. The pack had grown to nine overnight, and the leisurely trek was full of laughter and conversation. The journey concluded mid-afternoon after a dramatic down-and-up hike to the bottom of the gorge (including a fifty-four rung ladder bolted onto the side of a cliff), and by four o’clock the group had disbanded. Yago and I caught a bus back to Lijiang, and from there he and I parted ways. Not only had my stint with Yago come to an end, but so had my six-week adventure in China, and after an overnight train to Kunming, I boarded a flight out of the country. But not back to the States, not yet!

I had originally planned to teach English in China, but since the job fell through last minute, I ended up doing a little bit of traveling instead. What a privilege! Once I got to China I discovered that finding a teaching job wouldn’t be too hard, so I thought I'd do some exploring and possibly find a cool place to teach for a while. But that’s when my friend Charlie came calling from the jungles Borneo, and said that he could give me some work for the summer. Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia? Why not! So that’s where I’m heading next. I’m looking forward to putting my bag down for a while and getting to know a place. But not before a quick stop in Thailand...

LIJIANG

Yago and I left Dali on a bus as the sun was setting over the mountains and didn’t get into Lijiang until after ten. Like always, the map looked simpler in the guidebook, so not surprisingly we got lost on our attempted hike to the old-town. After wandering into a red-light district and being redirected by some hookers, we decided it was time to hail a cab. It was late by the time we found a guesthouse, but since we hadn’t eaten dinner we ventured out for some food and beers. After some kebabs and a scrumptious bowl of noodles, we decided it was time to call it a night. In an attempt to go directly back to the guesthouse, we ended up walking in a complete circle and found ourselves right back in front of the noodle shop. By the time we finally made it back we were exhausted, but also excited by the idea of tomorrows disoriented wanderings. Getting lost can be fun, after all.

I’ve been to a lot of ‘old-towns’ in China, if a city has one, then they’re usually the place to visit. It’s like visiting Boston and walking the Freedom Trail, except in China they’re just a tad older. It’s been fun seeing all of these ancient places, all with their own unique histories and character. Lijiang suffered a devastating earthquake in 1996, after which much of the old-town was re-built. It’s still true to its original form, but the revitalization has given it a more polished look and has resulted in a boosted tourism industry. One of the first things we did the next day was hike up to a hilltop park overlooking the old-town, but unlike some vistas that might provide a helpful perspective, the views only reaffirmed the fact that Lijiang is a complete labyrinth. Look at the picture on the left, that’s what we saw from up above - not that helpful when it comes to mapping out a route for the day, that is unless you can float across rooftops like a kung-fu assassin. There are no old city walls or gridded streets, no regularity in the dimensions of the layout. Waterways dictate the blueprint of the old-town, and it’s as though a web of winding streams acted as the guidelines for the erratic alleyways. The maze of thoroughfares are in constant motion as streams and small channels of water criss-cross or parallel every lane. Many of the buildings are entered by crossing a planked footbridge, and a number of the old natural wells spotting the town are still in use. It was fun getting lost in Lijiang.

SCHOOL LUNCH

Equal parts walking and eating - Yago and I both agreed that this is a good equation for exploring a new town, especially with the addition of afternoon beers. There’s plenty of delicious street food to be discovered in China, but sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time. It was mid-day in Dali when we found ourselves on a narrow street that ran alongside a school. Little did we know that the lane doubled as the school’s cafeteria, and before we knew it we were wading through a sea of blue uniforms, smack dab in the middle of the lunch-hour rush. Opposite the school were a bunch of little food shops, all with humongous baskets of steamed rice and tasty looking buffets. Small food carts serving more specific dishes parked along the opposing sidewalk, and a handful of vendors rolled up on tricycles to cater a modest spread on three wheels. Yago and I walked along rubbernecking and drooling the whole way, and for some reason let ourselves stroll through without stopping. But fifteen minutes later, after we’d realized what we’d missed, we came running back to join the daily feast. By the time we'd returned, the frenzy had dwindled, and most of the buffets had been reduced to scraps. Luckily we came across a soup spot towards the end of the lane that was still open for business and looked especially delicious. For a small set price we picked our own fresh ingredients, put them into a little basket, and handed them over to be dipped into a vat of tasty broth. A few minutes later it was all cooked up and transferred into a little paper bowl, and after the addition of a few condiments our lunch was served! It reminded me of when I taught English in Thailand, and how much I enjoyed the food in my school’s cafeteria. I used to get this amazing noodle soup at least three times a week, it had a dark reddish-brown broth, and every day I ate it I’d enter my afternoon classes with an additional brownish splatter on the front of my dress shirt. I would usually splurge on an ice cream bar after my noodle soup, and it would bring my lunch total to about one dollar. But a school lunch open to the public! I should find more of these when I travel. If I had stayed in Dali for a while, I would have gone to that street everyday around noon - what a fun, delicious, and cheap way to eat!

DALI

From Yangshuo I traveled west on an overnight train to Yunnan Province and the city of Kunming. Yunnan sits on China’s southwestern border with Burma, Laos, and Vietnam, and contains over twenty of China’s fifty-six ethnic groups. It’s a land of converging countries where the range of nationalities and unique cultures transcend government boundaries. The geographic landscape is also very diverse, from the jungles of the south, to the dry and arid snow-capped mountainous regions of the northwest. I’d heard a lot about Yunnan’s splendor, and I was excited to finally get a taste!

Kunming has a reputation as a laid-back city, and after arriving I fell into character and spent a couple of day’s relaxing and enjoying the warm weather. I went for a few walks, explored some parks and markets, and even ventured into a Chinese Wal-Mart to look for some Q-tips - that was interesting. Can I use a cliché and say that it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack? Unlike Wal-Marts in America that are big and lofty and perched on the outskirts of suburbia, Chinese Wal-Marts are lodged in the middle of the city and are a claustrophobic tangle. In fact, I think saying, 'it's like trying to find a Q-tip in a Chinese Wal-Mart' sounds like the perfect contemporary version of the old saying. Anyway, after a day or so I met up with my friend Yago and we took off for Dali. Yago and I met in Guilin, and after realizing that we were both heading to Yunnan, decided to meet up and go on some adventures together. He ended up being a great travel buddy.

The four hour bus ride from Kunming took us to the southern tip of Erhai Lake, where the old town of Dali rests below the gentle slopes of a neighboring mountain range. We decided to stay for only one day, so after a dumpling feast at the hostel we set out to explore the old-town by night. There wasn’t a whole lot going on, but after some wandering we came across a bar called Bad Monkey. I felt as though I’d stumbled back into Thailand, with a rowdy traveler and ex-pat crowd similar to something you’d find on the islands in one of China’s neighboring countries to the south. After grabbing a couple of beers from a dread-locked bartender, we sat down to take in the scene, and it wasn’t long before an overly excited young ex-pat sat down with us, eager to share his wild life-story. Bro, right now I’m just trying to make rent ‘cause I like just opened my own boutique here in town last week. I’m like selling vintage clothes that I bought in LA - lugged ‘em all back on the plane, carry-on. Yeah bro, growin‘ some weed up in the mountains too...  Sounded like a great business plan, probably funded by Mommy & Daddy Are Rich, Inc. It went on and on, but luckily we escaped after a few beers, and over the next few days found ourselves reciting the one-sided conversation to each other for entertainment.

Exploring Dali by day was a different experience, the town was full of Chinese tourists and the shops and restaurants along the various walking streets were open for business and full of customers. In the afternoon we left the old-town to check out the Three Pagodas and the Chongsheng Temple. The Three Pagodas, built to scare off dragons, are some of the oldest structures in the region, and the Chongsheng Temple, located behind the pagodas and up the hill a ways, gave way to some nice views of Erhai Lake and the various villages that spot its shoreline. That night we caught a bus to Lijiang, but not before an hour-long motorbike ride along the lake shore. We really packed it in during our short stay in Dali, but we’d heard good things about our next destination, and were eager to make our way up into the mountains...