We started our second China tour in Kunming (in the Yunnan Province in south west China) and from there we visited Lijiang, a lovely old mountain town. We took the bus to Qiatou to begin our two day trek in Tiger Leaping Gorge. The first day particularly was pretty tough going with lots of steep uphill sections and we were desperate for a beer when we got to our guesthouse! The gorge was spectacular and well worth the trek and basic facilities!

We were lucky enough to be allowed into Shangri La, a Tibetan village in the mountains which has been closed to tourists recently. We relaxed in the Hot Springs (Tianshengqiao) there, visited a Buddhist monastery and wandered round the markets.

We are now in Dali and enjoying the luxury of warm showers and Western toilets in our hotel here! Tomorrow we head back to Kunming where we'll take a bus into Vietnam.