... is an experience in itself. Whoever has seen the BBC 'Wild China' series will have admired the beautiful empty landscapes, the diverse wildlife and the minorities in far-away villages. Well, considering the fact that the Chinese tourism industry has already ran a huge surplus this year, it's probably not surprising to hear that those places are rare and difficult to reach.
The big tourist attractions, like the Forbidden City, the Panda Reserve, the Shaolin Temple and Yellow Mountain are reachable in convenient ways, which on the other hand means you're never alone. Really! Not alone. Although, as soon as you step away from the crowd and the main attraction, it gets empty and there is space for you to take some pictures without others in the background.
Mark and I went on a Chinese tour to the Tulou Houses in Fujian Provinces, a day-trip from Xiamen. Cheap and cheerful, with a stop at a coconut factory and a banana fruit stall, it was a truly Chinese experience, with passing the Tulous and carrying on to eat first (you have to get your priorities right!). But again, walk away from the crowds and suddenly there aren't many people at all, just a few locals who wonder what on earth you're doing there, when the attraction is down the road.
Travelling in China is quite easy (taking away the language issue), and so tourist sites can be reached relatively easy. But it is not South East Asia, no country with mellow obedient people and definitely not the right place to find your inner peace. You can however feel with every step the powerhouse of China, the energy that drives this huge country forward and the determination of its people. And that in itself is probably a very worthwhile experience.
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