Looking back at the end of another year, it’s striking to see how differently things went from my expectations. This time last year, I was frantically preparing for a move to China, where I would be teaching English and potentially managing a department of foreign teachers in a language academy in Yangzhou. Now, as I …
China
My Walk Out of the Woods
It’s been almost 3 months since I posted original content on here, making it my longest break from blogging since I started The Open Road Before Me in 2011. There was good reason for that. April and May could best be described as a gauntlet, during which I decided to break my contract at Shane …
Dealing with Depression Abroad
Behind every smile is a pain, behind every pair of eyes a story that will break your heart. It’s hard to remember that sometimes, especially when we put up the ‘gram-worthy facades that make it look like everything is peachy-keen. Remember when Robin Williams died? It shocked everyone, that behind the mask of the Jester …
The Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an
A group of farmers worked the earth outside of Xi’an. It was early spring, and they’d need the additional water source for coming summer. But they found something there, buried underground, which would come to be considered one of the greatest archeological discoveries in history. The year was 1974, and the farmers had unearthed one …
The Longji Rice Terraces: Along the Dragon’s Backbone
In the northernmost part of Guangxi province, up along a winding road more harrowing than most, are the fabled Longji Rice Terraces — also known as The Dragon’s Backbone. The name comes from their appearance: like scales on the flanks of a giant dragon lying coiled in the hills. There are actually several terraces connected by …
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Guide to Hiking in Yubeng
It started with Tinder. I know, I know, that sounds bad. But if it wasn’t for Tinder, I might never have heard of that place in an alpine valley mere kilometers from the Tibetan border. I might never have seen the photos of misting waterfalls, glacial lakes, and fluttering prayer flags which inspired me to alter …
Five Things to Do in Shangri-la
It’s a name which evokes a sense of wonderment: Shangri-la. In perhaps the most brazen ploy for tourism revenue in recorded history, the Chinese government renamed the town of Zhongdian in northern Yunnan to Shangri-la in 2001. While the name change was shameless and crass, Shangri-la isn’t entirely undeserving of the moniker. In fact, I’d …
Tiger Leaping Gorge: the Full Trek
My pack sat heavy on my shoulders as I set off along the road, squinting up against the sun to see the path snake up the hillside. It would be a tough hike, that first day at Tiger Leaping Gorge, but not an overly long one. I’d decided to spend two nights in the Gorge, so I …
The Hungry Ghost of Xingping
“Fancy joining us?” I glanced up from my book, meeting the eyes of the backpacker who’d asked the question. “Where’re you headed?” “The Hungry Ghost Cave,” his friend chimed in. I considered it a mere moment, then bobbed my head eagerly. “When do we go?” “8 o’clock tomorrow morning,” the first guy said, extending a …
The Old Town of Lijiang
‘The Black Spot of China’s Tourism Industry’. That’s the moniker often given to the Old Town of Lijiang. Even travel guides mention it. The name has to do with the heavy-handed restoration efforts to local Naxi-style buildings and an influx of Han Chinese putting on traditional Naxi getup to give the place an ‘ethnic’ flair. Perhaps that’s a byproduct …