To Places Where the Wind Blows — Yunnan: "Our Brief Crossing, the Tide Recedes, a Tribute to This Encounter"

Prologue: When Life Hits Pause

Ten months of routine, a life of two points connected by a straight line — safe as lukewarm water, but utterly dull. When the storm of circumstance swept in, I went from a diligent "workhorse" to another name on the unemployment rolls. Strangely enough, years in the corporate grind had numbed me to change. I like sunny days, but when the tempest comes, I can face it calmly. That, I suppose, is the gift time has given me.

Friends around me are all locked into their own life tracks. A few casual words on WeChat have become the norm. Job hunting hit one dead end after another. That "robe of Kong Yiji" (a metaphor for the burden of pride and expectation) just wouldn't come off — overqualified for some things, underqualified for others. So I gave up. I'd binge-watch shows until three or four in the morning, wake up at noon or one, curtains always drawn tight. This went on for a week, until even I couldn't stand it anymore.

Yunnan — a place that blew up in popularity again thanks to a TV drama — held no special sentiment for me. I just happened to stumble upon a cheap flight to Kunming. I thought: Let's go. Let's see what it's about. Ever since I came back from Tibet, I've never been afraid of traveling alone. But lately, I've grown lazier, less interested in everything. I've reached that stage of "no longer traveling with the heart of youth."

That vibrant self, hungry for the unknown — after a year, she finally hit the road again. Little did I know, Yunnan would show me in its own way: I had never really changed.

Chapter 1: Kunming, a City of Flowers

Encounters at the Hostel

I landed in Kunming, took Metro Line 6 to Nanping Old Street, and booked a bed at a youth hostel for 61 yuan a night. There was a terrace on the second floor, packed with people in the evening — perfect for a drink with friends. And in that moment, I truly felt lonely.

That evening, I wandered Nanping Old Street. All kinds of snacks lined the streets, including Yunnan's famous insects. Rushan (a type of dried milk curd) is a polarizing food — those who love it, really love it; those who don't, can't stand it. An auntie on the roadside sells them for ten yuan each. But whatever you do, don't eat it with durian. That's a lesson learned the hard way.

The next day, a super impressive girl checked into the hostel — Xiao Xiao. She was carrying a nearly 40-pound heavy-duty hiking backpack, a tiny frame hiding an incredible amount of energy. She was headed for the northern slope of Meili Snow Mountain and would be in Kunming until the 28th or 29th, so we could hang out for a couple of days.

My pre-arranged travel buddy, Rachel, arrived in the afternoon. Finding a travel partner online is like opening a blind box, but this time I got lucky. She was beautiful, thoughtful, and kind. We hit it off instantly. On instinct, I decided to "tie myself" to her, and she happily agreed. Our Yunnan adventure officially began.

Kunming by Day and by Night

Kunming Museum, Dounan Flower Market, Nanping Old Street, and a mushroom hotpot — that was our Kunming itinerary.

The flowers at Dounan are so cheap it almost makes you cry. Five yuan for a huge bunch of sunflowers — about six or seven stems. Small bouquets are ten yuan for three. There's even a night market at midnight, catering to wholesalers. The flower crowns sold by elderly women on the roadside can be haggled down to three yuan each — you've got to give them something for their trouble.

Mushroom hotpot must be boiled for at least 25 minutes, or you'll start "seeing little people" (hallucinating). Honestly, I didn't think it tasted that great — it had a weird, funky smell. But the streets are lined with places serving it, at around 80 yuan per person. Take your pick.

Dianchi Wetland Park is huge — perfect for bringing snacks and having a picnic. Unfortunately, the weather was hazy, and there were no seagulls in late September. We had to catch the 9 p.m. train to Lijiang, so we missed the sunset.

Total cost for Kunming: about 700 yuan.

Chapter 2: First Sight of Lugu Lake

Water Like a Mirror

At 9 p.m., we boarded a sleeper train from Kunming to Lijiang, arriving at 7:30 a.m. Ticket price: 123 yuan. We arranged a private car to Lugu Lake in advance, and along the way, we picked up another travel buddy, Sondi. The car cost about 700 yuan total, around 200-plus per person, covering two days. Lugu Lake entrance fee: 70 yuan, purchased online.

We got lucky. The morning was shrouded in thick fog, but by the time we reached Lugu Lake at 1 p.m., it had cleared up. First stop: sour soup stone pot fish. The fish was freshly killed, with few bones — about 50 yuan per person. Our hotel was over 200 yuan a night, decent enough. Rachel and I shared a room for just over 100 yuan each.

Lugu Lake under clear skies was unreal. The lake was a mirror, the sunset gentle, the clouds in the sky like a painting. The gesang flowers (a type of wildflower) along the roadside were in full bloom. Someone said to me, "I can't leave these sacred mountains, so take a gesang flower with you."

Water Lilies and the Walking Marriage Bridge

The next morning at 9 a.m., we chartered a boat to see the shuǐxìng yánghuā (edible water lilies). These flowers only bloom in the morning, floating in the middle of the lake. The boat cost 500 yuan for a 90-minute trip. You can eat the flowers — they taste a bit like scallions, but without the scallion flavor.

The Walking Marriage Bridge is less than 100 meters long, but we spent two or three hours there. We bought bracelets, sent mushroom specialties home, restocked on yak jerky, and I even bought some green Sichuan peppercorns to ship back to my rental in Shanghai for cooking — just your average genius.

Total cost for Lugu Lake: about 1,000 yuan. Shawls are cheap — basic ones are 20 yuan, but in Lijiang and Dali, you can find them for as low as 15 yuan. Don't overpay.

Chapter 3: Hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge

The 28 Bends and Halfway Inn

We took a shared van from Lijiang to Naxi Family House to start the hike. At the starting point, there's a toilet used by locals — costs one yuan. If you don't have trekking poles, you can rent a bamboo stick. Listed at 10 yuan each, but you can bargain down to 10 yuan for two.

Day one was mostly climbing the "28 Bends." Along the way, villagers led horses past, and those who couldn't walk anymore could choose to ride — prices negotiable. There were unmanned snack stalls and a simple coffee shop at the rest points.

We reached Halfway Inn at 6 p.m. and stayed at a family-run guesthouse for less than 100 yuan per person. On the trail, we met a guy from Shenzhen born in the 2000s — one of the few people we met who hadn't quit his job to travel Yunnan. (Almost everyone else we met was unemployed and on the road.) The five of us had a feast — five dishes and a soup for 50 yuan per person. Happiness level: skyrocketing.

My Phone Became a Sacrifice to the Gorge

Day two: up at 8 a.m., a simple breakfast, then the second half of the trek. When we tried to go from Middle Tiger Leaping to Lower Tiger Leaping, we were told the area was closed off. Not willing to give up, we found a wild trail through a cornfield — looking back, it's pretty hilarious.

The second half was mostly gentle slopes. Because of the closure, there was almost nobody around — we had the entire scenic area to ourselves. When we descended to the famous photo spot, we got up close to the river. The water was fierce, the rapids roaring. Standing there, you couldn't hear anyone more than a few feet away. It was spectacular — and a little terrifying.

My worst fear came true. While taking a "life photo," my phone slipped out of my pocket and fell straight into Tiger Leaping Gorge. Four years of memories, all gone. I tried to tell myself it was "losing money to avoid disaster," but the sadness hit just as hard.

Still, I had to keep going. Climbing the Sky Ladder — three sections of ladders, kind of like climbing onto a roof — was tiring but manageable. After the ladder, it was less than 30 minutes to Zhang's Family Inn. Back in Lijiang Old Town that night, I sacrificed sightseeing time to buy a new phone. Even with the new one, I still missed the one I lost.

Total cost for Tiger Leaping Gorge: about 400 yuan.

Chapter 4: The Twelve Hours of Nanzhao

On the first day of National Day, we took a bus from Lijiang to Dali, rented an e-bike, and rode from Erhai Lake to Dali Old Town. It took an hour to get there. Dali at night is cold.

Ersi (rice noodle strips) is a Yunnan specialty — pretty tasty. Total cost for Dali: about 250 yuan.

Chapter 5: Road Trip Through the Nujiang Grand Canyon

Wild Hot Springs and the Tattooed Elder

On the 2nd, Rachel's friend Lin joined us, and we rented a car. We had to register at the border checkpoint. There was a wild hot spring here — voted the best experience of the day. Zip line: 50 yuan per person, 30 seconds one way, 50 yuan round trip.

The Nujiang scenery was similar to Tiger Leaping Gorge — a bit of aesthetic fatigue. The only real highlight was that wild hot spring. So relaxing.

At the foot of Longyuan Village, the village was like a painting. But up close, you could see the huge gap between rich and poor. I love the mountains, but if I actually lived here, I'd probably try to get out too. I've been spoiled into a "delicate princess."

We went looking for the wénmiàn nǎinai (elderly women with traditional facial tattoos). On the way, an old man told us, "There's one more on the opposite mountain, over 90 years old — the last one." We didn't have the luck to meet her.

Bingzhongluo: Where Gods and Men Coexist

On October 4th, we arrived at Bingzhongluo. No wonder it's called "where gods and men coexist" — even on a cloudy day, it looked like a fairyland. We walked the精华 section of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, about 4 kilometers.

After the Tea Horse Road, we drove to the Yunnan-Tibet border on Highway 219. We passed through a border checkpoint. It's amazing how convenient the internet age is — facial recognition pulls up your info instantly. Still, always bring your ID.

The passage seemed to be closed for some reason. Everyone was waiting by the roadside, with no idea how long it would take.

Chapter 6: Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture

A Glimpse of Peacock Mountain

Leaving Nujiang, we entered Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and stayed overnight in Tacheng Town, Weixi County.

Even though we only saw Peacock Mountain briefly, it was enough. Fog rolled in incredibly fast — within half an hour, the entire mountain was shrouded in mist. By the time we reached White Lake, the fog was thick and the rain had picked up. So we just played in the rain. Why be so normal all the time?

Here, we met a kid born in 2005. Camping in this weather — and he'd just successfully summited Haba Snow Mountain in January. The post-2000s generation is seriously impressive.

Shangri-La and Bottomless Lake

On the last day of the road trip, I didn't have high expectations for Bottomless Lake. It's just a lake, I thought. How good can it be? But the "truth bomb" always arrives, sooner or later.

That night, we stayed near Dukezong Old Town, ate yak hotpot, and marveled at a giant lingzhi mushroom. We joined in dancing to Yunnan mountain songs, spun the giant prayer wheel, and passed a bar where someone was singing terribly.

October 6th: the five-day road trip ended. Lin said goodbye to us. Rachel and I still had more ahead.

Total cost for five days: about 3,000 yuan.

Chapter 7: At 3,000 Meters Above Sea Level

We went back to waking up naturally, heading out only in the afternoon. Rented an e-bike for 50 yuan a day. Went to a man-made photo spot — the Giant Prayer Flags. Entrance fee: 8 yuan. "Since we're here," we went in for photos.

Suddenly, it started raining. But after the rain, a rainbow appeared. Lucky day again.

White Chicken Temple is free. That night, we had dry pot shrimp — pretty good. Explored Shangri-La's nightlife. The cocktails were mediocre — 168 yuan for three — but the guy singing was great.

Total cost: about 200 yuan.

Chapter 8: Lazing Around Shuhe

While waiting for flight prices to drop, we went back to Shuhe Old Town in Lijiang to just laze around.

Shuhe is small. We thought about going to the "Wild Kingdom" but didn't want to pay the 80-yuan entrance fee. Had Naxi-style grilled fish for dinner — just okay. A few shops had really stylish decor and were pleasant to browse. Compared to Lijiang Old Town, Shuhe is much less crowded — perfect for doing nothing.

I left a signed message at a bookstore. I wonder if those people will come back to draw the final dot, or if they'll ever leave their reply. If they show up one day, they'll learn a secret about who I was in that moment. I'll leave it as a cliffhanger.

That night, we welcomed the Naxi guy who would hike Ganheba with us tomorrow. We also made a pact to climb Haba Snow Mountain next year.

Chapter 9: Hiking Ganheba

On the 10th — the last day — we went hiking. Took a taxi to Jade Lake Village, full of stone houses. The comfort here gave me the idea of opening a guesthouse in Yunnan. Blue sky, white clouds, green grass, vast earth — the free wind whispered in my ear, telling me to stay.

"I want to open a guesthouse in Yunnan" — the thought grew wildly in my mind.

It had been so long since I felt my blood race. I finally understood why so many people choose to live in Yunnan. It truly heals a weary soul.

My lost phone was found — making up for the one that fell into Tiger Leaping Gorge.

Every mountain I climbed, every trail I walked — at the time, it was exhausting. But when I look back, it doesn't feel that hard anymore. I think I'm ready for more.

Total cost in Shuhe, Lijiang: about 1,000 yuan.

Epilogue: When the Flowers Fall, We'll Meet Again on the Road

So what does freedom really mean?

In this life, we cross paths briefly, and the tide recedes. But those days on the road — the morning mist of Lugu Lake, the raging waters of Tiger Leaping Gorge, the fairyland of Bingzhongluo, the fog of Peacock Mountain — they've become shining fragments in my memory.

Yunnan didn't give me answers. But it helped me find myself again. That vibrant self, hungry for the unknown — she's still here.

A tribute to this encounter.

Practical Tips Summary

Special reminders: - Shawls at Lugu Lake: basic ones 20 yuan; in Lijiang and Dali, you can find them for 15 yuan - Mushroom hotpot must be boiled for at least 25 minutes, or you'll "see little people" (hallucinate) - Dounan Flower Market has a wholesale night market at midnight - When hiking, guard your phone — if it falls into Tiger Leaping Gorge, it's gone - Bring your ID in border areas; in the age of big data, facial recognition is fast and convenient