2009 was a busy year for travel in the To China… and Beyond! household-of-one. As I embark on myfirst big trip of 2010, I’ve been thinking about the best trips I took in 2009.
5. Xi’an: My December trip to Xi’an was actually my second visit to the city. I went there on my first trip [...]
In between the Christmas festivities and gearing up for my next big trip, I’ve been busy putting finishing touches on a few new additions to To China… and Beyond! Check them out:
Revamped “Basics” Section: A more user-friendly introduction to China travel
New Itineraries: New itinerary suggestions for first-time visitors and regional travel within China.
Xi’an Travel Guide: [...]
The Huogongdian (火宫殿) restaurant is one of Changsha’s most famous eateries, but it took me more than a year to find a reason to go there. But on Saturday night, we braved the cold and headed over to the east side of the river to check it out.
We were surprised to find that it is [...]
I’m pretty sure everyone who knows me in real life is tired of hearing me talk about how wonderful Malaysia is. I first visited in October, for a whirlwind tour of KL, Kota Bharu, the Perhentians and Penang. I had a marvelous time eating street food, snorkeling and learning how to batik. Such a good [...]
Unfortunately, the title of this post is neither a joke nor a temporary situation. By government fiat, homes and offices In China that happen to be located south of the Yangtze River do not have any central heating in the winter. This despite the fact that the temperature in many places (including Changsha, where I [...]
When I first came to China in 2007, Xi’an’s Terracotta Warriors were the thing I was most excited to see. And by most excited, I mean “jumping up and down squealing from the moment I saw that they were on the itinerary.” I had wanted to visit the site ever since I first read about [...]
Until you’ve lived in China, it’s hard to understand the speed with which everything changes: restaurants, neighborhoods, government regulations, you name it. This is an occupational hazard of travel writing here, since the expiration date on your recommendations can pass in the blink of an eye. You might recommend a neighborhood for shaokao, only to [...]
Changsha, the city where I live and the capital of Hunan, sits on the flat plains of the northwest of the province. But head west, and the plains are eventually replaced by spectacular mountains. Last spring, I visited the karsts of Dehang; this year, I saw their even more beautiful cousins in Zhangjiajie, also known [...]
