Mongolia
Mongolia closes for most of the year because it is simply too cold for most to visit. Its short tourist season between July and mid-September is also the busiest. Travelling in June or at the end of September means less people. This is also a time when you can experience events that are not publicised in the tourist sphere. World Children’s day on 01 June is one such event that is observed, a leftover from the Soviet era. In Ulaanbaatar parades may place and in the countryside events based around the Mongolian horse are a feast for the eyes. I experienced one such event where the arena was created by two lines of jeeps and lorries and thousands of horses, in their harems headed by a stallion, were rounded up for the lassoing and testing of horsemanship. Don’t rush Mongolia. Travel less, see more. Labels: holidays, mongolia, ulaanbaatar
China - November, 2008
The "Yangzi Explorer" offers a level of comfort not experienced before on the Yangtse River. It now runs between Chongqing and Yichang or vice versa taking 4 days/3 nights downstream and 5 days/4 nights upstream. It takes in along the way the famous and dramatic Three Gorges and the Three Gorges Dam including a 4/5 hour run through its 5 huge lock chambers. It consists of just 62 cabins including 24 suites. The deluxe cabins, the standard rooms if you like, are far from standard. At 27 Sqm they are the size of a hotel room. Also on board is a theatre, a spa and a library. Shore excursions may include village and school visits, boat trips on smaller vessels up some of the narrow tributary rivers and of course the Three Gorges Dam Project itself. Cuisine on board is international. The Yangzi Explorer sails between mid-March and mid-November. Please refer to the China section on our website http://www.steppestravel.co.uk/china-page68.aspxOther cities can be added to create your very own tailor-made visit to China. See my ON LOCATION for more info. and pictures http://www.steppestravel.co.uk/china-page3239.aspx
Kazakhstan - October/November, 2008
Kazakhstan's new capital is 10 years old. A city created from an existing ex-Soviet trading post it has expanded greatly. It is full of glitzy buildings including the Beyterek Tower, a Presidential Palace and the Pyramid designed by Norman Foster. Astana also boasts an oceanarium, the one which is located furthest from any sea or ocean. Located in the vast steppe lands of central Kazakhstan there are few excursions so an immersion in modern city architecture is what draws most visitors. Astana can be added to any visit to Central Asia but is best combined with other parts of Kazakhstan and Kyrghyzstan. It is linked to Tashkent in Uzbekistan by air and the U.K. via Vienna with Austrian Airlines. See pictures and more details in my on location http://www.steppestravel.co.uk/kazakhstan-page3238.aspx
Paul in Turkmenistan, September 2008
Ashgabad (Ashgabat) is transforming itself as are other major cities. Hotels in the major centres range from perfectly adequate to good.
Arts and crafts are still important. Carpets, knitting, embroidery, felt making and silk weaving can all be seen. The largest, and said to rival the Kashgar Sunday market in western China, is the Tolkuchka Sunday market in Ashgabat.
Get off the beaten track. In the Margush region visit Gonur Tepe. In the north of the country see Konye Urgench, a vast cemetery with some impressive mausoleums and the tallest minaret in Central Asia.
Away from the major centres one must be prepared for a far more basic existence. My personal highlights included visiting Dhamla, a remote desert village and Yangikala where there are extraordinary layers of multi-coloured rock, making for a visual wonderland. Nearer to Ashgabat is the village of Nokhur. Many of the houses are built of stone. Erbent village is closer, a day trip, but a visit gives an insight into village life. Labels: Turkmenistan
Paul in Myanmar May 2008
This was my second visit to the fantastic Myanmar and the purpose of the trip was to look at ‘all things new’... To read my full account, see my On Location Myanmar article
Paul in Japan May 2008
My latest adventure took me to Japan. There was so much to do, ranging from forest walks, to the neon drenched shopping centres...in Japan there is something for everyone. To read my full account, see my on location Japan article
Paul in North Korea August 2007
This was my third trip to this outstanding location allowing me to confidently state that this is a unique country and is well worth the effort. To read my full account, see my On Location North Korea article
Paul in Mongolia August 2007
Just got back from Mongolia, had a fascinating time! Mongolia does not do 'luxury' but for the slightly more adventurous it has immense rewards. To read my full account, see my On Location Mongolia article
Paul in Tajikistan October 2006
My latest adventure took me to Tajikistan. Accommodation is on the whole in local guesthouses or home stays therefore this trip was perfect in meeting with local people and allowing a much closer understanding to their intriguing culture. To read my full account, see my On Location Tajikistan article
My Holiday in Mongolia with my Dad
Recently I took a trip out to Mongolia with my son Luke. We both had a fantastic time and would return here for further adventures. To read my son Luke's full account, see his On Location Mongolia article
China - Reflections
China – reflections
I was invited to attend CMIT, a tourism trade show in Shanghai in November last. The trip was a showcase of what the country has to offer. My task was to seek destinations that were both interesting, had a reasonable infrastructure but were not too difficult to get to.
The trip included a cruise on the Yangtze river passing through the magnificent Three Gorges, something I last did 23 years ago when I spent 3 months travelling in China. How times have changed. Originally, I sailed from Hong Kong to Shanghai, a journey of 60 hours aboard ship that doubled as a cargo and a passenger vessel. I had no copy of the Lonely Planet guidebook. On arrival in Shanghai I saw people dressed in “Mao” suits, green, blue, brown or grey each head covered with a peak cap matching their tunics. I discovered there was a choice of two hotels where foreigners were permitted to stay where now there are several hundred. There were almost no cars and it was almost impossible to get a meal after 6 PM.
There were no luxury cruise ships on the Yangtze either. The ship that took me between Chongqing and Wuhan offered a rudimentary cabin and I shared my boat with traders and a cargo of foul and rice. The “Victoria” ship we travelled in on this trip offered cabins with en suite facilities, picture windows, balconies, shore excursions and lectures.
I titled this piece “China – reflections” because that is precisely what constantly flowed through my mind, the comparisons between then and now. China is changing; it has changed and will change again. Whenever you visit there will be comparisons to make. I was making comparisons with the past but for most of the group I travelled with in November it was their first trip. It was an amazing adventure for them because it was so different and dynamic. Over 10 million people have been relocated to new towns along the river as a direct result of the Three Gorges Dam project. For most it has been a vertical move rather than a move to a new area since the water level has risen by over 200 metres. Although the Yangtze Three Gorges dam is now complete creating a reservoir 400 miles long, the Three Gorges are still majestic. Whilst old towns have been lost to the turbulent waters, new travel opportunities are being created as previously inaccessible tributaries are opened up.
Broadly speaking, China breaks down in to four separate areas; the Silk Road, Tibet, the southwest and the central and eastern area including the south.
Many people will only visit the country once and most will travel to one region or the other although of course combinations are possible. For a first time visitor a classic tour of China will usually appeal because it is what they are familiar with; Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, The Yangtze and Guilin. Travellers would be disappointed if you did not include these centres but how can your itinerary be made more interesting whilst keeping the core elements. The secret is to include the less visited but no less interesting centres, weaving these into the fabric of the trip so creating a lasting memory of why your trip was different. Listening to the client is paramount.
Tourism is changing. The nature of our business is changing. The internet has provided the traveller with the vision to be more adventurous but what it cannot do is speak from experience. People can, and this is why we travel so that we can pass on our experiences to you, the client and speak frankly about what we are creating for your journey.
Paul in South West China June 2006
China is a country everyone should get to experience, there is so much joy and culture to explore. The scenery is stunning and I highly recommend walking as much as you can. To read my full account, see my On Location South West China article
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