Adventure Magazine

Along the trail on Jiuhua Mountain -each padlock represents a promise made by pilgrims or perhaps lovers
Aside from the hospitality of its people, China is a country of
immense diversity, stunning landscapes and a rich 5000 year
history. Of course, everyone is familiar with the Great Wall,
the Terracotta Warriors of Xian ( found in the first emperor’s
excavated tomb) and the bright lights of Shanghai and Hong
Kong. But I have come to know China and its mountains as so,
so much more! If you travel widely across this country as I have,
you will know of the many reasons that make adventuring in its
mountains , national parks and off-the-beaten-track villages so
special. As a matter of comparison to my other adventures across
the globe no other country compares to what China has to offer:
• China currently has 56 UNESCO World Heritage sites
(second only to Italy which has 58 sites)
• 225 well managed and graded National Parks
• A continuous history and civilisation spanning five
millennium
• A richness of language and culture arising from this 5000
years of civilisation
And then… there is the food , but it’s absolutely nothing like a
Chinese takeaway in the west. Arguably China has the world’s
greatest food culture, with 1000’s of different dishes across eight
distinct regional cuisines. From my experience no two meals are
ever the same in China. Every region, town and village has it’s
own specialities that locals will proudly boast as the “best dish
in China” ! Food and dining are critical components of the travel
experience for the Chinese. When relating a recent trip to you the
first thing they mention is, not the scenery or activities they went
on, but the food they ate!
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