Apologies for my longer than expected New Mandala absence. I have been travelling in Yunnan, with most of my time spent in Sipsongpanna. I had hoped to be making posts from the road, but in the few spare moments I grabbed I never seemed to find an internet cafe with anything more than the most sluggish connection. I have lots of lots of images and ideas so once I get back to Canberra (I am now writing from the smoothly functioning Suvarnabhumi Airport) I will download both camera and brain and prepare some posts.

jinghong.jpg

Just to get the ball rolling… This was my first trip to Jinghong in Sipsongpanna. Jinghong is a place that I had read much about (and imagined even more). What a disappointment! A brief visit certainly provides no basis for more than the most superficial assessment but I must say that this is one of the most unprepossessing large towns/small cities I have ever seen. Give me a long weekend in Chiang Rai any day!