January 16: In Zhongdian, China.

This area of China is often referred to as "Shangri-la" meaning "paradise." It borders Tibet and the Himalayas, and is where the Yangze River begins (which flows east to Shanghai). It is also incredibly cold here in the middle of January!

The deepest gorge in the world (or in China?) is just north of Lijiang between the villages of Qiaotou and Daju. It's called "Tiger Leaping Gorge" because myth has it that a Tiger once jumped across the Yangtze River here.

Christi is approaching a village where we stopped for breakfast. These villages are inhabitted by the Naxi tribe and Tibetan people. They've terraced the mountainside and raise goats here. The goat-hearder in front of Christi is an American guy named John we met on the bus to Qiaotou.

Okay, maybe John isn't really a goat-hearder... but this guy is!

Tauru and John, practicing their "steel-blue squatting" pose... GQ is calling...

At the top of the "28 bends" - a steep set of switchbacks... phew!

After we finished the trek, we walked the 20km (13mi) back to Qiatou! Wow! Here is the low road just above the Yangze - I think i could jump across that... grrrowl!