Dear Bruce

Thanks for your email, it is very important to tell us this inofrmation that you will not take the train to get the border of Heko, otherwise, our guide and driver will very warry about if you miss the train to get to the border if they could not meet you in the morning,

You will tell our guide and driver to meet you on the border around 10:30-11:00AM on 11 March.

Please contact to our English speaking tour guide, Mr Micheal Chen, his mobile phone is, he and driver will meet you on Heko.

I think it is better that you made a call to Micheal's mobile one day prior to arrival to Heko.

Or you made a call to Judy's mobile before you start out the tour, Judy's mobile: 86-13888726753.
Yunnan Overseas Travel Corporation
Tel: 86-871-3176842, 6773530
Fax: 86-871-3151921, 5309878

pls find the answer related to your questions in red word followed as:
Regarding the bicycles: I am tall (180 cm or 5 feet 11 inches) and my wife is shorter (158 cm or 5 feet 3 inches). I will therefore need a large bicycle and my wife will need a small bicycle. Please send this information to the guides so that bicycles of the correct size for us will be available. Please also be advised that will are expecting
Shimano 21 or 27 speed bicycles.

It is ok that you are tall of 180CM and your wife is 158CM, the bicycles are suitable for your tall and your wife, and the Shimano 21-18 speed bicycles, we have offer our guests from world wide, they are satified with our bicycles.

We will plan to use our ATM card to withdraw money when we are in China. Is there a reason that we should bring US dollars with us? If we need US dollars, how much do you advise us to bring?

We advise you to bring some USD cash with you, you could use ATM to withdraw money in the capital big cities, but it is not vailable or difficult to find the Bank of China in small counties.

For example, it is not available to use ATM in Yuanyang county, Yuanjiang. Etc.

I think you could bring some US dollars for 300-500USD for per person.

Yunnan Overseas Travel Corporation
Tel: 86-871-3176842, 6773530
Fax: 86-871-3151921, 5309878

Bruce Magun
Dear Judy,

We will be visiting the Sapa area of Viet Nam around Lao Cai (across from Heko) for three days prior to March 11, when we cross into China. We plan to leave Sapa village early on March 11 to arrive in Lao Cai in the morning and will probably be in Lao Cai around 10:30 on March 11. So please don't expect us toarrive on the train from Hanoi on March 11. The name of the company in Viet Nam is Marco Polo Tours, if you need to contact us between March 1 and March 11 when we will be in Viet Nam:

Regarding the bicycles: I am tall (180 cm or 5 feet 11 inches) and my wife is shorter (158 cm or 5 feet 3 inches). I will therefore need a large bicycle and my wife will need a small bicycle. Please send this information to the guides so that bicycles of the correct size for us will be available. Please also be advised that will are expecting
Shimano 21 or 27 speed bicycles.

It is ok that you are tall of 180CM and your wife is 158CM, the bicycles are suitable for your tall and your wife, and the Shimano 21-18 speed bicycles, we have offer our guests from world wide, they are satified with our bicycles.

We will plan to use our ATM card to withdraw money when we are in China. Is there a reason that we should bring US dollars with us? If we need US dollars, how much do you advise us to bring?

We advise you to bring some USD cash with you, you could use ATM to withdraw money in the capital big cities, but it is not vailable or difficult to find the Bank of China in small counties.

For example, it is not available to use ATM in Yuanyang county, Yuanjiang. Etc.

I think you could bring some US dollars for 300-500USD for per person.

2008-1-31

Dear Judy,

We have received our China visas.

Our flight from Beijing is Asiana Airlines flight OZ 334. It departs from Beijing at 12:10 PM on 31 March.

We will not have mobile phones with us. I will send you the mobile number of our agency in Vietnam when I get it.

Regarding the cost of the trip:

The cost of the trip that you have quoted is the amount before we reduced the number of days. As you remember, we initially planned to arrive on 10 March and now we arrive on 11 March. You replied to me:

"It is ok, that we will adjust the tour to visit the Jiuxiang cave instead of Luopin, or put the 3 days tour into 2 days, we will think about it and tell you soon. We eliminated one night in Kunming region."

Now the tour is for 21 days, not 22 days. Because we will spend one night less on tour, the original price should be reduced by an amount that will account for a reduction of one day in our tour. Please let me know if this is not clear.

Thank you for all your help,

Bruce Magun

2. Itinerary: ( I just copy it from your last email. Am I right. See bellowed: )
Day1, 11 March, arrive in Heko. Heko-Yuanyang 200km.
Meet you on the border of Heko, transfer to Yuanyang County. 200km, ride bicycle for 2 hours on the way along the Honghe River Road. Get to Yuanyang. Overnight in Yunti Hotel or Yuanyang Government Hotel or sim 3 star hotel. (L/D)

Day2, 12 March, Yuanyang
See the Sunrise, Photographing spectacular Shencun terraced fields by bicycle, the Yuanyang Terrace rice field. Hani, Yi, Yao minorities villages by bicycle, then return to old town by car, see sun set by coach.
Stay over night in Yuanyang Yunti hotel 3 star. (B/L/D)

Day3, 13 March, Yuanyang-Jianshui 110km by car, bicycle,
Drive from Yuanyang to Jianshui by car, visit the Zhang's Family Garden in Tuanshan Village 10 km by bicycle. The confucius Temple, and the Twin Dragon Bridge by . Stay over night in Jianshui Linnan hotel 3 star. (B/L/D)

Day4, 14 March, Jianshui-Xinping by car 80km
Visit the the Private Garden of the Zhu Family, the Chaoyang Gate . Daban Ancient Well, by bicycle, then drive to Xinping by car on the high way, 80km, this section is not permit to ride bicycle on the national high way. Arrive in Xinping. Visit Mt. Mopan Forest Park bu car. Overnight in Xinping Xinyuan Hotel or same catgory 2 star hotel.
Ride bicycle to visit the Xinping county this evening. (B/L/D)

Day5, 15 March, Xinping-Gasa by bicycle 38km
Ride bicycle to Gasa Floral Belt Dai Minnority County, 38km, Gasa is the Home town of Floral Belt Dai Minority, visit the Dabing Lang Dai Garden, Gasa Free market. Stay over night in Gasa.

Day6, 16 March, Gasa-Yuanjiang by car, bicycle
Drive to Yuanjiang, on the way, ride bicycle for 2-3 hours. Stay over night in Yuanjiang Kaidi Hotel, 2 star or same category 2 star hotel. (B/L/D)

Day7, 17 March, Yuanjiang-Simao-Xishuangbanna by van
Drive from Yuanjiang to Simao, visit a "Ten-Thousand-Acre Tea Garden" by bicycle, sightseeing in Tea-Horse Route, an ancient Yunnan-Tibet Trade Route connecting the South China Silk Route by bike. Then drive to Xishuangbanna. Xishuangbanna Tai garden hotel 4 star or same category 4 star hotel. (B/L/D)

Day8, 18 March, Xishuangbanna by van, bicycle
Visit Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden by bicycle, 40km, GANLAN BA, Olive Dam, home to peacocks, a village of the Dai ethnic minority.
Stay over night in Xishuangbanna Botanical Garden Hostel. (B/L/D)

Day9, 19 March, Xishuangbanna-Dali by flight
Visit the Jingzhen Octagonal pavilion by car, a Village of Aini people and Manting Park. Visit the Dai People Free Market.
Take evening flight to Dali, upon arrival and transfer to hotel.
Stay over night in Regent Hotel, 5 star. (B/L/D)

Day10, 20 March, Dali
Trip to the bottom of the Cangshan Mountain by bicycles(5km), take the cable car to the Cangshan Mountain , visit the Horse Race Course, Dali Ancient Town . Stay over night in Regent Hotel, 5 star. (B/L/D)

Day11, 21 March, Dali-Lijiang by van
Travel 20km by bicycle to the Xizhou Bai Minority Village, visit the Bai Minority Village, then take car drive 160km to Lijiang. Move on to Lijiang, you will pass through many enchanting minority villages on the way to Lijiang. Arrival in the afternoon, visit the old town, Dayan Ancient Town. Overnight in Lijiang Guangfang Hotel Resort, 5 star. (B/L)

Day12, 22 March, Lijiang by bicycle
Start from Lijiang Ancient Town to shuhe Naxi Village (4km) by bicycle , then travel to Baisha Murals(5km) , visit the Yufeng Lama Monastery, return to Lijiang . Overnight in Lijiang. Same Hotel. (B/L)

Day13, 23 March, Lijiang-Tiger Leaping Gorge by van, Trekking
Morning drive to middle of Tiger Leaping Gorge, Tina's Guest House, start from Tina's Guest House, trek to Walnut Grove. Down step along the Teacher Zhang's Family path to get to the lowest trail, then trek along the Yangtzer River, Golden Sands River for 3-4 hours, you will pass by the ray of sunlight. This part of route is one of the most risk hiking. You could choose it if you do not fell tired. If you are very used to trekking.
Get to Walnut Grove, overnight in Sean's Spring Guest House or Walnut Grove Woody Guest House. (B/L/D)

Day14, 24 March, Walnut Grove-Haba Snow Mountain-Shangri-la
Trekking 5 hours from Walnut Grove to Village Haba, enjoy the beautiful scenery around the Haba Snow Mounatin. Haba Snow Mounatin is 120km from Shangri-la, snow-clapped all year round, abundant with all kinds of rare and precious animals and plants, elevation of the main peak is 5396 m, Then drive to Sanba Village, visit the Baishuitai ( white Water Terrace), it is at an elevation of 2680 meters. Minerals in the Spring water deposit down and form a white rock like clay with water running down over it, Such view covers an area of three square kilometers. On its top, the view is superb and here is a holy prilgrimage place for the locals such as the Naxi people. Further drive to Shngri-la, in the afternnon. Overnight in Paradise Hotel, 5 star. (B/L/D)

Day15, 25 March, Shangri-la
Visit the Deqing village, Putacuo National Park includes Bita Hai Lake, Shudu lake, and Songzang Ling Lama Temple. a Tibetan family. Same Hotel. (B/L/D).

Day16, 26 March, Shangri-la-Kunming by flight, Kunming-Stone forest by van
Take morning flight back to Kunming, trip to Jiuxiang Cave. Includes 30 minutes boating along the river, visit the cave, cable car back to starting place. Drive ahead to Stone Forest. Overnight in Stone Forest Hotel or sim 3 star hotel. (B/L/D)

Day17, 27 March, Stone Forest-Kunming by van
Visit the Stone Forest, No 1 wonder under heaven. Drive back to Kunming. Overnight in Harbour Plaza Hotel or sim 5 star hotel. (B/L)

Day18, 28 March, Kunming-Beijing by flight, departure Kunming. Visit the Flower and birds Market in the old town of Kunming. Transfer to airport. Fly to Beijing,
visit the Hutong by bike. Overnight in Beijing Dynasty Hotel or sim 5 star hotel. (B/L)

Day20, 29 March, Beijing
Visit the world remarkable construction-Badaling Great Wall, and the Ming Tombs, Peking Duck Dinner. (B/L/D)

Day21, 30 March, Beijing
visit the world largest square-Tian Anmen Square, the old days imperial Forbidden City and the royal Summer Palace. (B/L)

Day22, 31 March, Departure Beijing
Visit the Temple of Heaven, transfer to airport and departure home. (B/L)