As a newly-developed cycling team can grow rapidly, its greatest merit depends on the trust that our guests have for us. Among the trusts, the most embarrassing one is the guest's itinerary planner and the group's tour guide. In general, guests are willing to choose their own team as their leader because they know each other. So again, the story of Forrest and his father and son who loves Chinese culture and outdoor activities began.
As a newly-developed cycling tour team in China, we grew rapidly all because of the trust that comes from our guests. One of the top honors working as a bike trip specialist is being chosen as the guide for the group we designed. In general, guests are willing to choose the tour designer as their guide because they know each other better. Again, the story of Forrest and a father and his son who love Chinese culture and outdoor activist began.
After successfully meeting the guests at the airport, we found they were do practicing Chinese as described in their e-mails, so Forrest gave them two very cute names, A’niu and A’nuo.
After a two-hour warming up riding, Forrest and the guests explained the overview in Guilin and the guests sought a very famous horse meat museum. In the process of eating, Forrest and guests talked about the cultural status of China. Even for younger generation like us, we feel very sorry for the vanishing cultures and minority languages. Because some languages used people in everyday life are being used less and less.
Ducks and buffaloes, chickens, ducks, puppies, kittens, and children in the village from the farmland or after school, accompanied us all the way. Forget about the city's traffic jams, riding on the country road, we arrived in Daxu town, take a boat to the little-known local fisherman's home in Liyu Island for lunch. It is more like to sit at a friend's house, simple and warm.
There are many things impressed the guests along the way, quiet night at Caoping town, cycles between mountain, peaks and the Li River, experience the production of traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting fans, lounging at the small markets, tasting snacks and local specialties, etc. As we went deep into the real life of the local people, we saw lot of things that resemble eating dog meat. This was an adventure. (We, think as Westerners, treat our dogs as friends, so that we can only sigh by seeing others eating it). We learnt the making noodles, watched the woodwork make coffins, took guests up the remote hill to look out over the panorama of the city, and we walked from the ancient Zhuangzhai on Longji to the Pingtian terraces. We didn’t take the normal road familiar among tourists because we hope our guests can have more memories while enjoying better scenery.
Why aren’t young people now willing to continue working in agriculture and unwilling to continue their culture? It is the same question that being asking by all guests. We are also thinking about the future as a tour guide. As a witness to the new generation of changes in China, the rapid economic development will outweigh the disadvantages or reversely? After a few years, what will happened to the world-famous Longji terraces? Older generations of farmers are dying, but most young people are concerned about how to increase their income more quickly (that traditional framing never gives). Perhaps it is a good choice to hurry up in China to ride a bicycle and travel, climb the Great Wall, and walk around the countryside . . .
Blog Written by Forrest Wu, May, 2018.
China Cycle Tour in Guilin and Yangshuo for Refference