THE WONDERFUL WELCOME MAT OF GUANGXI & YUNNAN PROVINCES
1st February 2005
to June 30th 2006

To keep the GREAT WELCOM MAT OF CHINA clean I've created a new Wecome Mat for my time spent teaching and travelling in the beautiful southern provinces of Guangxi & Yunnan

From here you can follow me through my first year and a half of life living and teaching in wonderful China. I taught and lived in a tiny rural town named Tianyang in the lush and beautiful province of Guangxi. Tianyangs population was around 30,000 people, mostly very poor farming families.

Life being as beautiful as it is, allowed me to travel all over Guangxi and Yunnan Provinces. After work I would ride for hours through lush rice fields visiting small farming villages. Weekends would be spent travelling to small rural towns and cities with friends to relax with a beer and find China's greatest BBQ.

Any major holiday found myself and my pack on board smokey disco sleeper buses N trains travelling far and wide. From far off farming villages to large bustling over crowded cities to majestic mountains overlooking some of Chinas most enchanting scenery.

Looking back, I really did have an amazing time. It was a time filled with life experiences and adventures so many are not so lucky to fill a decade or two with. So come in, wipe your feet, grab a beer and with me visit a random selection of cities, towns and small villages throughout Guangxi and Yunnan.


A Selection of Market Place Nights, Festivals & Celebrations in Guangxi in 2005
2005: Arriving in dusty little Tianyang for the first time
2005: Chinese Weddings. Mate, everyone arrives, eats and leaves
2005: Womens Day Celebrations
2005: Childrens Day Eve Celebrations
2005: Childrens Day Celebrations
2005: This is my normal daily lunch time. Even crazier than my students
2005: Down to my last 3 Aussie Dollars
2005: Back to school & Happy Birthday Lilly
2005: Teachers Day Celebrations
2005: Mid Autumn Festival
2005: Freaky English Names & Evil Biajio
2005: Seriously! Why does Beer have to weigh so much
2005: Happy Birthday to me
2005: Somewhere between the Market Place & home I lost her number
2005: Meet the happy Aussie Family from Guangxi
2005: Parent Teacher Night & Speeches & Blackboard Themes
2005: In Tianyang for another year. How could I leave my kids!
2005: The Aussie Xmas Tree
2005: Baise Christmas Party
2005: Christmas Blackboard Day with the kids
2005: Childrens Hobby Day. Only photos but some of the kids totally blew me away!
2005: The Aussie 'Seeya Mate' party for Leeanne & Kylie

A Selection of Market Place Nights, Festivals & Celebrations in Guangxi in 2006
2006: Happy Womens Day Celebrations
2006: Party Weekend with Brad the Policeman
2006: Pretty much a normal fantastic weekend if I'm in Tianyang
2006: WOW, walking from Hong Kong to France!
2006: Oh Man, another festival. How could I forget the Tomb Festival!
2006: Awesome day at the Gan Zhuang Shan Festival
2006: Another normal weekend eating snails, ducks tongue & pigs eyes. As you do mate!
2006: A weekend in Tiandong & Baise
2006: Check this out mate. The good ol' Aussie care package. Shucks, thanks Mar
2006: Throw the bike on the bus roof and take it to Baise for it's first service
2006: Childrens Day Celebrations
2006: Beers Friends N The World Cup 2006 in Baise City
2006: Beers Friends N The World Cup 2006 in Tianyang. Australia Vs Japan
2006: Beers Friends N The World Cup 2006 in Tianyang. Australia Vs Brazil & What does 12:00 Really Mean
2006: Pigs Eyes N BBQ With the Girls & Talking About The Weather
2006: Contracts! A simple answer, Yes or No
2006: That Special Moment when it all comes together

A selection of towns, cities and villages that I visited in 2005
2005: My return to Chinas YANGSHUO
Arriving in Yangshuo for the first time in six years. What a trip Mate!
2005: Tiandong Adventure
My Little Star English School Tour of Tiandong
May Day 2005: Loye/Loyers caves & limestone kast peaks
WOW, the west of Guangxi is pretty much the same as Guilin & Yangshuo. One thing though..where are all the tourists! Over here there are no foreigners at all!
May Day 2005: The Mountain village of HOR MAI
Oh how beautiful! Cave walking and a wedding feast in a tiny village!
May Day 2005: Gunden Village
An aweseome family feast with Mandys friends
May Day 2005: Lingyun Town
I fell in love with this town upoon arrival. What a special place!
May Day 2005: Several days in Pingguo City
Several days with Mandy and her family
Summer Break 2005: Nanning
A luxery stay in Nanning city
Summer Break 2005: Beihai City
Ow Man, it's the beach! Wahooooo!
Summer Break 2005: Guilin City
Lets go visit some of Guilins beautiful parks!
Summer Break 2005: Ping'An Village
Mate, you have to go here.
Several days walking amongst some of the worlds most amazing rice fields!
Summer Break 2005: Yangshuo Again!
Once again night becomes day at MC Blues Cafe!
Summer Break 2005: Kunming City
A relaxing city walk around Kunming for a vew days. Why not!
Summer Break 2005: Dali Town
How beautiful is Dali!
Come with me on several bike rides and walk the Mountain Cloud Walk.
Summer Break 2005: Lijiang City
Fighting millions of umbrellas & a beautiful country walk & tea with the Lama
Summer Break 2005: Qiatou Town
Join me for a steak with Aussie Margo
Summer Break 2005: The Tiger Leaping Gorge
Mate, you really do have to Walk the 'Tiger Leaping Gorge'
It is AWESOMELY BREATHTAKING! Do it!
Summer Break 2005: Zhongdian
Several days amongst the begging Monks of Zhongdian or is it Shangrila
Summer Break 2005: Dequin
What a beautiful little town. Well worth the visit on the way to Mingyong
Summer Break 2005: Mingyong Village
Join me for a short, steep hike up to the Mingyong Glacier
Summer Break 2005: Zhongdian
Surviving the bus journey back to Shangrila. Pretty Hairy!
2005: Nanning City
The Nanning 'South East Asian Food BBQ Festival Thing
2005: Guigang City
CityThe English Teachers BBQ in Gujigang
Christmas 2005: Kunming City
Santa N Crew also visit Kunming. Really they do!

A selection of towns, cities and villages that I visited in 2006
New Years Eve 2006: Guigang City
Join me in the Nirvana Bar to see the New Year in
New Years Eve 2006: Guigang City
Join me in the Nirvana Bar to see the New Year in
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - Jinghong City
Winter Breaks random selection from Jinghong
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - The Mekong River
An awesome day spent rafting from Jinghong to Galanba
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - The Mandian Waterfalls
An awesome day spent at the Mandian Waterfalls and spending the evening at China's Greatest BBQ!
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - Galanba Town
A ride to Galanba to watch Minority Women throw buckets of water over each other! Do not miss it, to die for!
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - Menglun Village
A day spent walking around the Menglun Tropical Gardens & The Stone Forest
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - Mengla City
Walking the aerial skywalk, awesome!
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - Spring Festival in Jinghong City
Join me celebrate my 2nd Spring Festival in Jinghong!
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - Menghai, Menghun, mangshau, Nanluoshan, & Gasa Areas
Spend an awesome day with me venturing from little townto little town
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region Damenlong Town
Do you really want to come with me to Damenlong.
That place is strange and the Monks are crazy!
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - Jinghong City
You'd take her home but not give her your phone number!
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - Jinghong City
A visit to Manting Park to once again watch Minority women throw buckets of water over each other. Breath taking, simply breath taking!
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - Jinghong City
Elephants & Crazy english signs. A day at Sanchahe Nature Reserve
Winter Break 2006: Xishuangbanna Region - Jinghong City
Mud Maps & Memory Sticks. A day in the rubber trees.
2006: Nanning City
Back in the city to get my mobile phone fixed
Mothers Day 2006: Nanning City
OOp's, Mothers Day was forgotten