Signed up for the afternoon van trip two, and Xiaomi, our team leader, took my family to experience a joyful life in the field and forest!
Actually, I was asking Xiaomi on the van why she thought there were so many things to play with in nature. Xiaomi was momentarily speechless until we arrived at this ancient woods. She led us along the way to identify various plants, crushed leaves for us to smell the different plant aromas, pinned plant Legos on my braided hair, and squeezed dry mushroom heads to see them puff smoke. At this moment, Xiaomi said, 'Look, there are just so many fun things in nature that are hard to describe with words.'
We put the collected leaves into the basket, found a big rock by the road, and started making plant imprints. At this time, Xiaomi was preparing afternoon tea for us - there were thorny horned melons freshly picked from the morning market, mung bean cakes specially bought from the ancient city, herbal teas brewed from plants she grew herself, a table full of snacks and fruits!
Just when we thought it was about to end, Xiaomi asked us, 'I just picked some water dropwort and fragrant herbs, do you want to try them?' Then magically, Xiaomi took out a pot, oil, and even tempura flour. Oh my goodness, it was really delicious!
After only half a day together, I was already moved by Xiaomi's vitality - her beautiful and cozy van, the little yellow flowers she stopped to pick along the way, the wild vegetables she cooked right away after taking out the cooking utensils. Next time, I will ask her to take me mushroom picking.
This parent-child nature observation activity was absolutely fantastic! My child’s eyes sparkled throughout the entire event, eagerly asking the teacher questions non-stop. Even after returning home, my child kept talking about the little bugs seen and the new plants recognized. It was much more vivid than reading books.
We both squatted down to observe and record, playing very intently. Not only did the child learn a lot, but I also gained knowledge. This kind of activity where kids can play and learn while strengthening bonds is truly worth recommending!
Today was the first time participating in an activity; our family of three signed up for Phoebe’s mini nature observation, and the experience exceeded expectations!
The children loved catching insects. Teachers Phoebe and Yoyo were meticulous and patient, not only teaching various knowledge about animals and plants but also providing great emotional value to the children. The children were thrilled to see stick insects for the first time.
The unexpected picnic session was also excellent, and it was hard work for the teachers to carry so many things up the mountain. Throughout the process, we could feel the teachers' deep love for nature. It was wonderful, and we will definitely participate in activities again in the future.
Fengyu Golden Autumn Hike: In the waves of rice and warm sunshine, encounter the most healing mountain wilderness moments.
If there is a 'top-tier travel' in Dali's autumn, it must be He Chen and Wang Wang taking us on this light hike in Fengyu Town – from afternoon to dusk, every step treads on scenery, every moment wrapped with care.
Our two couples had just gathered when we were impressed by the professionalism of the team: both Wang Wang and He Chen are meticulous and professional leaders who had carefully planned the route in advance. From helping us choose the freshest homemade milk fans at the milk fan shop check-in point, to pointing out branches and leaves to teach us about local unique plants upon entering the mountains, they even clearly distinguished each type of fern. They were more like friendly companions, always helping us watch our steps, offering suggestions for good photo angles, and continuously calling us over to see grazing sheep on the hillside, saying, 'Come here, the best shooting angle is here.'
The biggest surprise was the mountain afternoon tea – who would have thought that during a hike, we could sit on the warm grass, drinking hot flower tea and eating sweet pastries? Above us was the blue sky with floating white clouds, and beside us was the pleasant autumn breeze. Below the mountain, the Bai ethnic town was hidden among green trees, and the air carried the freshness of the wilderness. The highlight of the journey was the golden rice field we encountered at the end: the heavy rice ears bent low, sunlight sprinkled over them like broken gold, and the sound of 'rustling' filled the air as the wind blew through. We couldn’t help but walk into the fields, the air filled with the fragrance of rice. The joy of seeing the abundant harvest made us all incredibly elated.
The entire 'light hiking' pace was very comfortable, without the rush of traveling. There was only the relaxation of 'looking slowly, playing slowly,' all thanks to the thoughtful planning of the leaders. They precisely controlled the intensity of each section of the journey, allowing us to enjoy the fun of the wilderness without feeling tired. They constantly paid attention to everyone’s condition; even our casual mention of wanting to photograph the rice fields later was remembered, leaving ample time accordingly. Every detail was filled with warmth.
Such a route, such companions, really make people engrave the most beautiful autumn of Fengyu in their hearts. Finally, I'll record this beauty with four lines of poetry: 'Fengyu's golden autumn treads on green, the waves of rice fields turn gold and intoxicate the hearts of visitors. Ancient temples and white clouds reflect each other amusingly, joy and clear weather all the way.'
If I seek the autumn mountain wilderness again, I will definitely return to Dali and set off with them again!
Finally got to play paddle boarding, paddled for more than 2 hours in West Lake. Yunnan’s climate is changeable in October, at the start, there was gentle sunshine and breeze, easily weaving through the reeds, watching birds take off.
On the way back, an evil wind blew up. Paris and Haifeng tied everyone's paddle boards together and paddled vigorously. When we reached the shore, everyone felt great and satisfied~
Don't want to go to the crowded scenic spots, come to the mountains to pick mushrooms. The journey was long and the ride was a bit bumpy, but it was definitely worth it.
Very quiet mountains, no signal at all, mushrooms of various colors kept surprising us. Our guide, Xiaomi, taught us to recognize many kinds of mushrooms, and we even tasted raw milk mushrooms, the taste of the wild. The freshly picked mushrooms were stir-fried and eaten on the spot, fresh enough to drop eyebrows. Praise for the puppy Xiaoxi, who was serious and responsible, always guarding us.
Experienced + learned bartending with Teacher Xiaoyang, gained a lot, already planning to buy equipment and try it myself at home later. Made the city folks feel full of happiness...
Teacher Xiaoyang is gentle and pretty, super professional, (could she be ENTJ?!), when I first met her, she whispered “so pretty...”. She’s also a super brave girl, the world belongs to the brave~ It’s great, met interesting friends and also learned a bit of bartending, drank everything we made, bartending is really fun, your mind keeps imagining different flavors, although hand-eye coordination isn’t great.. still looking forward to the final taste... Like knocking over a palette but the result mixed into a “colorful black”. All the best, love Dali~
A very good mushroom picking experience. Guide Xiaomi patiently told us which mushrooms are edible and how to identify them.
And our handsome driver Xiaoqi is witty and humorous, after picking, he also cooked delicious mushroom dishes for us.
