An extremely satisfying experience. Each activity has a limit on the number of participants and is conducted in small groups. We went into nature, collected plants with the teacher, did nature dyeing together, and chatted by the stream. It was very pleasant and enjoyable, and the children were especially happy and satisfied. We will definitely sign up for more activities from this organizer—highly recommended!
Day 3 in Yunnan ⃣ Lijiang Yongsheng County Jinsha River Paddleboarding
This is a journey deep into natural lakes and rivers. It can be a youthful dive; it can also be lying freely on a floating board looking up at the blue sky, going with the flow.
Yesterday, I met a sister from Xi'an in the group chat. We share the same interests, so we happily set off! Even more delightful is that Xiao Li is leading the team again~
Traveling light, pre-paddle training, returning to the mindset of a student, I listened very attentively because I can't swim and am afraid of water. I tried hard to remember, but I only retained one point: keep your body centered on the paddleboard. Xiao Li was right; even if he explains a lot, you won't remember it all, but the more you paddle, the better you'll get. The key is your mindset; as long as you're not panicked, you won't fall into the water. His teaching approach was very clear and effectively eased my nervousness, 'There are three things protecting you: the life jacket on your body, the paddleboard under your feet, and me. So you are safe, and you need to tell yourself that you are safe.'
Alright, alright peace peace... Just like that, I smoothly got onto the paddleboard. After practicing paddling for just two rounds, I quickly got the hang of it and started paddling towards the opposite shore.
'Look at the water surface; where there are bubbles underneath, there are small fish.' 'All the green on the opposite mountain is Wogan (a type of citrus fruit).' 'About twenty meters underwater, there is a city submerged due to a water conservancy project.' 'Look in the direction you want to paddle; this way, you won't veer off course.' 'The Jinsha River is at its most beautiful this season, and the water surface is very calm. Most importantly, there are Wogan fruits to eat!' Little Li kept talking like this while not forgetting to take pictures for us, 'You bumped into me, but it's okay, just don't bump into Xiao Zhou~' 'There are only three of us on the river surface, isn't that awesome!'
With a completely relaxed mindset, I felt the flowing water, the bubbles beneath, the dead wood in the water, and the distant mountains. When I lay flat on the paddleboard, it felt as if I was about to fall into a deep sleep... The journey there went like this: paddle for a while, rest for a while, and after an hour, we reached the shore. We climbed over the gravel and took a rest at a farmhouse near the shore, casually picking some Wogan fruits, which were incredibly fresh and delicious! After eating braised pork rice and taking a short rest, we started paddling back, fearing the wind would pick up in the afternoon.
Strictly following the 'master's' teachings, I didn’t dare slack off at all on the return journey, paddling hard against the wind. Unexpectedly, everything went smoothly, and we reached the shore~ Xiao Zhou played diving, saying it was bone-chillingly cold and she might cramp soon, but hey, we've swum in the Jinsha River!
I've been longing for paddleboarding for a long time, and today my wish finally came true. Although I'm afraid of water and timid, I couldn't help but yearn for it. The night before, I was repeatedly torn between anxiety and anticipation. Fortunately, Coach Xiao Li gave detailed guidance, and I stuck to the rhythm, not rushing or showing off. Although I couldn't stand up, I completed my first paddleboarding experience without falling into the water, and it was in the wild Jinsha River~ As mentioned in the introduction—'As for paddleboarding skills, they are entirely unimportant. If you paddle comfortably and smoothly, enjoying the freedom in nature, that’s the most suitable way for you to participate.'
The gentle breeze and calm water make the heart quiet, evoking an irresistible urge to hum
The tempura van tour we participated in was led by the very gentle and talkative Xiao Jing, making the entire journey especially relaxing and enjoyable. This activity is perfect for those with average physical strength who are foodies that love delicious foods. Not only did Xiao Jing treat us to tasty milk popsicles and milk, but she also took us around the village market in Eryuan, which was fresh and interesting!
After arriving at the hidden paradise of Eryuan, we walked through the ancient forest, picked some beautiful plants and wild vegetables, and Xiao Jing introduced each of them to us by name. The highlight was the plant dyeing and tempura made from the wild vegetables — absolutely irresistible! Eating, drinking, and chatting under the sun was just wonderful. Our time in Dali was too short to experience more activities, but I sincerely recommend this fun organization. Everyone will surely find a suitable project and create beautiful memories in Dali!
We love all the activities organized by Cang Mountain Hiking Family. This is the third time I’ve joined their event today.
Today, I participated in the countryside bread van dyeing activity. Sister Xiaojing was gentle and meticulous. She not only introduced various plants during the activity and helped plan the design of patterns, but she also introduced different landscapes along the way while driving. Not only were there various fruits to taste, but freshly fried tempura was also available. She was especially friendly to my puppy. Lastly, the photos she took were very beautiful.
At the foot of Cang Mountain, I participated in a nature observation hiking trip.
Children seem to naturally have an interest in plants, animals, and insects. They kept their heads down searching along the way, full of surprises at every turn. Everyone smelled flowers and tasted leaves, slowly entering the mountain for the first time, carefully observing those small lives that had been overlooked before: stick insects, ladybugs, grasshoppers, and many other nameless insects. The world suddenly became tangible and vivid.
Our leader this time, Phoebe, is a freelance translator of Japanese, French, and English who has translated and published many books about nature and plants, constantly moving between different cultures. Our fellow participant, Teacher Xiangyang, originally from Hunan, chose to reside in Dali after working in Beijing for over twenty years, helping everyone rediscover those often-overlooked presences. Following them felt like opening a door to a world we've never stepped into before.
The children gently placed the captured little animals into boxes, put the picked flowers and fruits into bags, and washed stones by a surprisingly discovered natural spring, as if collecting fragments of nature. With the mountain breeze blowing, everything slowed down.
I suddenly realized that besides constantly moving forward, we might also need the ability to pause and take a look amidst the ordinary. We can focus on our journey while also being able to calmly feel the four seasons and all living things.
Work hard, play hard. Explore the world outwardly but don't forget to give yourself some time to slow down.
The second time participating in an event organized by Cang Mountain Hiking Family. Since I love plants and hiking, and have just started learning botanical drawing, observing the plants of Cang Mountain directly while hiking, combined with sketching, deepens the impression even more. Phoebe is a guide who is passionate about plants and nature; despite her small stature, she carries a bunch of tools, including tea, snacks, and fruits. When introducing plants, she spares no details, eager to share all her knowledge, to the point that it was almost dark when we descended the mountain, and she still had to share the photos with us after returning home. Personally, I think this kind of course is excellent value for money, and I would definitely participate again if I have the chance! Phoebe, keep it up!
I participated in Phoebe's nature observation session. Teacher Phoebe is super patient and very knowledgeable, and she can even explain things in both Chinese and English—she's a total treasure. Her own natural history notes are detailed and beautiful; she is truly someone who loves life and has a free soul. I hope everyone can join her to observe the beautiful natural world of Dali.
Following Phoebe and Xiangyang from the foot of the mountain, we were immediately 'awed' by a stick insect, a stink bug, and a spotted-thighed grasshopper in turns. Fortunately, winter isn't peak season for insects. For the rest of the way, besides the Trichonephila clavata and the oothecae of the Chinese mantis, no more scary bugs appeared.
Along the way, I tasted mustard-flavored nasturtium; smelled the resin of the Yunnan poplar; crunched on an unripe buckwheat; took apart 'Lego-like' scouring rush and clipped it to my eyebrows; saw a bubbling spring; rubbed the leaves of blue gum, Szechuan pepper, mugwort, and lemongrass in my hands; carefully learned the differences between stinging nettle and ramie; saw the rampant Crofton weed and the galls from its natural enemy, the Eupatorium gall fly... taking notes frantically all the way.
But the happiest part was encountering a quiet stick insect 'model' that stayed perfectly still on my arm for 5 minutes until I finished drawing it. As someone who is terrified of bugs, it's hard to imagine that one day I would genuinely find an insect cute (perhaps personality determines fate; 'I' people and 'I' bugs have some resonance).
Walking in the mountains on a sunny day, listening to Phoebe and Xiangyang patiently introduce the plants we passed, watching an elderly couple in our group take photos with great enthusiasm, and picking up colored pencils after a long time to draw what I saw and heard—five hours passed slowly and immersively, leaving a quiet and beautiful trace in my heart.
When I return to the city, I must also maintain my curious eyes~
