I don't know what my motivation for picking China as a destination was. I've got nothing in particular against the place but it's just not Alaska. Or Patagonia. Or anywhere else that remains some scarcely touched pristine wilderness and naturally beautiful destination. It seemed to me - without any prior investigation - that its drawcards were mostly cultural, something that I've managed to resist so far, particularly with respect to the well trodden Australian coming of age Eurotrip.
I wasn't even really looking to go on holidays yet (it had only been six months since returning from my last trip) but after a bit of encouragement from Lorene as she had her own plans for five weeks, three weeks to travel alone and to the beat of my own drum began to tickle my fancy.
None of this explains why I chose China.
I don't think I can adequately do it. It wasn't "calling" me. It's just there. Looming large in all its pre-eminent world super power way. Plus, I don't know many people have been there, certainly not in the way that I imagined I'd go. Ultimately, it just became a case of, "why not?" Upon learning that China has the second most World Heritage Sites of any country (45, behind Italy on 49) and that they were a mix of natural and cultural, some sort of tipping point was reached and my interest was suitably piqued.
So, armed with a hard fought visa, precisely no Chinese and a devil-may-care attitude, three weeks in China became the plan...
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