Camping Kunming

For those who haven't wiki'd Kunming yet, it is very similar to Denver and is actually considered a sister city (along with nine other cities around the world). Just like any normal weekend in Denver, my friends and I set out on a camping trip some 20 miles into the foothills/mountains to the west. We had borrowed sleeping bags and tents but had all we needed for the one night we were going to be out of the city. We prepared food for cooking and made sandwiches for back-ups (didn't know what the fire situation would be like). With all the gear packed and ready, we were set for exploration.

Now the girls had bicycles and were really stoked on riding there so we gentlemen agreed to lug a majority of the gear on our backs. They set out ahead of us while we made some last minute stops for only the necessities (bottles of rum and whiskey :) yarrr!). Ben (my roommate), Tai, and I all caught a bus to take us up into the hills and drop us off at the Bamboo Temple, our meeting point. Surprisingly the girls made it in only 2 hours while our bus decided to lolligag its way up taking about an hour. Seriously, we would stop at one place, the driver would shut off the engine, and we would sit there for like 5-10 minutes as the driver tried to entice people to hop on our bus. They wouldn't budge until we filled that thing! I got over it but I knew we were only going a short ways and it should have taken only half the time if we'd gone directly. Owell.

We finally met at the Bamboo Temple where the girls, Chiara (my other roommate) and Stef, had been exploring while waiting. We decided to tour the temple on the way out and got to hiking right away from there. We followed the road for maybe 100 yards before veering off into a clearing and hiking upwards. We went a little ways, found a nice clearing, but decided to keep going. It was a good hike, bush-whacking our way through a forest, climbing over mossy grounds and running into spider webs every three minutes. We would find a spot that look suitable but just kept on climbing for we wanted to reach the top. Sure enough we came to a point where solid light was shining through the thick brush. Excited, I surged on and broke through to an extremely large clearing at what seemed to be the top! Stoked on the climb and what we had found, I turned around and hi-fived everyone as they came through the clearing for it was exactly what we had been looking for (hi-fives are under-rated by the way). We seemed to be the only people there but knew we were actually in a state park sort of area. We set our packs down and realized the peak was even higher; so up we went.

The peak was epic! We could see panoramic views of not only the mountains to the west, but also the entire city of Kunming from where we live in the north, to Dianchi Lake in the south. We also made the journey on one of the clearest days yet leaving nothing but blue skies and rolling green hills for our pleasant view. After spending some time on top, we hiked back to our camp to set up the tents, read, write, nap, and enjoy Mother Nature. We were able to build a fire pit with stone and gather wood which meant a delicious meal that Chiara had put together (we ate the back-up sandwiches anyway :). As the sun set we went back to the top, except only half way up, for there were some visitors on the peak that we didn’t want to encroach on. We had fun laughing at the robot-man on a hill across the way where the sun was setting (you have to see the pictures, which I know I’m slacking at but be patient). We enjoyed the beautiful orange and reds that the sun provided that night and then went back down to start the fire. We sat around playing cards, drinking, sharing stories, and simply enjoying each others company with no distractions; no distractions from the TV, internet, noisy buses, iPhones, or anything else technology interrupts our day with. Just good ‘ol camping.

As the evening became full with darkness the fire flung its light about our camp. Likewise, the stars awoke. They came out one at a time but joined us, none the less, as we danced around the fire, full of rum and cheer. We ate noodles mixed with veggies and listened to the rhythmic sounds of Bob Marley, Sublime, and others who sing of happiness and joy. Having finished dinner, we all walked away from the fire to lie on our backs and marvel at the heavens. Although the stars weren’t as present as those in Steamboat, Colorado, it was still a sight to see. That’s when it hit me. We are young. We are free. We can do anything in this world. And at the time we were enjoying the company of friends. There were moments when I felt like I was back in the mountains of CO, camping with my boys back home; or even Julian, CA, which doesn’t hold a candle to CO but is none-the-less a fun camping spot.

That’s what I love about Nature. It has no boundaries and provides the same mystic feel whether one is in China or the US. I believe it is one thing that binds us all.

The next morning I had woken up early (didn’t sleep very well on the rock hard ground). As the others continued to sleep, I hiked back up to the peak despite the frigidness of the morning. I found a quiet spot overlooking the city and just gathered my thoughts as the sun rose. I thought about the connectedness that humans have with nature; this sort of bond that goes unseen but is surely felt. I think John Muir says it best. “Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” Even if you hate the outdoors, when you stand upon a mountain watching the sun start a new day, it is impossible not to be moved. And in this discovery of nature, we cleanse ourselves anew and remember the basics of living.

*For those who have asked about my address:

John Broyles
150 Wenlin Jie, Apt. 603
Kunming, Yunnan 650000
China