Lumos | The Afterglow of Xipo Camping

The afterglow of Xipo camping is too strong! I found everything boring after returning, so I could only keep signing up for Cangshan Hiking Club's activities. Dali is still the most fun outdoors!

Our guides were Aruna and Wen Jianqi, and I want to praise them highly! First, let's compliment the lady: Aruna's driving skills are impressive, and her photography is amazing too. Moreover, she catches candid moments effortlessly and notices little details. Women truly understand women; men will never understand what women are photographing. Of course, don't force the photography thing—if you insist, you have to spend big money.

Xiaoqi is a young man in his twenties, the type who impresses with knowledge. With him around, you never have to worry about a boring hike or kids not being able to keep going. Along the way, he introduced us to bugs and various plants, and we discovered many beautiful mushrooms.

Both guides were very nice to the kids.

The whole trip was designed very smoothly. We gathered in the afternoon, and Aruna drove us to Ayan's house halfway up Xipo. We rested with some fruit and tea. Before it got dark, we first went to set up camp together, then returned for dinner. Sister Ayan's cooking is one of only two delicious things I've eaten in all my many days and visits to Dali! When we went back at night, Sister Ayan's dog Qianduoduo ran after us, accompanying (mooching off) us, and our team finally had a dog!

Upon arriving at the camp, Xiaoqi made a fire and roasted milk tea, and brought lots of snacks for us. He played old-school music... Everyone ate, drank, and chatted casually—it was so cozy. At that moment, I really wished my friends were there. When I think of my friends, it must be a time in a great place with a great atmosphere.

Because the child was sleepy, I took her to the tent to sleep first. At that time, a light rain started. I thought the pitter-patter on the tent would be annoying and that I'd wake up early without sleeping well. But not at all—it was natural white noise, very hypnotic. When I opened my eyes, it was surprisingly already nine o'clock. The two guides had almost finished breakfast. Qianduoduo was excitedly visiting everywhere. A happy dog really provides abundant emotional value.

Sitting under the awning, Xipo in the rain was even more beautiful. The mist in the valley kept rising until it reached our feet. I said you could touch the clouds by reaching out... Fortunately, I brought pre-made cold brew, made an American coffee, ate the bread baked by Xiaoqi and the noodles cooked by Aruna, and watched the clouds while listening to the rain—it was almost perfect.

After breaking camp, we hiked together into the primeval forest. This was Xiaoqi's highlight moment, haha. Our five-and-a-half-year-old girl usually whines after walking five minutes, but this time she completed the entire hike (about three to four hours) without fuss.

After the hike, we went to Sister Ayan's house for another hearty meal. It was so delicious!

Finally, thank you again to Aruna and Xiaoqi for their efforts, giving us such a wonderful experience. Looking forward to playing together again if we have the chance.

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