Jul 08 2008
Internetting in the Villages of China
I’m in a little village whose name I can’t remember in a provence whose name I can’t even attempt to spell and I don’t have a guidebook with me at the moment to be able to fill in the blanks. One name I do remember though is the village I spent the past three nights it. It’s called Dazhai and is located amongst the Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces. It’s a pretty awesome place with friendly people who are part of a minority group I never did get the name of. But the women have super long hair and wear it sort of wrapped around their heads like a hat. Combine that with their pink outfits, wicker baskets on their backs, and towering rice terraces as a backdrop and you’ve got a pretty cool place to chill out for a few days.
My hotel was an hours hike from where the bus dropped me off. I Had spent 6 hours on buses by that point and when I saw where I was supposed to be hiking to, I nearly aborted the mission and stayed in a closer hotel. But the trek was worth it, the views were amazing, and they even had internet way up there! I was amazed. Plus they had a festival today and I managed to get some serious photgraphy practice in. I love taking portrait shots but feel bad about getting all up in people’s faces. Well festvals are pretty much a free for all and I think I got some good shots that I’ll post when I get a chance. Improving my abismal photography skills is on my list for sure.
So now I’m in a new village - I think it’s called Changyang but don’t quote me on that - and the hostel has a fast connection and the hugest monitor I have ever seen in my life. Unfortunately there’s no wifi and even worse, there’s nobody else here! That always happens to me and it’s annoying I tell you. I’m hoping to head off to the provence up north to a city called Kaili to try couchsurfing for the first time but I’ve heard that the roads might be blocked due to landslides. I think the gods are against me when it comes to couchsurfing but I’ll try my best to get there.
So getting to the point of this post… internet is everywhere these days and will only continue to spread around. It’s starting to be more of a shock when a place doesn’t have the internet than when it does and that’s good news for us nomads.
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I've been travelling since January 2008 living off earnings from the web. Follow me as I bum around Asia and beyond, getting up to mischief and working online as I go. 
Good luck on your first Couch Surfing attempt!
Yay! Couchsurfing
I’m an ambassador of CS - I can’t believe you haven’t tried it yet! I live by it 
Hopefully your first host will be a good representative of the positive experiences that you’ll get from future ones (even just meeting up with other CSers for a drink and local wisdom is well worth being part of the site). Add me as an Internet-based friend (username irishpolyglot) and I’ll give you a reference from being a blog fan! Even small references all help you get future hosts.
I’m on Couch Surfing too! If/when you end up in Hong Kong contact me, I’d love to meet up for lunch or a drink, happy travels!
I’m glad to hear that the internet is becoming more common everywhere. There really is no excuse anymore to not traveling and working remotely if that’s what you want to do.
Also, where are those pics? You must post!
Having widespread Internet is great for the working traveller. They just need to make a portable solar powered laptop now!
Thats a great idea Working Nomad!
Twenty years ago this would have been considered science fiction, a westerner traveling in China, earning money on a global computer network by means of a portable computer panel.
You are right. It does seem to crazy that we can do this these day. We are the pioneers of a new way of living!
Hey Benny and John, I’ll get in touch for sure on CS. I’m in a city called Kaili now and sitting next to my host in a net cafe. It’s been really great! Not sure of my next more though. Was going to head to a village nearby but it’s raining. Decisions, decisions.
Christine I have loads of pics but no time to post. There should be a mass upload when I get back to Beijing at the end of the month. Stay tuned!
Solar powered laptop eh… sounds like a good idea.
Yes, it’s official - internet is everywhere : I just installed hi-speed Fiber-optic connection for my MOTHER!
Notice, however, that her internet came AFTER rural China’s… Now perhaps she can get that picture of my wedding I sent her years ago.