Yunnan, China

Quoted (Description of Yunnan scenery as author travelled from north bus route to Yunnan):

Alpine views
We cut through several sprawling towns before the road starts to wind its way upwards into the hills. for the first time in China we are beginning to see scenic beauty away from the seething urban holes we have found ourselves in to date. Through the terraced landscape, with paddy fields in the valley and maize growing in the terraces. Up and up and the agricultural landscape changes to an alpine one. Hills washed in dark green hues from the thick dense pine forests. Here and there a patch of brown ochre from a recently cultivated field. Blue skies, deep Wedgwood blue with cotton wool clouds, hanging about, casting mellow shadows on selected areas of the forest. Up and up and then stop. A traffic jam. How long will we be here? Maybe ten minutes, maybe two hours. They are still building the road ahead. We are stopped for an hour and then we are on our way again. we pass the road works and begin to descend. Twisting, winding we go, a luscious green valley is below us. Then climbing again and the landscape has changed and we are surrounded by a rugged mountainous terrain The mountains see the back of the blue sky, a curtain of gray clouds has been draped in front of the sun. And it is getting colder.