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@CurtExplores

Dec 20 • 41 tweets • 18 min read • Read on X

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It has been a decent year for travel for me this year, having spent time in a total of 25 cities* (& smattering of constituent cities & towns)

& it started, as the year tends to, on Jan 1st, in my hometown of Birkenhead*, at Future Yard's NYE Party.

*Ok, one town

The next day, I jumped on a train with Yuan Yuan to go and meet Joe in Manchester, where we spent one night.

Before the three of us spent a couple of days in York

Punctuated by a day in Leeds.

On January 8th, it was time to fly back to Suzhou, via Manchester, Helsinki, & Shanghai, which I won't count in this list as they were just short stops.

But January isn't over yet, as I headed up to Dongbei. Starting in the capital of Heilongjiang - Harbin.

Next up was a short overnight stop in Changchun, capital of Jilin Province.

Before two of the constituent cities of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Yanji & Tumen, that I've counted as one in the total city count. Because Chinese 'cities' can be a little confusing sometimes.

The Dongbei trip was rounded out with a few days in Liaoning's Dalian, before flying back to Suzhou via Shanghai.

February started out slow, though I did head through to Kunshan on the 14th with the lovely Lu Xin, the first of numerous Kunshan trips this year, before heading back...via Shanghai (again).

Unfortunately, Kunshan doesn't count toward the number. It's technically Suzhou.

I ended February with my first ever trip to Hefei, the capital of Anhui. A city I ended up visiting a few times this year, & one of the more underrated provincial capitals in my eyes, not least because of its countless street food carts & their friendly vendors.

In early March, I hopped on the train for a short ride to Zhenjiang to shoot a video that, who knows, I might actually get around to editing and releasing some day.

Mid March was the point I *finally* spent a night in Shanghai, rather than just transiting through.

I mostly just wanted to mooch around the dockland, as I'd never been out that way. Rode from there into the city on a bike, & got real burnt in the process.

I actually ended up in Shanghai twice in March, as my colleagues & I headed to Shanghai Disney at the end of the month.

Having paid 30rmb(!) for a stick of corn at Disney, I felt I needed to connect with my roots, so the next day headed back to Hefei for some street food & vendor chats.

In April, I flew down to wonderful Guangzhou to spend a few days with Lu Xin. It was on this trip - sensing my company in Suzhou wouldn't be able to keep me on - that I decided I'd probably move here. Though, in the end, that didn't happen.

The Guangzhou part, anyway.

Later in April I...went to Hefei for some street food & chats.

I mean, I did tell you I liked the place 🤷‍♂️😅

With it confirmed by late April that I couldn't stay at the company I was working for, I decided I'd try & cycle to as many of Suzhou's constituent cities as I could while I was still there.

I started with Zhangjiagang.

May 1st brought about my extended unemployed period, in which I blew through most of my savings, & had the best time doing so.

It was an easy joke at the time that I 'had no money coming in', but I'm very privileged I was in a situation where that was ok.

Anyway, rode to Wuxi.

Many, many other people would not have the privilege I had to do what I did at that time. Many people I love. &, indeed, myself, in many periods of my life.

There were obviously ups & downs. But overall, I'm still very very lucky.

Rode to Wuzhen (Hangzhou).

The whole point of this thread, really, is not to boast or show off. I don't think traveling is something to be proud of, per se. It's a luxury.

More than anything else, it's to remind *ME* how lucky I have been in life. Important to remind yourself sometimes.

Rode to Huzhou.

I took a break from cycling for a few days, after basically a week straight on a HelloBike. & I wonder why my back is knackered, eh?

Took a train to Nanjing on the 7th, & stayed there for two days.

Then it was back on the bike, this time to Luzhi, as part of my plan to cram as many water towns in as I could before I left Jiangnan.

Anyway, Luzhi is technically Kunshan. Which is technically Suzhou. So doesn't count toward the total number.

After resting up & making the most of the city I lived in, loved, and was gutted to be leaving, I went to Shanghai to watch Shanghai Jiading - only to be told it was sold out.

Pic 2 is from the highlights of that game.

Sold out? Hmm...

On the 15th I did my semi regular bike ride from my door to Wuxi railway station, then train back to Suzhou. Good fun, good exercise, & pretty cheap.

This time I went a different way & saw a nice temple 😁

I ended the whirlwind month in Jiangxi, starting in the capital of Nanchang. It isn't the most remarkable provincial capital, but it has some interesting revolutionary history, the people are great, & the food is some of the best you'll find in China. & cheap, too.

I spent the next two days in Jiujiang. Specifically Lushan National Park.

Words can not describe how much I loved this place, & pictures will not do justice its beauty.

I took a lesser used route down the mountain & barely saw a soul all day. Really an indescribable experience.

With funds beginning to dwindle a little, though not to seriously (I'm a cheap traveller), I decided on one final 'big trip' before I got a new job, & went on a 臭豆腐 pilgrimage to Changsha.

The city turned out to be so much more than that.

The most fun, friendly people ever.

Much of the rest of June was spent on a bike, with trips through to Changshu, Zhangjiagang (both Suzhou), & Nantong - where I got to cross the Yangtze River by boat (very cool).

Towards the end of the month, I had to head up to Beijing for some admin for my new job, & took the chance to visit my former home, Hohhot.

This trip was particularly nostalgic, as I hadn't been there since January 2022.

Great to see some old friends.

Since moving to Beijing, I've been back to Hohhot a few more times. First in August, to wave off a friend Liam - the last of Hohhot's Birkenhead contingent - as he prepared to move to Guangzhou.

We went to our mates bar, & listened to friends play Mongolian music. Good send off.

The second time was with @MiffaLadd in October, dragging him straight from his mega flight from The UK to come & look at some camels

& the last time was earlier this month, to welcome Yuan Yuan back home, with our favourite cocktail bar, coffee shop, & BBQ restaurant. Just like the old days.

Another city I've been to more than once since moving is Tianjin. The first time, with @DavidFengTrains, for some train geekery back in August.

The second time, with @MiffaLadd again, for some general mooching around in October.

It was with @DavidFengTrains that I ticked off the Hebei duo of Langfang & Baoding* - specifically Gu'an in the former, Xiong'an* & Baigu in the latter.

*if Xiong'an is still considered part of Baoding? I'm not too sure. It's a bit confusing.

@DavidFengTrains I've since been back to Langfang twice on a rental bike. The first time in October, cycling to Yanjiao. The second time, an all dayer last month (well, 6h) to...*ahem*...Langfang.

I know it's confusing. I mean, wait until you see Langfang's shape...

@DavidFengTrains The city(ish) I visited the most this year was Kunshan. Especially when Suzhou Metro Line 11 opened. I think I went 4 times that month & even shot a video:

Zhouzhuang is also technically Kunshan. I cycled there in June. It was soaking, but beautiful.

& I'll finish off the travel thread with my last *new* city. One I tried, & failed, to visit last year, only lasting an hour before fleeing potential lockdown. It was a frustrating asterisks on my 'cities visited' ever since.

But last month, I *finally* made it to Qingdao.