Yunnan. Three Rivers. Day 8 & 9

Our road bends south one last time. We pass golden fields and terraced hills as we make our way through Shaxi, a once-forgotten caravan town on the ancient Tea Horse Road. Cobblestone alleys, a weathered stage for open-air opera, and timeworn houses with carved doors tell of a past where salt, tea and stories were traded in equal measure.

We stop for a walk through the old square, maybe a coffee under a gingko tree or a final souvenir – nothing loud, just a small reminder of the road that brought us here.

By afternoon, we reach Dali again. But we return with different eyes. What once felt like a beginning now feels like a closing circle.

And still: Dali keeps surprises for those who look twice. We check in at one of our favorite boutique hotels, hidden just enough to feel private, with open views of Erhai Lake and the Cangshan Mountains beyond.

There is no rush now. Just time to breathe, reflect, and let it all sink in. 

In the evening, we gather for a final dinner. The table is set with elegance, but the conversation is casual. Stories are shared, laughter echoes across the terrace, and the light over the lake softens into the kind of blue that only comes after everything has been said.

Tomorrow, you leave. But something stays behind. A rhythm, a scent, a moment.

Some journeys end. Others begin to live on – in memory, in silence, in the way you see the world after.

Overnight stay in a 5-star luxury hotel