Testimonials
What a fantastic trek this was. It surpassed my expectations
in every way. I mean, how often is it that you can go for 14 days without a
shower and everyone thinks you smell normal? But seriously, the history, the
climbs, the people we met, and the wildlife and wildflowers were all really
special. But it was the camaraderie and the great spirit with which Ed and Yang
Xiao and Mike Tan walk and camp that was beyond category. Did I mention that
the food was also stellar? I've been searching the grocery stores in
Virginia for yak T-bones
and sour melons but haven't found any yet. Guess I'll have to come back soon to
get my fill! Thanks again for leading us on an unforgettable journey.
Dean King, author, Skeletons on the Zahara and the
forthcoming Unbound, USA
Following the Red Army's Long March was a once in a lifetime
adventure. Hiking through the breathtaking
Snowy Mountains
and the demanding Grasslands, all the while retracing the steps of history, was
unforgettable. The Red Rock Trek team made our walk a joy because their
advance planning, attention to detail, and concern for us as their guests were
simply superb. I would recommend a trek with Red Rock to anyone!
Andy Smith, USA
Exploring the old Tea Horse Caravan routes of
Yunnan with Ed and
Yang Xiao was simply amazing! Along the route we saw mountain scenery that
rivals anything I've ever seen in the Himalayas, Andes or
Rocky
Mountains. Add to that the myriad of cultures of
China's ethnic
tribes that I experienced along the way. Ed did such a good job of relating his
in-depth and personal knowledge of the history and peoples of the area.
Then there is Yangxiao's hearty cooking...Fantastic! They even
taught me a new card game during a rainy day spent in the tent. What
really stands out though is their personal touch. Ed and Yangxiao are
great guys and they did a great job of making sure I was comfortable and
enjoying myself throughout the trip. Looking forward to another trip with
you guys soon!
Jason Smolensky, Canada
Our trip was every bit the adventure I hoped it
would be, and more! Ed and Yang Xiao make an outstanding team. Ed is
a walking encyclopedia about the Long March and the history and customs of
western
China. More
than once, I felt like we were witness to Red Army history being
uncovered. And once we got him out of the big city, the consummate
outdoorsman Yang Xiao immediately put us at ease that the intimidating
logistics of our trek were completely taken care of. It was truly a once
in a lifetime opportunity to experience a remote part of the world and make
great new friends while doing it.
Gordon Wallace, USA
It was certainly the longest, toughest but most
enjoyable trek that I have ever done. In total we had a very dynamic
15-strong team, with various degrees of trekking experience but all with a
very strong sense of responsibility and willingness to help. Our second
day from Huadian Ba to Qingyuan Dong was the best part. We had a sumptuous
breakfast in the warm early morning sun on the grassland. For Ed and Yang Xiao,
probably the most challenging task of the day was to get everybody moving
from taking pictures all the time. Our trekking started with a small curve
down the camping site to a "hidden" valley, which led us to an open
basin and flat land with a drying swamp in the center. For the following
three hours we trekked the ancient tea horse road on the other side
of the Cangshan mountain range, overlooking the Huadian Ba from afar. It
was a hot day, but most of our trails were shaded in the pine trees.
Our hired mules were either shortly behind or ahead of us, the ringing of their
bells comforted us greatly that we were really setting feet on an ancient
route. I want to express my thanks and sympathy to Ed and Yang Xiao,
for their professionalism and patience with us. Looking forward for more
and even better trips with you in the future!
Li Mingxia,
China
在此行之前我并不了解自己的体能极限，对户外活动所要经历的环境也是茫然的，可以说，我是怀着期待与忐忑的心情开始我人生中第一次徒步旅行的。现在看来，对于想挑战自我和全身心放松自己，这真的是一次再好不过的旅程了。
这五天的行程一闪即逝，花甸坝和清源洞的两个宿营地给我留下了美好的回忆，怀念满天的繁星，潺潺的清泉。还有，我学会了搭帐篷（感谢指导员雪松同志），虽然自行完成的帐篷在"
公墓"宿营地的夜里随风摆动，恐怖效果十足。
特别要感谢杨肖和Ed
给大家提供了这样的一个机会，并耐心地照顾着大家。还要感谢Ed
、杨肖和明霞给我的生日惊喜，这个生日真的很难忘，很感动。
最后要说的是，杨肖指导的，上坡时的行进步伐真的很好用。我想这样的培训，对于菜鸟级的徒步成员是很必要的。
Wu Yanan,
China
One advantage with a small group like ours is that each person is looked out for, so when I became like an invalid on our descent after the 2nd day the help I got from the others whether physically or through words of encouragement was for me something quite special.
One thing I must compliment Ed and Yang Xiao for is the food - better than anything I had expected. And I thoroughly enjoyed the yak butter tea and sampling some of the local greens and mushrooms picked along the way!
I would like to thank Dr Ed Jocelyn for his commentary from the start of our adventure, filling in some of the stories and events that took place along the route. You have a way of putting the interest back into history, a subject I found somewhat boring at school.
Losa Naivalulevu, Fiji
I have never been in a trip in which I felt so special. The reasons, which really impressed me, are:
- the way you tailored the trip for us, for me, how you distributed the effort and arranged for breaks, you kept invisible the huge effort you made to always have the next step ready, food and accommodation arranged with the locals, wake up early and take the heavy load etc.
- the attention to detail at each step, like the great chocolate cake you got from your sleeve in the best moments!!
- the very practical and cold-blooded way you solved critical problems, like setting the camp in the extreme weather conditions we encountered.
- the great food I felt so good not because the trip starved me, but because of the very-very tasty and well chosen 'cuisine'.
- the actual itinerary, offering fantastic landscapes, which made all my friends envy me after the first Wow! seeing the photos.
- lastly, but just as important and exciting as the others points, was the educational part; I have learned so much about the history of China and about the places we have visited, the customs etc, that I can now talk as an expert with my friends :) and I'm proud about it!
Lucian Muresan, Romania
