new article about silk buying

I have written a new article about buying silk in Asia.
Here is the link. Just copy and paste onto the search address, it will bring you to the article. Remember to click mucuna afterwards, then you will be brought to my other articles.
http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/36911

Farewell to my co-workers

It is difficult and emotional to say farewell to my co-workers for a company that I worked for 14 years. I thank each and every one of them and I enjoyed working with them and hope to see all in future.

Aim for a New Trip

I would like to go to Xishuangbanna to experience the tropical rainforest in 2012 in the south-western part of China bordering Burma, Laos and Vietnam.
I am looking at the itinerary and it seems like fun but a bit difficult for independent travellers, maybe I should pick up a couple local tours so the transportation will be resolved and in 1 day I can visit several places.

I have 2 more days extra that I can use as my vacation is 2 weeks. Either I can stop over in Hong Kong and do some shopping and hiking, or I can spend more time in Jinghong for other activities.

Day 1 Vancouver 2:45AM to Hong Kong 6:55AM the next day
Day 2 Hong Kong noon to Kunming 2:25 PM, then 7PM to Jinghong 7:55PM (Xishuangbanna's main city) and then to Yourantai Cottages
Day 3 Take 1 day Rainforest Hike with ForestCafe tour to see waterfall (5 hours)
Day 4 Minority Park, Tropical Crop Park, Xishuangbanna Medicinal Garden and Mengla Road Fruit Market, Manting Park
Day 5 Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park, Wild Elephant Valley, stay in tree house
Day 6 Wild Elephant Valley, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, stay at the garden
Day 7 Painting at Xishuangbanna TBG
Day 8 Painting and researching at Xishuangbanna TBG
Day 9 Olive Dam, back to Jinghong to stay at Yourantai Cottages, and visit Mekong Hill Garden and TianZi Biodiversity Centre
Day 10 Yourantai Cottages, and TianZi Biodiversity Centre buying plants and herbal medicine and herbs and teas
Day 11 leaving Jinghong 11:15AM to Kunming 12:10PM, then 3:20PM to Hong Kong 5:40 PM then past midnight at 00:30AM to Vancouver arriving the same night 9:25PM
Day 12 rest and pot up new plants