Hiking the Tiger Leaping Gorge – by GEORGE BRAINE I was jolted awake with a searing pain in the chest and heavy alcohol fumes on my breath. It was severe heartburn. Soon, the diarrhea started. A large dose of Imodium, which I always carry on my travels, slowed the runs. I was in the lovely, ancient city of Lijiang in Yunnan, China, on a week-long visit. The previous evening, I had shared a bottle of “Cabernet” with my guide Haba and another friend. China is rife with fake wines, but I had paid a high price and the label said “Great Wall”, a reputable brand. Yet, I had been duped. When Haba arrived for the planned hike to Tiger Leaping Gorge, I was in no state to travel. But more Imodium and lots of water gave me the confidence to face the 100km, 2-hour bus ride to Qiaotou, the starting ...

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