44 Days Backpacking in China

China’s world perspective is for the most part totally alien to western conventions and assumptions. But no matter, this is their century, the twenty-first, and they are making the most of their time on the world’s stage, molding and shifting humanity’s script, for better and for worse… I’m hanging on for this wild adventure in the bowels of the new century China beast. You may not sense it, but wherever you are on Planet Earth, no matter how far away, no matter how out of sight or out of mind, so are you. 

From 44 Days. 

Much more than just a travelogue, 44 Days is an intimate dialogue with China’s peoples, their histories, regions, economies, cultures, work, foods and future. Unabashedly iconoclastic and a contrarian’s delight, Jeff brings down many a golden calf, as he writes as few travelers do - putting China’s relations and rapid arc of development in perspective with the United States and Europe, making 44 Days a fascinating and unique approach to today’s critically important world affairs. Traveling over 12,000km by train and bus, walking hundreds more, while climbing a few of those in vertical ascent, join Jeff as he reports from the ground up on the greatest socioeconomic transformation ever seen, 21st century China – our planet’s soon to be greatest superpower. How will Baba Beijing, China’s central government behave, while honoring its 2,200 year old Heavenly Mandate for 20% of the human race? After 500 years of being masters of the world, what will the great historical Industrial Age powers do in response - adapt or lash out? All of our standards of living and lifestyles, even our species’ survival, depend on these soon to be events. Funny, enlightening & with an eye for the right details, 44 Days provides unique perspectives to these new century issues. It will keep you amused and thinking, as Jeff takes you traveling in, across and over five wild and wooly Western China provinces, face to face with the local people. 

Includes 125+ photos, maps and charts.