Expedition? don't make my chickens laugh :)
This is an ordinary trip.
Dali and Lijiang are both very, very touristy. I like Dali, though I haven't been in a few years. When I was last there, the place still had charm though. Lijiang is the epitome of a tourist trap: for me, it's already been completely ruined. I didn't enjoy my stay there at all. There are less touristy places in the area: you can go around the lake from Dali. Shaxi may well still be lovely and low-key.
Otherwise, look into Guizhou.
Hi,
Me and my wife are planning to do a trip to Europe next year in August. We want to visit Italy, France, Switzerland, Belgium and Netherlands. Would really appreciate on how should we go about planning this trip, mainly the order in which to visit these countries and how many days would each country take on average. We were initially planning 2 weeks for this trip but that's just a wild guess at this point in time.
Thanks

Hello!
I am looking for hiking/biking recommendations around Vegas. My sister has decided her bachelorette party will be in Las Vegas in early May. I have some extra time and no great love of the drinking/night life, so I'm looking for some recommendations both for short half-day hikes while the rest of the group is comatose/hungover in the mornings (so within an hour drive of the strip), and more strenuous (but still day hikes) adventures that can be a little farther out, for the extra days that I have without the group. I am not interested in any multi-day hikes for this trip.
I will have my own vehicle, so transportation is not an issue.
I am thinking I will have about a week either before or after the actual bachelorette party (whether it's before or after depends on whether there are things that I want to do that are time sensitive), which is the first weekend in May. I am totally fine with camping somewhere a few hours from Vegas and making that my base camp for a couple days if the situation warrants. I have 4WD and want to bring my bike, although I am more inclined to scenic loops over technical downhills where the mtn bike is concerned. I don't care whether I return to Vegas each night or camp somewhere.
I have already spent a lot of time in Zion/Bryce/Grand Staircase/Grand Canyon, so I am really looking for somewhere else to explore on this trip, although if someone has an off-the-beaten-path can't-miss in one of the parks I am absolutely open to suggestion. For the mid-party morning hikes I'd like something I can complete and be back to the pool by noon or so (assuming a 5 or 6a start), and for the on my own stuff anything in the 7-15ish mile range would be great.
I have done a lot of hiking and canyoneering in Utah and am confident in my abilities to hike solo through just about any non-technical terrain. I am also driving to/from Bend, OR for the trip, so any options along that route (north through NV) are also great suggestions. Thanks in advance!

Second this! Great trip. I took a dolmus from very near (500m or so) my hotel in Mardin, Artuklu Kervansarayı, to Nusaybin for 12 TL. I wandered around Nusaybin, saw the outside of Mor Jakub (it was closed for renovations) then had a haircut near the Syrian border. Lots of levelled buildings and new builds, as well as military police check points, but nobody performing checks and seems quiet. People a bit surprised to see a tall, blonde Englishman wondering around, but that only manifested itself in helpfulness. Was passed from stranger to stranger as I got a dolmus (2TL) to somewhere in Nusaybin and then another dolmus (6TL) to Midyat. There I stopped for a durum at the kebab place outside the otogar, and the guy there offered to take me to Mor Gabriel and back for 50TL on his bike. No English tour of MG but nice to wander around, and cool motorbike ride - place seems like it has money, very fresh looking renovations. Then my guide also took me to Mor Abraham, got them to open up for me, and also took me back a fun way through the narrow old streets of Midyat (near the otogar, worth a walk around). Finally, 15TL dolmus back to mardin. Would recommend - nice trip and always fun going to FCO red zones XD.

I've read a lot about the bazaar and am very interested in authentic markets, and textiles, and shopping for silk ikats. However, my itinerary doesn't allow for me to be there on a Thursday or Sunday. Is it still worth a trip to Margilan? Is there much to see and shopping to be had on other days of the week?
Thanks so much