2.3 million students in just one city (Chenggong) would represent about 30-40% of the entire student population that enters university every year in China. Such a number would be unprecedented and something for the guiness book of records.

Indeed, even if such a large number of students were possible in one place, why Chenggong and why Yunnan?!! Wouldn't you think it would make more sense for such a "university city" to be located in Shanghai or another one the economic powerhouses of China, rather than some relative backwater like Yunnan?

Also, when it comes to the best websites to purchase international flights, it will depend on where you are going and who is flying there. However, you will be better off purchasing from the airline's website directly than an agent if you fly with such major carriers as Dragon Air/Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways Int'l, Silk Air/Singapore Airlines etc. from Kunming.

I don't think agents can get discounts on these carriers and undercut them anymore like in the past, except for student fares, which are generally not available from China anyway (except perhaps in Shanghai and Beijing or Guangzhou but even then only from statravel or flight centre).

It's almost impossible to purchase anything online without a credit card anymore these days (or an equivalent debit card with the visa/mastercard logo) so I don't know how you go about purchasing air tickets online, geezer, but anyway good luck.

However, while we're on this point, elong makes a big fuss about scanning and sending confirmation of your credit card details to "verify" the card before processing your transaction and issuing your ticket. I used them over a year ago to purchase a ticket on Vietnam Airlines to Vietnam for a friend without a credit card. The reason I didn't use the Vietnam Airlines website, which wouldn't have required all these documents is that we only booked the flight less than 24h before departure and as such, the VN Airlines website doesn't allow that, but elong did. However, long story short they accepted everything after talking to me over the phone but I do have to admit the phone calls and emails were frustrating.

Nah, internet is not the way. Firstly, internet in China is slow as...you can barely watch anything from youtube even with a VPN...that's how slow it is (a show that is supposed to be an hour in length will take you 3 frustrating hours to download and by that time the VPN will disconnect). Also, a laptop isn't an alternative to a big screen TV where you can watch the EURO2012, other sporting events or just a good movie.

Virtually every hotel in SE Asia features English and other foreign language programming so I don't see why China should be any different and why we should "act" differently here in regards to something as basic and common as cable TV. In Nha Trang, Vietnam I counted some 20 foreign cable TV stations including sports stations (no Chinese ones though), although in Mui Ne, there were two Chinese language stations. Both cities have Russian channels though, to cater for the huge Russian tourist market.

I will try Jackchen's service or another one to see what I can receive here.

Haha I know what you mean @senorboogiewoogie about Chinese travellers in Europe. I mean, if you're going to travel, why wouldn't you try the local food? Also, I heard that Chinese people from mainland China don't eat "kung pao chicken" even though that is the staple of Chinese food found in Chinese restaurants in all western countries.

BTW I always try to eat a combination of western and local food. I have lived in Vietnam and usually stuck to eating western food for most meals, mainly because the quality is so good (many restaurants and cafes are run by westerners and/or have western chefs) and because away from the tourist areas, local food, while good is served in places with no atmosphere, like on a dirty street corner where you have to sit on 1-foot high plastic stools that almost break if someone like me sits down on them. We were also served lunch at work, but the quality of the food was pretty bad. There were times I couldn't take it and spent 1hour out of my 90minute lunch break driving back and forth between work and the tourist area to get a decent western style meal.

BTW the food scene in Laos is pretty good. The bigger towns and cities have a good selection of western style restaurants and bars with about the same quality food you'll find in Thailand (and prices too). Local food is good too, though rustic: think whole grilled fish, salted and with all the little bones still inside eaten together with sticky rice, somtam (spicy papaya salad), other grilled meats and uncooked meat in blood with peanuts and last but not least: duck embryoes.