It’s made entirely of Merino wool, so you know it will be warm and comfortable. And if you think this will make it itchy on your face, it won’t. This is one of the softest options out there, and you can wear it all day long without any issues. A couple of days after we met, somebody in Chongli showed me a video of Luo clearing tables in the Wanlong cafeteria. I assumed that this was a stunt—the owner working alongside staff while the cameras rolled. But during our week at the resort Leslie and I saw Luo cleaning up in the cafeteria every day. Sometimes diners recognized him and asked him to pose for pictures, but usually they didn’t notice. Often, he worked alone in a part of the cafeteria where people had already cleared out. One morning, I saw him by the main chairlift, studying a long line of skiers. “It’s too crowded,” he said. “I’m trying to see what we can do about that.”

As a university professor in Chengdu, I sometimes have a similar sensation. In the past two years, I’ve found many of my students to be surprisingly open and freethinking, and I’ve been impressed by their willingness to work hard. I recognize the same dedication and meticulousness in many other Chinese I encounter, ranging from Luo Li in the cafeteria and Zhang Chao on the Wanlong slopes to the local health officials in my neighborhood, who worked tirelessly in the early phase of the pandemic. This kind of energy has been crucial to the government’s COVID strategy, which probably saved millions of lives while creating an environment in which citizens have been largely free from the psychological pressures of the pandemic. He broke ground that summer. His initial investment was more than a million dollars, and the following winter he was able to open three runs. Often, only forty or fifty people showed up. At that point, Luo realized that he had miscalculated. He had designed a resort appropriate for people like himself, who had reached a moderate skill level, but the country was full of novices. Our return to China, though, exposed the family imbalances. I was the only person who couldn’t ski, but also the only one licensed to drive in the People’s Republic. In mid-February, there weren’t many others on the road; at the Yongchang International Hotel, in the northern city of Yulin, we were the sole diners in a cavernous banquet hall with thirty-five tables. A receptionist told me that, of three hundred and forty-one rooms, thirty were occupied. Staff at the hotel had carefully cut soap boxes in half, to function as little holders for cotton swabs, and taped the boxes in the elevators, so that guests wouldn’t have to touch the buttons. During the three days that we travelled, one new symptomatic COVID infection was reported in all of China. By our second run, I was improving. “Pretend there’s a piece of fruit on the end of your ski!” Zhang shouted, when I was trying to make a turn.It doesn’t have to be fruit,” Zhang explained. “Just think of something you want. You need to lean forward when you turn.” Zhang had never tried the sport, and he didn’t touch snow for the first half year of the program. It began in the summer, with students studying theory, performing calisthenics, and going for long runs. “I was wondering, ‘What good will this do?’ ” Zhang told me. “And the teacher said, ‘You’ll find out in the winter.’ ” You’ll also see colorful parachutes flying above Tanjung Benoa’s sky, called parasailing adventures. At around 10:00 AM, Tanjung Benoa’s waters are bustling with tourists trying various watersport activities. For Luo, the point of Wanlong seemed to be community rather than nationalism, or competition, or even business. Once, I asked if he regretted spending so much money on the resort, and he admitted that for years it had bothered him. “Then one time I was very calm, and I thought, Since I started investing here, I have brought jobs,” Luo said. “People from Beijing don’t have to go far to ski. My employees have jobs, and they can afford houses and cars, and raise children, and get married.” He continued, “I felt that I shouldn’t be so selfish and narrow-minded. I shouldn’t think that not making money is frustrating.” He added, “You see, I’m quite a happy skier, and when I see many people skiing happily it makes me even happier.” Flying Fish participants must be at least 120 cm tall, and the boat will fly approximately 1-2 meters above the sea surface.

The bang band is the most popular and is contoured to completely cover your ears from all angles. The design frames your forehead with its two layers of midweight Chelonia 150, allowing for trapped heat to build between the two layers of this soft, lightweight fleece. Other variations of the headband are also available. Under helmet wear Also, for the safety of participants, operators in Tanjung Benoa will cancel parasailing activities if there are bad weather conditions and unpredictable wind directions.Seawalker Tanjung Benoa participants wear a watertight helmet, and it is suitable for children aged 13 and above. It has a double-lined construction that gives you excellent protection from the elements without being too bulky. This also leads to a very nice fit and feel that won’t be too tight or stuffy to wear at any point during the season. Booking directly with Tanjung Benoa watersport operators will result in customers being charged the published prices, which are higher than our online prices. Furthermore, Tanjung Benoa Snorkelling activities without a guide. If you want a snorkeling guide, an additional fee of IDR 50,000 per guide applies.