I like traveling across the country, visiting places of historical interest and beautiful scenery, including famous tourist attractions. But I prefer traveling alone to joining a tour group, especially a package tour arranged by a tour agency. I enjoy the freedom of staying long at places that appeal to me and skipping those I find less interesting.

But every time I arrive at a tourist spot, a local resident will accost me with an offer of "guide services", which I usually decline. I do not like the service not because I am unwilling to spend the money but rather because I grudge spending the precious time to listen to his or her garrulous "introduction" of the place.

Last month, I was invited to an academic forum held in Anhui province. The venue naturally prompted me to hit upon an idea of visiting Mount Huangshan, the famous World Natural Heritage site in the province. But I had only one and half day's free time for the sightseeing. The gracious host arranged a package tour for the forum's participants to visit Huangshan as well as the nearby Hongcun and Xidi villages, which are also World Cultural Heritage sites known for their unique architectural styles of ancient times.