kunming

The train journey was quite uneventful. I was really tired from my busy few days, so I was looking forward to a big sleep... Didn't happen though! For some reason, the join between two carriages was squeaking extremely loudly, and I was on the bottom bunk, second row from the end, so it kept me awake all night! We arrived in the city of Kunming around midday. After manouvering our way to a taxi to the hotel, we ate lunch and then went for a walk around the city with Jackie. There wasn't much to do in the place; I think most travellers use it as a base to get to more interesting towns & sights. The highlights of our walk included a big lake surrounded by concrete bridges & pathways. Although Emma got her fortune told by a budgie which was exciting! And we passed a giant fibreglass dumpling that I had to pose with. We all sat around in the French Cafe for a while, enjoying tea & sweets. It was a really cute little place to relax in, with cosy lounges & free internet. I meandered back to the hotel, catching the bus all by myself (how independent!). We ate dinner at a restaurent next to the hotel, recommended by the manager. The place was packed, mostly with drunken Chinese businessmen, inlcuding the mayor of a nearby town. Included with our meal was a very tacky minority people show (the population of Kunming includes a lot of minority groups). There was dancing, singing by 3 guys in a boy band style set-up, walking up a ladder of knives (most probably blunt), auctioning a few ceramic pots, calling men up on stage to have a shot of booze and some 'traditional' space-age silver outfits. It was entertaining I suppose, and at the end Helena & I got up on stage for the clapping finale! The next morning I had a much needed sleep in, however it meant getting the dregs of the buffet breakfast. We explored the Bird & Flower market, which sold lots of things including souveniers, army memorabilia & weaponry, pets (spiders, snakes, turtles, pigs, birds, rabbits), some flowers (but not enough to name the market after them) and local supplies (sign making stalls, etc). Not that exciting, but still nice to walk around. Afterwards we went back to Cafe to be lazy for a while, and exchanged some books (I have read a LOT since I've been away). We had a group dinner that night, with some new people joining us for the southern part of our trip (including an 80yr old guy, keen for the trekking part!). The following morning we boarded a bus (my first bus journey in China), headed for Lijiang.